PRIEST, Howard Max
Source: Indianapolis Times 27 May 1940 p 3
The body of a man found shot to death near the edge of a gravel pit north of the city today has been identified by relatives as that of Howard Max Priest, 28, of 1220 E. St. Clair St., the Coroner's office reported. The victim, said to have been employed at the Allen-Thomas dry cleaning establishment, had been shot through the heart at close range, deputy sheriffs said. Powder burns extended through the victim's vest, shirt and undershirt. Dr. Hugh Thatcher, deputy coroner, said the man had died about 12 hours before the body was discovered. Mr. Priest's wife told deputies she last saw him about 10 p. m. yesterday. Employees of the American Aggregates Co, on Road 431 just north of the White River bridge, found the body, lying on a sandpile. The victim's pockets were torn, indicating a struggle, but he apparently had not been robbed as five $10 bills were found in the watch pocket and a pearl stickpin had not been taken.
Source: Indianapolis News Tue 1 July 1941 p 12
Greenfield, Ind July 1 – a special venire of 50 names has been drawn for the first degree murder trial of John Paul Jamison which will open in Hancock circuit court next Monday. Jamison was indicted by a Marion County grand jury in the slaying of Howard Max Priest and the case was venued here. Jamison, who has been in the Indiana Reformatory at Pendleton since he attempted to escape from the Hancock Jail was brought here yesterday to witness the drawing of jury names. He was taken back to the reformatory immediately.
Source: Kokomo Tribune Sept 28, 1940 p 7
A young widow’s account of events which led up to the slaying of her husband on the north side of Indianapolis last May 26 appears in the October number of Actual Detective magazine now on news stands. The murdered man was Howard Max Priest who worked at a Kokomo cleaning and pressing plant as a pressor about a year ago. The story is by his widow, Gertrude Eva Priest and is entitled “Why the Chair for me?” Mrs. Priest says that she and her husband were living in Indianapolis where he was employed as a presser at the time of the murder. She says they planned to go to California and establish a dry cleaning plant of their own and that Priest arranged a farewell party in their apartment. She relates that early on the morning following the party she went in search of her husband when he did not return home and found his body in the morgue at the Indianapolis city hospital. On July 21 John Paul Jameson an ex convict who had been living with the Priests was arrested and confessed he killed Priest. He said the latter had accused him of being attentive to his wife. Mrs. Priest who was questioned at first on the grounds that she might have conspired with Jamestown to have her husband slain, later was released. Priest worked in the Kokomo plant all last winter.
Source: Minneapolis Star Tues July 8, 1941 p 11
Greenfield, Ind – John Paul Jameson, 30, was to be taken to Indiana State prison today to begin a life sentence imposed in Hancock County circuit court yesterday for the slaying of Howard Max Priest near Indianapolis on May 27, 1940. – kbz
Source: Indianapolis 23 July 1940 p 8
John Paul Jameson was a hunted: man. Carefully, he designed a disguise—so carefully, in fact, that he, resembled another hunted man. Jameson is charged with the murder of a former accomplice, Howard Priest, found shot to death near a North Side gravel pit two months ago. Sunday evening, Horace Barnard, a deputy sheriff at Terre Haute, had on his list of unfinished business the capture of a parole violator with a dark moustache and suntan. So when Barnard saw such a man on a truck, he halted the vehicle. The sun-tanned man with the moustache was Jameson. He drew a revolver and pulled the trigger three times. The gun failed to fire .Jameson was captured a few minutes later and brought to Indianapolis. Here he told detectives how he and Priest made crime pay—for three days only. They kidnapped a man, Jameson said, from the 1300 block on N. Pennsylvania St, carried him to the edge of town and left him gagged and bound. They took the victim's watch and other valuables. Then they returned to town and robbed the Talbott Theater. That was on May 17. Three days later, Jameson said, he and Priest went to the home of Constable John Taylor. The Taylors were absent. The maid was bound when the Taylors returned the two men beat up Mr. Taylor and took $327 from his pocket “I hit the man so hard with the butt of my revolver that the cylinder flew open,” Jameson said. That was the last job the two men did together. Priest was found shot to death at the edge of a gravel pit a week later, Jameson had a hideout outside of Crawfordsville, he told the officers. It was here he grew his moustache and acquired his sun-tan. But the State Police soon found that and late one afternoon Jameson was surrounded by officers. He shot his way through the ring but the police bullets found their mark and Jameson limped through the underbrush with a bullet in his right ankle and a wound in his scalp. He made his way to Crawfordsville, stole a car and drove to Indianapolis. Fearing the car was too “hot,” ‘he stole another here. Then he took another and another and finally drove to Jeffersonville where once more he feared the police had found his trail. He stole another car and drove to Louisville, another and drove to Hopkinsville, Ky. Here he was unable to steal another car and started hopping freight trains. This led to hitch-hiking and this path led him to Terre Haute. The hunt was over.
Source: Indiana Death Record 18460
Name: Howard Max Priest
Died: Marion County Indiana Usual Residence 316 W 12th St, Indianapolis.
May 26, 1940 11 p.m. – bullet to chest - homicide
Married Gertrude Priest age 22 years
Born: Oct 18, 1911 age 28 Bainbridge Ind
Age: 28 years 7 months 8 days
Occupation: Dry Cleaner
Father: Edwin C. Priest born Putnam County
Mother: Recie Ballinger born Indiana
Informant: Edwin C. Priest, 2257 Gordon St.
Buried 5-31-1940
Memorial Park, Indianapolis
Royster & Askin, Indianapolis Funeral Home
Dr OD Lindeng (? On last name)
Signed ER Wilson Court House