CHICAGO MURDER.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 27 September 1924, Page 12

CHICAGO MURDER.

LAST ACT IN COURT TRIAL

COMPLETE VICTORY FOR DEFENCE.

, CHICAGO, Sept. 11. The two youthful sons of American millionaires, Richard Loeb and Nathan Leopold, found guilty of the mturner of Robert Franks, a 14-year-old schoolb°y,' have been sentenced to life imprisonment. There were amazing scenes before the court assembled, detectives, with two picked squads in automobiles, escorting Judge C'averley to tile court. two boys spent the night before the sentencing in strutting • before newspaper reporters and giving remarkable interviews. The chief of detectives, Hughes,', with't wo picked rifle squads, assembled before Judge Caver ley’s residence to maintain order in the street prior to escorting him to the courthouse. The vxilice had been deluged with threats to blow up the courthouse if Leopold and Loeb were not sentenced to death. - Scores of anonymous letters were received bv the judge from an armv of excited cranks. ~ The boys occupied their last evening before being sentenced in giving new£ paper interviews and enjoying to the full the interest connected with them. Leopold was, in particular gay spirits. “How should the author of the greatest crime of the century act on the eve of his sentence?” he demanded of a reporter before the latter had a chance to question him. Loeb plastered his hair with an additional ,eoat of brilliant’ine, and strutted about the gaol as if he was on a ballroom floor. Two big questions confronted America this year. One is “Who will he elected President?” and the other, “Have Leopold and Loeb enough money to avoid hanging?” .Judge Oavetrley settled the second question when he sentenced the young murderers to 99 years’ imprisonment, which is the American court’s' way of defining imprisonment for the term of a prisoner’s natural life. • WHAT THE JUDGE SAID. A circle of steel ringed the criminal building when J udge (Javerlev, a little old man. arrived. A battery "of dozens of cameras;: was trained on the Bench and tlie prisoners as the judge, started to read his decision. After referring to the great interest the ease had aroused throughout the entire world, the judge said it was somewhat different to ordinary cases in which there were pleas. of guilty, because no- understanding was reached with the District Attorney before the' pleas were entered. . , The countenance of Mr. Clarence: Harrow, counsel for, the two youths, became livid as the judge declared that there- was no mitigating circumstances. The murder had been carefully planned, he said, ever a- long period, and was a callous act. Then the judge .began to indicate thati the youth *f trie prisoners must,, however, be the controlling factor in the decision, and Mr Darrpw’s anxio-us face once ni ore was wreathed in smiles. The judge continued that no minor had eveir been sentenced to death in the State of Illinois on. a plea of guilty. It was a complete victory for the defence, which had concentrated on one point—that of avoiding the gallows. THINK OF THEIR AG EH “I believe that if the boys had boon in quite normal minds they would not have committed the niurder,” said the] judge, who called attention to. the fact that they were only 18 and 19 years of age, adding that the determination not to execute persons except those of full legal age appeared to be in accordance with the progress of criminal law aIL over the world and with the dictates of humanity. “Life imprisonment may mot strike the public imagination as forcibly - as hanging,” he said, “but to this type l of offender prolonged suffering and years of confinement may easily be the more severe form of retribution.” The court finally advised the parole officials never to consider their cases i favourably. They ought to remain in prison aIL their lives, said Judge Caverley.

The kidnapping and murder and mutilation of Robert Franks, one of the most sensational crimes in the history of America, was committed at the end of May,, and Leopold, the youngest student ever graduated by the University of Chicago, and a son of the president of the Morris Box Company, and Loeb,- the son of the former-vice-president, of the great mail order house, Sears-Roebuck Company, were arrested a. few days later. In a recent letter written by Leonold to a friend from prison, he said: You may be interested to know that in the event that I am sentenced to death upon the gallows (as appears unite likely) I shall take steps to attempt to “piece the veil” altho’ I am convinced personally that no after life exists. It at least will he prepared for the exigency in case I he mistakeji.