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Liquor and Fear of Arrest Are Blamed for South Side Tragedy. CHILD SEES SHOOTINGS ‘I'm Sorry I Killed Her,’ Says Husband as His Life Ends. Bootleg liquor and fear of arrest were blamed today for the murder and suicide that left four children orphans in a south side home late Friday. Tiny a drunken rage and before the eyes of his 3-year-old daughter, Floy, George Slader, 32, bootlegger, shot and killed his wife. Violet, 28, and then fired a bullet into his heart. in their home, 629 Stevens street. On the heels of the crowd of ex cited neighbors, their three other children, Juanita, 11, George Jr. 9, and Earl. 7, learned of their parents’ death. Bought New Gun With the revolver bought a few hours earlier, Sluder shot his wife through the heart and arm. She was found dead on the kitchen floor. Turning the smoking gun on himself, Sluder pressed it to his breast, fired and ran to the front yard. His brother, Pierce Sluder, 742 East McCarty street, was one of the first to reach the house. “Were you drinking, George?” he asked, holding the wounded man in his arms. “I had a few,” George muttered. “Was there anyone else mixed up in this?” Sorry, Too Late .No one—oh, I'm sorry I shot her,” Sluder answered. Then he died. Mrs. Sluder had remonstrated with her husband about his liquor dealings and drinking, according to Mrs. Daley Utterbach, 654 South Noble street, friend of the Sluder’s. “Violet was a good woman and a good mother,” Mrs. Utterbach said. “She tried to put up with the way George carried on and she never said much, believing that the best way to get along was to remain quiet and not say anything to take him mad.” Mrs. Utterbach said Sluder had beaten his wife frequently, and that the mother would take the children and leave when he was drinking because they were afraid of him. Had Threatened Wife ?She told me that he had threat ened to shot her and said, ‘But he'll never do it; he hasn't got the nerve. But if he ever does, he'll shoot himself, too, Mr. Utterbach said. The revolver was found under the kitchen table. Two weeks ago Sluder was re leased from the Indiana state farm where he served thirty-seven days on a charge of drunkenness and beating his wife. He took employ ment at the Mormon plant, but quit Friday evening and planned to go to Detroit to work, his brother said. Neighbors said Sluder feared arrest and was going to Detroit to avoid police. Pierce Sluder and his stepmother, Mrs. William Sluder have taken the children. Services Monday Funeral services for Mr. and Mrs Sluder will be held Monday after noon at the Beck Speaks chapel, 125 South Capitol avenue. Burial will be in Floral Park cemetery. Sluder was born in Case county, Kentucky, and his wife in Winslow, Ind. They had been married twelve years, living most of that time on Stevens street. Mrs. Sluder is sur vived by the children and a sister, Mrs. Florida Pipher of Indianapolis. Her husband is survived, besides the children, by the parents, Mr. and Mrs. William T. Sluder; his brother Pierce, a sister, Mrs. Florence Reed, all of Indianapolis.
Newspaper Details
Indianapolis Times
Indianapolis, Indiana, US
Sat, May 04, 1929
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Steven S.
UT, USA 26 Jun 2026
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