Susan Lurie Says Night After Slaying Leopold Was Gay
Tokingly Proposed Confessing to Police So She Could Get Reward.
Source: Chicago Daily News, 2 June 1924, pg. 1.
A friendship with Nathan Leopold and "Dick" Loeb, that began at a smart Washington's birthday dance at the South Shore Country club, brought Miss Susan Lurie, 923 Margate terrace, into the office of the state's attorney to-day for questioning on matters relative to the now famous Franks case.
Miss Lurie, a pretty bobbed-haired brunette, University of Chicago senior and daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Lurie, told of her acquaintance with Nathan Leopold and "Dick" Loeb and of the former's laughing discussion of the Franks murder "mystery."
"I met both Leopold and Loeb at a Washington prom at the South Shore Country club Feb. 21 of this year," she told Assistant State's Attorney Joseph Savage, when Sergts. Gentile and Mills brought her in for questioning. "Dick Loeb has called at my home once since that time, and Nathan Leopold several times. He has telephoned to me a number of times also.
Discussed Franks Case
"The last time I saw Nathan was May 28, the day before he was taken into custody. We went to the Cinderella tearoom at 63rd street and Cottage Grove for lunch. Nathan bought two newspapers and gave one to me to read. 'Let's see what happened in the Franks case,' he said."
Miss Lurie described how she had said she would like to get the reward offered for the solving of the mystery-- that she "could use the money" and how her companion suggested that he go to the police and confess the crime-- just as a joke.
"He was gay and lighthearted—and in his attitude there was not the slightest uneasiness while we discussed the case," Miss Lurie told Assistant State's Attorney Savage.
Gay After Slaying
Previously Miss Lurie had told of an engagement she had with young Leopold the night after the Franks boy was killed. The boy was unusually gay—unusually charming that eveing, she said.
"We danced-- and were very happy," she said.
In discussing young Leopold's charater Miss Lurie said: "'Babe' was always fond of studying emotions. He would analyze, study and separate our emotions. He would go back over conversations and attempt to trace our line of thought and reasoning."
The girl was permitted to go after a short questioning.
