Indianapolis Times, Volume 35, Number 185, Indianapolis, Marion County, 13 December 1922 — Page 1

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VOLUME 35—NUMBER 185

DUAL MURDER CLEW POINTS TO WOMEN

How Boy Lived For Six Days in Room Wit! His Slain Aunt

Hungry, Cold and Bewildered, He Plays With Pet Dog Sleeps at Woman’s Side.

By HOWARD MeBRIDE Times Staff Corrrxpondent \ /fUNCIE. Ind., Dee. 13.—“ Marna, there was a woman in IVA Uncle Bill’s house. I thought it was you and I cried. /he lady went upstairs to get me some jelly.” This statement, made today bv 3-year-old “Billy” Hufftickle, implicate a woman in thè murder of William G. Sliaefr'er, 39, and his wife, Susie, 39, whose hatchet-hacked bodies were sound at their farm home twelve miles south of here l’uesday. Prattling throughout thè morning, thè cliild repeated his He was unable, however, to give any description of thè woman. “Marna, I thought it was you. Who was it?” he said, bewilderingly. The child. weak from hunger, thirst and eold, was unable to relate any ineident leading up to thè slaying of his uncle and aunt. For six days and six nights, “Billy” and his poodle dog, “Lollie.” lived through an unknown torture. Their food. shared betweeu them, apparently eonsisted of crackers, a glass of jelly and a picce of appiè pie. The boy was unable to obtain any water. Chickens Found Dead in Coop Four chickens, cooped up in thè kitchen of thè three room house, had starved to death. Other chickens, pigs and stock in thè barn lot were dying of starvation and thirst. “Billy,” when reseued from thè “house of torture” clad only in his underwear, was asleep on thè death bed, cuddled •dose to Mrs. Shaeffer’s body. His feet were in a pool of blood. The dog. faithful to his voung master, was lying beside thè bed. “I sound jelly and pie,” thè boy said aster he had been taken to thè home of Howard Brown, farmer neighbor. “Lollie and I ate it all up and there wasn’t any more. We was hungry, vve was. I cried for marna, but she didn’t come.” The ehild was suffering from exposure. His feet were blue rom thè cold. The house was unheated.

“Aunt Susie went to sleep and wouldn’t wake up,” was all he child would say for hours. “Uncle Bill was gone. I couldn’t nd him.” “Did you see any one hit Aunt Susie?” thè child was asked “Aunt Susie was asleep,” carne tlie answer. “Where was Uncle Bill? Was he in thè house?” “Uncle Bill was gone. He didn't come home.” “Did you see any one else beside thè lady that gave you Uy?” “I cried for marna,” was his replv. Further questioning caused thè boy to weep With his swollen feet swatlied in bandages to overcome lont posure to freezing weatlier ili an unheated house and witl is lips cracked and blistered from lack of water and food, thè •oy whimpered from thè pain even in his sleep. Ilis lise is noi et beyond thè reach of thè destroyer pneumonia. If he recovers ;e will necome thè most remarkable figure in one of Indiana’ nost astounding doublé murders. As near as ean be gathered from thè boy’s statements he ried repeatedly to arouse “Aunt Sue” tlie morning aster thè •rime. He went into thè kitclien and sound some crackers on a shelf. He plaved with his woollv wliite dog and when “Lollie” '•egged for crackers he gave him some. Climbs Into Bed With Dead Aunt Then it become dark and thè boy climbed in bed again with “Aunt Sue,” but she wouldn’t wake up. And his uncle was not there. “Billy” cried and cried and became sick. He called “marna.” Nobody carne. Many autos passed near thè house. The little fellow could see them from thè bed in which was thè evidence of tragedy too deep for thè waning intelligence of a sick and starving child. He was a prisoner waiting, waiting, waiting, for his father and mother. “Billy” was a favorite of his aunt and on leaving to return 'o their farm home, four miles uorth of Middletown, Mrs. Shaeffer begged that she be permitted to take “Billy” along. He always had suck good times at his “Aunt Sue’s” house that consent was given readily for him to go with tlie Shaeffers. “Billy” is thè son of Mr. and Mrs. William lluffstickle, 315 N. Dix St., Muncie. Mrs. lluffstickle said Mrs. Shaeffer carne to her home Dee. 6 and asked to take thè child home with her, promising to return him thè following Saturday. The mother became alarmed when her son did not come home on

THE WEATHER + —*•—-- ■—4 The cold wave is now passing eastward to thè Alleghenies and thè nortli Vtlantic States. There has been a generai rise In temperature from thè middle Mississippi valley westward over thè plains States and Rocky Mountain region, due to a rain storm coming from •’alifornia toward thè great basin. Temperatures have not changed -eatly over thè northwest and readingrs continue below zero from Wis consin and Minnesota, westward. HOURLT TEMPERATURE. 6 a. m.... ... 13 10 a. m 17 7 a. m 15 11 a. m 1S 8 a. m 14 12 (noori) 20 • a. m 15 1 p. m 20

The Indianapolis Times

COAL YARD IS HOME CF BOYS FOR THREE DAYS An abandoned coal yard near Missouri and South Sts. for three days has been thè home of Steve Staswick, 13; Marion Hutchens, 14, and Elmer Garrett, 14. all of Terre Haute, Bicyclemen Mangus and Léonard said today. The boys carne to Indianapolis last Thursday, thè police said. They were sent to thè detention home and Terre Haute police were notified. DOCTOR HURT IN COLLISION Bu Time Special HARTFORD CITY, Ind., Dee. 13. Dr. C. T. Dodds, pliysician, suffered several cuts and bruises about thè head when his automobile was s*ruck by a car driven by C. F. Ford of this city. Dodds’ car was turned over and virtually wrecked, while Ford's was only slightly damaged.

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“Eilly” lluffstickle ariti his dog. taken by Times photograplier aster rescue from Newcastle death cliam-

DQOZE DIVISION stssts ir oi LIOUORTHAFFIC Captain Seeks Information About Violations of Law. War on bootleggers was begun today by thè new booze division of thè police department. Capt. William Palliseli is In conimand of thè division, whlch ia similar in rank to thè traffic division. Lieutenanta Stoddard and Hudson are in command of two squads of four men each on tluty untU 3 p. m. Lieutenant Cox and Sergeant Cummings command two squads aster 3 p. m. Information about violationa of thè liquor laws will be welcome and will be investigated. Paulsen said. •'Hip pocket” bootleggers who frequont thè Illinois St. levee eafes and poolrooms in various secUons of thè city will be rounded up, thè captain says. Search warrants will be issued and search will be made of any buildings where it is believed liquor ia stored or manufactured.

MINE OFFICI,ILS WIKIKELEC President Hessler Runs Well Ahead of Opponents. Bu Vnltdl Prrs TERRJ? HAUTE, Ind., Dee. 13.—Re turns from seven of 230 locai unions today indicated a generai victory for thè present officiala of Distriet 11, United Mine Workers of America. President Hessler with 463 votes, liad a majority of 116 over his three opponents for president. William Mitch, seeretary, hnd 526 to 22 for his opponent, John Rice of Bicknell. For Vive president, T. I. Roberts, running for re-election also, had a majority of thirty-six over six other candidates. Those who were elected will take office next Aprii. STRIKE IN EVANSVILLE MINE IS ENDED Bji Uniteci Prese EVANSVILLE, Ind., Dee. 13. Strike pt thè Korff coal mine, near Boonevìlle, was over today when 173 men went back to work under temporary agreement, according to company officials. The men struck Saturday when thè company refused to check-off a special union assessment. This was thè only mine in thè “pocket” distriet to be closed. LABORER FINDS PAWN SHOP ‘JINX’ TO HIM With money he got from pawning his overcoat at 316 Indiana Ave., John Mitchcl, 36. laborer, 236 S. East St., !)ou;’:t a half pint of “white mule,” acro: ng to Motor Policemen Gooch and Pfaffenberger. Then he went back to pawn a cravenette raincoat. Police were called on suspiclon thè coats were stolen. Mitchell proved he owned thè coats, so thè police arrested him on a blind tiger charge.

INDIANAPOLIS, WEDNESDAY, DEC. 13, 1922

ber, where boy suffered so severely from exposure that it was necessary to bandage his feet.

What Will Solons Do? The Legislature will convene in Indianapolis Jan. 4. Ita actions will nffect every person in Indiana. The Times has asked members what they export to lo and what they consider their most important problema. A summary of replies appears on PAGE TWO.

CEFFO OPEISS HEJJ TBIRL Miners’ Attorney Charges Cunmen Flood County. Bu l'nitrii Pus MARION, 111., Dee. 13.—With a full array of attomeys and counsel on hand, thè “Herrin massacre” trial swung into action in Circuit Court here today. Aster reading of thè Indictments by thè prosecution, Angus W. Kerr, ehief counsel for thè Illinois United Mine Workers, made thè openlng statement for thè defense. “Williamson County was over-run with professional man killers and gunmen,” Kerr stated. “Tiiese gunmen committed acts of violence upon farmers and miners in thè neighborhood of thè Lcster mine from June 15 until thè day before thè rioting in which three union minors were killed by thè mine guarda.'• “As a result of these abuses, a community rose tip in defense of its homes,” Kerr deejared. “By defending its sacred institutions, Williamson County served notice on theso American gunmen and upon those who would employ mankillers that this was not a afe community into which to send hired inurderers.” Contrary to generai beliefs, Kerr emphasized a prolonged stato of hostility between union miners and coal operators. “These acts of violence committed by armed hirelings were provocative in cliaracter. We will show that these men tried to draw thè citizenship of this county in thè rango of their nrtillery. We will show that their avowed pttrpose was to kill and murder in order to make tremendous profits and break up thè minerà’ union.” ONE DIES~IN FLAMES BUFFALO, Dee. 13. —One person was burned to death hero today in fires which drove many victims into thè bitter cold and did $500,000 property damage.

Baby Loser in Fighi of Science vs. Prejudice

Little Jimmy’s mother listens to thè new-fashioned doctor with one ear and to Jimmy’s old-fashioned grandmother and neighbors with thè other —and Jimmy suffers. Workers of thè division of child hygiene of thè city board of health know all about these little Jimmies, aster one month’s experience since thè division started operation. A nurse recently visited a mother who had been told what to do to avoid serious resulta from rickets in her child. The mother was

POLICE SEEK STDLEN Ci OCCUPANE Mrs. Hattie Laird of Newcastle Tells of Seeing Two Couples Leave Auto. FARM HAND IS ARRESTED Robbery Believed Motive in Slaying of Farmer and Wife Near Middletown. Times Staff Correspondent NEWCASTLE, Ind., Dee. 13. —Authorities are following up new clews wliich may lcad to thè arrest of two men and two women in connection with thè doublé slaying of William G. Shaeffer, 39, and his wife, Susie. 40, whose bodies were sound Tuesday on their farm, three miles north of Middletown. Information given by Miss Hattie Laird, 916 Seventh St., Newcastle, is believed to be thè clew'on which Sheriflf Tost ia working. Miss Laird 'old authorities that on

j thè evening of Dee. 6. a Ford sedan i stoppeil near her home. Two men and two women got out of thè car and left it stand! at thè curi). The following morning police sound a Ford sedan near thè Laird home, which Miss Laird asser*ed was thè one abnndoned thè previ night. The car was taken to police headquartcrs. La ter lt was learned that it had been stolen from thè Shaeffer barn. Miss Laird was unable to give any description of thè men and women, other than that they were well tlressed and were rat her youthful. Other developments today were: Ben Brookshire, 23, friend of thè murdered couple and who was seen at thè home. stili was detained for questioning. No elitirge has been placed against him. The theory was advanced that | thè murderer or murderers were well acquainted with thè Schaeffer fanilly and knew of their possession of $6,000 worth of Jewelry in I’ thè house. Both Hit With Hamnier County officials were working on i thè theory that Shaeffer, whose body ì was sound in thè barn, was struck on ; thè heal with a hanimer-hatehet as j he stepped from his automobile, and i that Mrs. Shaeffer was killod aster she - had talleri asleep while waiting for | her husband to return to t’ho house. ; Her skull was crushed by thè hiunraer, j which was sound in thè kitclien. Tlie murderer, it is believed, washed h*s hands in a barin in thè kitchen aster eommitting thè doublé crime. A basin lìiled with bloody water was sound. Brookshlre’s statements regarding his whereabouts since lie left thè Shaeffer home last Wednesday night are being checked. Compelled to Leave Authorities malntained thè Shaeffer family compelled Brookshire to leave their home when he refused to work as a farm hand. lt is believed thè murders occurred last Wednesday r.ight. Robbery apparently was thè motive of tho crime, as $4,000 worth of jewelry was taken from a liandbag. A necklace, vallied at $2,000, was dropped on thè floor. A sum of money also was taken. A pistol was sound under thè pillow on Mrs. Shaeffer' death bed. It apparently had not been touched. “Brookshire carne to ìny home at Muncie last Thursday,” William Iluffstickle, brother of thè murdered womman, told authorities. “While at Muncie he would make three and four trips a day away from thè house. He said ho had been to Indianapolis to malte a deal for a team of horses. Ha aaserted ho could buy thè horses on terms If Shaeffer would go surety on a note.” Mrs. ITuffstickle told authorities she last saw Mrs. Shaeffer at 4 p. m. last Wednesday. She declared Mrs. Shaeffer told her her husband was (Turo to Page 10)

not following lnstructions. “Oh,” she calmly explained, “we never bother about that down South and thè children there never have ‘crickets.’ ” In November thè department nurses made 1.818 visits to babies and children under school age. Thirty clinic conferences with mothers were hcld by staff physicians, with an attendance of 932 children. The division has seven clinic stations, with seven nurses and Ave physicians on } the staff.

Newcastle Tragedy Told in Pictures; Hatchet Victims

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Photograph at top (left) show thè bedroom of thè Shaeffer home, where Mrs. Shaeffer' hatchethacked body waa sound. On thè right ls thè interior of barn in thè rear of thè Shaeffer home, where Shaeffer’s body was sound. The man is Earl Lllison, who was thè last

FI DUE lira 01 1 CHARGES OF GAMBLING Defendants Said to Be Friends of Armitages—Other Allegations Are Made in Findings.

Five men said by Prosecuting Attorney William P. Evans to be thè “trusted lieutenants of William H. and James E. Armitage,” were indicted on gambling charges by thè Marion County grand jury today. "William H. Armitage is chairman of thè executive committee of thè Republican county committee and iris brother a former member of thè board of public safety. The men indicted: George Shockley, Roy Travis and Adolph Kohn, charged with operating a gaming house at 2129% E. Washington St., and Everett Orr and Henry Cameron, charged with operating gaming houses at 135 E. Michigan St. and 320 E. Vermont St. Shockly Travis, Ormand Cameron were arrested by Detective Claude Worley and released on $5,000 bonds. Forty-nine Charged Forty-nine indictments were returned in all. William Gibbs wfs Indicted for muroer in thè first degre# and was hekl without bail. He is charged with shooting John Caldwell on Oct. 5. Anna Price was charged with second degree murder and held without bail for thè alleged shooting of William Price. Other indictments- were as follows; Paul Ivabrich, embezzlement; Hazel Jackson and Charles O’Banyon, grand larceny; Sadie Deano, assauit and battery with intent to murder: George White, rape; Wilbur Board, rape; Rorace Stanley, vehicle taking, un-

Entered as Second class Mutter at Postoftìce, Indianapolis. Pnblished Daily Except Sunday.

known person to have seen Shaeffer and his wife. He is standing where thè body was sound lying face down. The center picture show thè house and barn. Cross marks indicate where thè bodies were sound. The other picture is that of Shaeffer and his wife.

ìawful possession and grand larceny; Roosevelt C. Sarver, issuing fraudulent check; James L. Brown, grand larceny; John Brooks, grand larceny; Willie Bryant, enterting a house to tommit a felony; Harry McKinley Smith, ripe; Raymond Dickerson and Cornelius Johnson, vehicle taking, grand’ larceny and unlawful possessioni Arthur Schaaf, grand larceny. Accused of Larceny Roosevelt Greer, burglary and grand larceny; William Philpott Bond, 32 S. Orientai St., and Ilarley Pierson Bond, grand larceny; William S. Shacklet, failure to stop aster an accidenti Louis Scott, assauit and battery with intent to murder; Herman Reynolds, 521 Scioto St., rape; Kenneth Dolen, 860 N. New Jersey St., Russell Moore, 2547 Northwestern Ave., and Joe Itounder, 1996 W. Vermont St., vehicle taking and grand larceny; Charles Carmack, 1221 Madison Ave., assauit and battery with intent to murder; William H. Carew, 146 N. Blackford St., grand larceny, and Orville Bloom, 523 N. Patterson St., vehicle taking, grand larceny and unlawful possession. SICK VETS TO HAVE PARTY The Rainbow Division Veterana Association was raising funds among members today for thè second annual Christmas party for wounded and sick ex-service men at thè Methodist hospital. Some of t'ne men are spendlng their third Christmas la th hospital.

Forecast SNOW tonight and Thursday, probably turning to rain Thursday nigFit Rising temperature.

TV/O CENTS

CRfiSH VICTIMS SLIGHTLYBETTFR Four Hurt, Two Seriously, When Traction Hits Auto. Retalning her composure for thirty minutes in thè bitter cold and with several rib fractures, Mrs. Helen Cameron, 27, of 3504 Evergreen Ave., directed firemen who extricated her from under a Union Traccion interurban ear at College Ave., and Fall Creek Blvd., Tuesday evening. Afra. Cameron was riding in * Stutz coupé with her husband, Martin W. Cameron, 32; Miss Mary Archibald, 26, of 1736 N. Illinois St., and AI va H. Wynkoop, 2S, Lebanon, Ind., when thè interurban struck thè auto. Two Seriously Hurt Mrs. Cameron is in a serious condition at thè Methodist Hospital. Cameron suffered a severe scalp wound. He was taken home from thè hospital. Miss Archibald is at thè Methodist Hospital with body injuries, but her condition is not serious. Wynkoop ls at St. Vincent’s Hospital with scalp wounds and serious injuries about thè back. The four injured ptrsous were r®ported slightly improved today. Hospital officiala said all would recover. Cameron who was driving east on Fall Creek Blvd., told police he did not see thè interurban or hear a whistle. Roscoe Simon, 33, of Perù, Ind., was motorman and A. C. Orumet, 33, of Perù, conductor, of thè interurban. Motorman Defends Self The automobinle was dragged sixtjr feet. Mrs. Cameron was pinned under it until police and tire truck company No. 22 got her out. Then she collapsed. Motorman Simon told Sergeant Dean he slowed down for th® boulevard Crossing. Passengers of thè interurban verlfied thè motorman’s statement. Cameron said he was not speedingf and did not see any lights on thè interurban. He said he never had driver, more than twenty-five miles an hour. Cameron is Indianapolis manager of thè Southern Surety Company.

Shoppers Aid A number of thè large department, clothing, slioe, trunk and leather goods stores and stores in other lines in thè downtown retail distriet announee that, beginning today and continuing to Christmas Ève, their closing hour will be 6 p. m., instead of thè usuai hour. 5:30. This will give one-half hour more shopping time to thè buying public. Don’t wait until thè last days of holiday shopping—shop now.