Evening star., 1948-07-25
Daniels Prosecution Souqht
BY 3 Counties in Ohio KILLINGS
PoroIee, "a, SuIks in
Cell After ADMITTING
Port in Six Sayings
BY the Associoted Press

BY the Assoeioted Press
CELINA. Ohio. July 24.-Robert
tMurlD Daniels, "a, sulked in a
Celina cell today as three Ohio
counties--in which he and his gun
happy pal killed SIX persons in Il
days-pleaded for the privilege oi
prosecuting him.
The body OF his partner in the
two-week spree of wanton killings
22-year-old John c. West, was en-
route to Parkersburg, w. Va. fol
burial.
West was shot to death and Dan
iels captured as the two PAROLES
tried to force a road block near
Van Vert yesterday. Two officers
were wounded by West before the
former convict went down with a
bullet between his eyes.
Says He's Going To Burn.
AS Daniels signed a confession last
night that he and West killed four
men and two women, from four
different families. he told Sheriff
F. Roy Shaffer of Van Vert County,
who captured him:
Maybe it would have been better
if had been shot, too. I'm going
to burn. anyway"
Sheriff Shaffer today called a
conference for early next week with
prosecutors from Richland, Frank
lin and Seneca Counties, to deter
mine where the young slayer shall
be tried II police Sergt. Leonard
D. Conn, shot through the chest
by West in the road block battle,
should die, the sheriff said Daniels
would be tried in Van Vert County.
Otherwise, he may be released to
Columbus, where the two reforma-
tory PAROLES launched their bloody
trail July 9 by killing Earl Am
brose. tavern owner; to Richland
County, where in the early morning
of July 2l they killed Reformatorv
Farm Supt. John E. Niebel, his wife,
Nolanda, and their daughter, Phyllis.
leaving their nude bodies in corn
field; or to Seneca County, where
late Thursday and early Friday.
only few hours before their cap
ture, they shot and killed James
Smith 25-year-old farmer, as he
sat in an auto with his wife, and
then murdered Orville Taylor Of
Niles, Mich, at a roadside park to
obtain an automobile Driveway
truck in which they made their
futile dash for liberty.
Still Hopes to Get" Guard.
Daniels said that If he ever got
the chance he'd get Red Harris
yet"
IF it wasn't for Red Harris"
Daniels told half dozen reporters
earnestly, Il wouldn't be here now.
I planned for four years to get
him"
Harris is guard at the Mansfield
Reformatory where Daniels and
West both served time.
He gave me the hard way to 60,
He hit me with a club. He beat
hell out of me one time.
Il got a lot of Irish in me, and
when somebody does something to
me I get him back. I'm not kill.
crazy by a hell of ways, but Ill
tell you one thing-if I met Harris
yet. I'd kill him."
He and West went to Mansfield
Jl,1v o1 to "oet" Harris Tho victir,,s
instead, were Mr.. Niebel and his
wife and daughter. ..-
No Grudge Against Michel.
II Yesterda Daniels told officers
that MI Niebe1 had "given me the
hard way" but today he said he
had no real grudge" against him.
He CNiebeD was strict" he said
"he was a strict disciplinarian but
I didn't 60 back especially for him"
But of Mr.. Harris, he said: Il
hunted for four hours for him. 1
knew his hangouts. He had moved,
and we couldn't find him.
I'VE were going to kill him. West
had had trouble with him, too. We
knew that if we just best him up
he would make it that much tougher
for the other inmates. We were
going to kill him."
The only break in the youths
front before the newsmen showed
when his family was mentioned.
I'm from a swell family" he said
My only regret is the disgrace I've
brought my family. I'm not sorry
for another thing I've done
MY dad was strict. No. he wasn't
too strict. He used to talk to me
about right and wrong. I guess I
kinda laughed"
Both Were Syphilitic.
All of Ohio. returning to normalcy
after the reign of terror spread by
the two desperadoes. was asking
what made them act that way. and
whether they were the same type as
John Dillinger and his gang.
Dr. E. J. Humphreys. Ohio mental
hygiene director: Col George
Mingle, state highway patrol super
intendent and Arthur Glattlse.
Mansfield reformatory superinten-
dent, offered answers.
DR.. Humphreys said:
There are many things which
enter into making persons start on
ruthless crime careers. Broken
homes, discord in the family, i'm