Not Just Evil: Murder, Hollywood, and California's First Insanity Plea

by David Wilson

  The other members of the team were quickly called into the Pullman compartment to hear Mr. Hickman’s verbal confession. His vivid and detailed remarks gave the district attorney all the important dates, times, and places relating to the actual crime. Detective Lucas reported that Mr. Hickman behaved amiably towards everyone during the entire process and watched them all sign the document as witnesses to the actual confession.

  After a brief conference between the DA and the detectives, several sheets of paper and a pencil were placed in front of Mr. Hickman, who was asked to complete a second statement explaining in his own words the motive behind his criminal behavior. The significance of this move was not lost on anyone who was watching. Asa Keyes could barely hide his excitement as Mr. Hickman picked up the pencil and started writing. The district attorney had physical evidence linking his suspect to the body of Marion Parker, along with a complete confession and the handwritten statement describing his motives. Mr. Keyes could now see how the court case would unfold, and there was no way it was going to result in anything less than a death sentence.

  The transcript of Mr. Hickman’s formal confession read as follows:

  My name is William Edward Hickman. I was born February 1, 1908, at West Hartford, Arkansas. I desire to make the following statement relative to the kidnapping of Marion Parker in Los Angeles, Thursday, Dec. 15, 1927.

  During the past six months the idea of kidnapping a young person and holding it for ransom came to me as a means of securing money for college. I had already been in touch with President Hawley of Park College, near Kansas City, Mo., and was to see him again in the February following to arrange my entrance.

  On November 23, 1927, I rented an apartment at the Bellevue Arms house under an assumed name of Donald Evans. At this date I had no definite plans to kidnap, but on Monday, December 12, I decided to locate Mr. Harry Hovis, chief teller at the First National Bank of L.A., and arrange to take his young child, but I wasn’t satisfied with the situation. I then thought of Mr. P. M. Parker, because I had seen a young girl with him one day at the bank while I was employed there as a page. This was the First National Bank at 7th & Spring Sts., and since I thought that the girl with Mr. Parker was his own child, I decided to start my plans.

  On Wednesday, Dec. 14, I drove out to Mr. Parker’s house at 1631 South Wilton Pl. and waited to see him drive home and his daughter return from school.

  On Thursday, Dec. 15, 7:30 a.m. I was again parked near the Parker residence in my car, which I had stolen in Kansas City, Mo., early in November. It had a California license plate, No. 1,677,679, which I took from a Chevrolet car in San Diego, Sunday night, about the 5th of December. About eight o’clock I saw two young girls leave the Parker home and follow them to the Mt. Vernon Jr. High School in that district. I returned to this school later from my apartment at the Bellevue Arms. I entered the attendance office at approximately 12:30 and asked for Mr. Parker’s daughter, saying that her father had been in an accident and wished to see her. I gave my name as Cooper and assured the teacher that I was a friend of Mr. Parker’s and worked at the First National Bank. I was asked if the girl’s name was Marion Parker since it occurred that Mr. Parker had two daughters at the school. I replied in the affirmative and emphasized that it was the younger daughter for whom the father was calling. There was only a slight wait and when Marion was called from her class. I told her to come with me, repeating what I had said to the teacher.

  The young girl did not hesitate to come with me and we left the school immediately. I drove east on Venice Blvd. to Western Ave., north on Western to Beverly Blvd., east on Beverly Blvd., to Temple St., on Temple to Glendale Blvd., out Glendale Blvd. through the city of Glendale.

  I stopped the car on a quiet street out in this vicinity and told Marion that she had been deceived. I told her that I would have to hold her for a day or two and that her father would have to give me $1,500. Marion did not cry out or even attempt to fight. She pleaded with me not to blindfold or tie her, and promised not to move or say anything. I believed her and took off the blindfold and the bandages from her arms and ankles. I explained to Marion what a chance I was taking. I warned her that she would be hurt if she tried to get away, and I showed her my .380 automatic. Marion said she understood and that she didn’t want to be shot. I started the car and we drove back to Los Angeles, to the main post office, where I mailed a special delivery letter to Marion’s father. Marion sat right up in the seat beside me and talked in a friendly manner. It was very nice to hear her and I could see that she believed and trusted me for her safety. When I left the post office, I drove out to Pasadena. Here I stopped at the Western Union office on Raynold Avenue and left Marion perfectly free in the car while I sent a telegram to her father. I wanted to warn Mr. Parker not to do anything until he got my letter, and told him that his daughter was safe.

  Marion and I left Pasadena and drove out Foothill Blvd. beyond Azusa. We talked and had a jolly time. Marion said she liked to go driving and she went so far as to relate to me that she had a dream just a few days before that someone called for her at the school and in reality kidnapped her. Before dark came I turned back and we stopped in Alhambra where I mailed a second telegram. At seven o’clock we went to the Rialto Theater in South Pasadena, and saw the picture entitled Fathers Don’t Lie, with Esther Ralston. Marion enjoyed the picture and we both laughed very much during the vaudeville, which followed the picture.

  We left the theater about ten p.m. and drove directly to the Bellevue Arms Apts. Marion, I could see, was a little worried and also sleepy. We sat in the car by the side of the apartments for about thirty minutes and saw a chance to enter without being seen. I told Marion that my room was on the third floor and cautioned her to follow just a few steps behind me. No one saw us go to my apt. (No. 315) and when we were inside Marion went to sleep immediately. She chose to sleep on the couch and only took off her shoes, and used a pillow and a heavy blanket, which I gave her for cover. I placed a reading lamp by the door and left it lighted so that it cast a dim light over the room. I slept in the bed and retired shortly after Marion. I stayed awake for some time, to see that the girl would not attempt to leave the apt.

  Next morning Marion was awake by seven o’clock. She was sobbing and didn’t say much. I got up and prepared breakfast, but she wasn’t hungry.

  After a while I began to talk to Marion and tried to console her. I told her that she could write a letter to her father and that I would also. So then she stopped sobbing and wrote the note and didn’t cry any more that day. About 9:30 a.m. I left the apt. for about thirty minutes. I went downtown, where I got the newspaper and mailed the second special delivery letter, which included Marion’s note. I tied Marion to a chair while I was gone but used cloth bandages and she was not cut or bruised in any way. I did not blindfold or gag her and she promised to keep quiet.

  When Marion saw her pictures and name in all the papers she felt sorry, because she didn’t want her father to give out the news of her kidnapping because I had told her all of my plans. Later however she seemed to like to look at her pictures and kept reading the account of her abduction. Marion didn’t want to stay in the apt. all day so I promised to go out driving again. We left the apt. about noon and drove out through Alhambra and San Gabriel, past the Mission Playhouse to San Gabriel Blvd. and turned on the highway towards San Diego near Whittier. We drove through Santa Ana and while we were stopped there for gasoline at a Richfield station I noticed that the attendant looked at Marion very closely. We drove on beyond San Juan Capistrano and stopped to rest the car a while before we turned back. We were about 70 miles out of Los Angeles and it became dark before we got back to the city.

  I secured some evening papers and Marion read to me as I drove. About 7 o’clock I stopped the car just south of 7th Street on Los Angeles St. and left Marion in the car while I went to the P. E. Station at 6th and Main St. and called her father over the telephone. I called twice but the line was busy each time. I told Marion so we th
en drove up Los Angeles St. to Sunset Blvd. and out Sunset to a drug store near Angeles Temple. I called Marion’s father and talked to him. He said he had the money and wanted me to bring his girl back to him. He said he’d meet me anywhere and I said I’d call back. I called the second time from a drugstore at Pico and Wilton Sts., at about 8:30, which was about 30 minutes later than the first. I told Mr. Parker to get in his car alone and drive north on Wilton to 10th and turn to the right one short block to Gramercy, just north of 10th. Marion and I were parked on Pico, between Wilton and Gramercy and we both saw Mr. Parker drive by. There were two other cars following his, and I feared that some detectives were planning to trap me, so Marion and I drove directly back to my apt. and didn’t go by her father. We got back inside without anyone seeing us. Marion sobbed a little because she couldn’t go home that night but she saw everything and was content to wait till the next morning. Marion slept the same way Friday night as Thrusday and we both were awake and up by 7:30 the next morning.

  I told Marion to write her father that he must not try to trap me, or something might happen to her. She wrote the note in her own words and very willingly, same as the first note, since she knew my plans as well as I did and read all of my letters. I told Marion all along that I would have to make things look worse to her father than they really were, so that he would be eager to settle right away. Marion knew that I wrote her father that I would kill her if he didn’t pay me, but she knew that I didn’t mean it and was not worried or excited about it. In fact, I promised Marion that even though her father didn’t pay the money, I would let her go back unharmed. She felt perfectly safe and the tragedy was so sudden and unexpected that I’m sure she never actually suffered during the whole affair, except for a little sobbing, which she couldn’t keep back for her father and mother.

  I wrote my third letter to Mr. Parker and put it with Marion’s note in the same envelope. I told Marion that I would go downtown again and get the newspapers and mail the special delivery letter. I said I would return in less than a half hour and then we would get in the car and meet her father somewhere that morning.

  I went ahead and tied her to the chair as I did Friday morning, except that I blindfolded her this time, and made ready to leave the apt. She said hurry and come back.

  At this moment my intention to murder completely gripped me. I went to the kitchen and got out the rolling pin, meaning to knock her unconscious. I hesitated for a moment, and changed my mind. Instead I took a dishtowel and came back to where she was sitting on the chair, pushed back in a small nook in the dressing room, with her back turned to me. I gently placed the towel about her neck and explained that it might rest her head, but before she had time to doubt or even say anything I suddenly pulled the towel about her throat and applied all of my strength to the move. She made no audible noise, except for the struggle and heaving of her body during the period of strangulation, which continued for about two minutes.

  When Marion had passed to unconsciousness and her body stopped its violent struggle, I untied the bandages and laid her on the floor. I took off her shoes and stocking, her sweater and dress, and placed her in the bathtub. I got a big pocketknife, which I had in the apt. and started cutting. First, I cut a place in her throat to drain blood, but this was not sufficient. I then cut her arms in two at the elbows and washed and wrapped them in newspaper. I drained the blood from the tub as I cut each part, so that no stains would be allowed to harden. Next, I cut her legs in two at the knees. I let the blood drain and then washed and wrapped them in newspaper also. I put the limbs in the cabinet, in the kitchen, and then took the remaining undergarments from the body and cut through the body at the waist. As I cut the limbs and body there were heavy issues of blood and jerks of the flesh to indicate that life had not completely left the body.

  I drained the blood from the midsection and washed and wrapped this part in newspaper and placed it on the shelf in the dressing room. I washed the blood from the tub and separated some of the internal organs from the body and wrapped them in paper. Then I tied a towel about the neck and tied another towel to it and left the upper part of the body to hang until the blood had completely drained from it. I placed a towel up in the body to absorb ant blood or anything, which did not dried. I took this part of the body and, after I had washed and dried it, wrapped the exposed ends of the arms and waist with paper and tied them so that the paper would not slip. I dressed the body and placed it in a brown suitcase. I combed back the hair, powered the face, and laid a cloth over the face when I closed the suitcase. I put the suitcase on a self in the dressing room and then cleaned up the bath, trying not to leave any traces of blood anywhere.

  I went to the writing desk and wrote a second part to my third letter, which I called the final chance terms. I opened the envelope, which I had sealed, and put this third part with Marion’s second note and my third letter. I then went downtown and mailed this letter special delivery to Mr. Parker about one o’clock. I then went to Loew’s State Theater, but I was unable to keep my mind on the picture and wept during the performance.

  I returned to my apartment about 5:30 p.m. and took all the parts of Marion’s body downstairs to the car waiting by the side entrance. No one saw me and I hurried out Sunset Blvd. and turned to the right at Elysian Park where within 100 yards along the road I left all of these parts.

  I was back in the apt. by 6 o’clock and took the suitcase with the upper section and drove to Sixth St. and Western Av. Here I called Mr. Parker and told him to come to Manhattan Place and park just north of 5th St. I drove around in that neighborhood to see that no police cars were coming before I met Mr. Parker and I stopped between Sixth and Fifth Sts. on Manhattan Place and took the body from the suitcase. I left the suitcase outside the car and before I got back inside I turned one number back from each end of the rear license plate. About eight o’clock I saw Mr. Parker’s car where I had told him to be and as I approached I tied a white handkerchief about my face. I drove up to the side of his car and stopped. I had a shotgun in one hand and I raised it up so that Mr. Parker would see it and cautioned him to be careful. He asked to see his daughter and I raised up the head of the child so that he could see its face. He asked if it was alive. I said, “Yes, she is sleeping.” I asked for the money and he handed it right over to me. I said I’d pull up ahead of him about 50 feet and let the child out. I pulled up ahead and stopped but only leaned over and placed the body on the edge of the fender so that it rolled over onto the parked and then I speeded east on 4th Street and downtown where I parked the car at 9th and Grand.

  Note: The knife that I used in the cutting of the child was purchased at a hardware store on South Main Street about 5th Street. I identified this knife to Chief of Detectives Cline, who now has it in his possession. He got this knife from my suitcase where I said it was.

  I then went to the Leighton Café in the arcade on Broadway, between 5th and 6th Sts. I passed one of my twenty dollar gold certificates when I paid for my meal.

  I went back to the apt. after I left the cafeteria and retired. On Sunday morning detectives from the police dept. searched my apt. for towels but made no arrest. I took my guns and the ransom money and checked them at the P. E. Station near 6th and Main. I also checked a black handbag and a suit box at the station. I went to the Tower Theatre early in the afternoon. Shortly after five p.m. I rode out on Hollywood Blvd. on a P. E. car and got off at Western Ave. I entered a closed car parked on Hollywood Blvd. near Western and told the man sitting at the wheel to start the car. He saw my gun and obeyed. We drove several blocks away and I told him to leave the car. Before he did so I took about $15 from him in money. This occurred about six o’clock Sunday evening, and shortly after seven I had secured my packages and grip from the P. E. station and was on my way out of Los Angeles on Ventura Blvd. I drove overnight and arrived at San Francisco Monday about one p.m. I stopped at the Herald Hotel and Tuesday about 9:30 a.m. I started for Seattle, Washington. I arrived there between 6 and 7 p.m. W
ednesday and left about 9:30 p.m. to go back to Portland. I passed two of the gold certificates in Seattle and another on the road about twenty miles south of Seattle. The two bills in Seattle were in the downtown district, one at a clothing store where I purchased a pair of gloves and a suit of underwear, the other was at a theater.

  Note: While at the Herald Hotel in San Francisco, room 402, I assumed the name of Edward J. King, of Seattle. I arrived in Portland early Thursday morning and started on the Columbia River Highway east. Before leaving Portland I left my California license plates and put on two Washington plates, which I took from a Ford car in Olympia. On the Columbia River Highway near he Dalles I picked up two boy pedestrians and drove on till within a few miles of the town of Pendleton, Oregon, where I was arrested and taken to the city jail at Pendleton. The statement that I made after arrest implicating Andrew Cramer and June Dunning was false. This is my true statement.

  Note: On the highway north of San Francisco I picked up a man and left him at Redding, I picked up two fellows south of Dunsmuir who rode with me to Portland, Oregon. I might say that the names of Andrew Cramer and June Dunning are merely fictitious as far as I know.

  Note: In reference to Marion’s body just before I delivered the portion to her father, I used a large needle which I had in my possession and some black thread to fix and hold the upper lids of her eyes open so that her father would think that she was alive when he saw the face.

  The shirt with the name Gerber written on the collar which was torn and used to tie parts of the body of Marion was a shirt I had had in my possession since I left Kansas City in October, and which was given to me by my younger brother, Alfred. The name Gerber, I believe, is one of my brother’s friends with whom he has traveled, and got on the shirt when it was sent to this man’s laundry.

  This statement is true and made freely and voluntarily by me.