The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-04-28
HANCOCK'S HOMICIDE,
The Quiet Little Village Of Cbsrlottes-
Vile the Scene of a Murder.
A Negro Bartender Named Thomas Killed
by JOHN Il. McPee.
A Full and Graphic Account of the Sad
Affair.
Special to the Sentinel:

Special to the Sentinel:
KNIGHTsTowN, Ind, April 25.-Advices
reached this place this morning at IL o'clock
that
COLD BLooDED MURDER
had been committed in Charlottesville, Han
cock County, six miles west of Knightstown,
at 7:l5 p. m. on Saturday. At once a Senti-
mel representative, accompanied by f. Z.
Weaver, of this city, proceeded to the
place and ascertained the following
succinct but leading facts: On Saturday
afternoon Messrs. John II. McFee, of Char
lottesville, and Zach. Chandler, farmer liv-
ing four miles from that village, departed
from the place where the deed occurred to
Knightstown to see Mr.. John Whorton, and
after finishing their business in Knightstown,
returned to Charlottesville, arriving there at
o'clock. On their arrival they entered a two
story house. which contains a saloon, owned
by Rolla Mclaughlin, in which a colored man
named Daniel Thomas served as bartender.
In the saloon are two rooms, one of which is
used as a billiard department-the other as a
sample room, though all whisky must be
drank in the billiard room, which
intoxicant is sold by the quart.
But on this occasion Chandler gained
admittance into the sample room, which, as
rule, is private, and drank a glass of whisky,
the negro being the waiter. After this, Chan
dler and the bartender entered the billiard
room, when Chandler tod McFee to step
around and up at one corner of the room and
get drink. At this McFee said, mo, won't
do any s-of b. of thing" The negro,
thinking the epithet was cast at him, asked
McFee If he intended that for him, which
elected a response In the negative.
The colored disciple then, without any
support of proof, insisted that he
did call him that cowardly name. McFee and
Chandler then protested in the negative. This
was followed by the exchange of other words,
after which McFee stepped out of the room
upon the sidewalk as the negro was getting an
iron poker, twenty -four inches in length and
one inch in diameter. McFee wheeled around,
and as Thomas had the poker drawn with
both hands, he uttered
DAN, IF YOU HIT NE WITH THAT ILL SHOOT
YOU"
mo you WON'T" said the negro, the latter
still advancing, Virtue ceasing to be
forbearance, McFee shot at Thomas
with a Smith & Wesson revolver,
carrying No. 22 cartridge, the ball striking
him aslant in the left shoulder, producing a
flesh wound, Still Thomas tried TO get at
McFee, when a second shot was fred, the ball
piercing the upper lobe of the right ear and
entered his skull. The negro still battled
against fate vigorously, when
THIRD AND FATAL SHOT
was fired, it striking the left side OF his neck,
severing the Jugulsr vein and passing out
at the right side. This shot
fell the wounded man, who lived till $50
this morning. The above notes OF the
affray were gathered by an interview with the
alleged murderer, and that the statement may
therefore be accepted as conclusive and reli-
able, append few of the most able testi-
monies given at the Coroner's examination,
beginning at O'Clock this afternoon.
THE INQUEST.
Mrs. Hester Ann Kinder testified as follows:
Was sitting at home in the kitchen, having a
book in my hand, when 1 heard a loud noise (;
got up and went to the door; L saw the
colored man with a stick in his hand, raised (;
heard him tell McFee to get out
of the house. Mr.. McFee said he could go out,
and Thomas was going toward the door. Nc
Fee said: "Dan, If you come out here III shoot
you!" Then McFee repeated, "Dan, If you do
come out here I'll shoot your The negro
went out. At this juncture the lady turned
her back as she stated she knew McFee would
do what she said. The witness continued by
saying: "I did not hear anything more until
L turned. L saw the flash of the last shot; then
saw the colored man fall a little south of the
door. Heard three shots fired"
ANOTHER EYEWITNESS.
The next important witness was William B.
Miller, who was about forty feet distant from
the killing. He stated that he was down town
In Mr.. Bohns store, and started home. L came
around by Mrs. III. A. Hlnder's residence,
which is opposite the saloon, when heard a
fuss in McLiaughlln's saloon. heard cursing
and swearing in this room saw and heard two
men quarreling. One of the men
negro, called Thomas, the other
| McFee, white. The colored man told McFee
to get out of the saloon. McFee told him ne
would when he got ready. The colored man
told him again to get out, and said, "D-n you,
will put you out" McFee then stepped TO
| the door and stepped out, turning around and
| put his foot on the sill OF the door and said,
"D-d, if you come out here III kill you
| Then the darky stepped forward toward the
/ door with stick in his hand,
and out upon the sidewalk
| Were fussng the sidewalk, which
one do not know. Did not hear any threats
made. Mr.. McFee then commenced firing on
| Thomas. He shot three or four times in quick
succession. They were three or four feet apart
| when the first shot was fired. The darky was
trying to get at him, but each shot kept him
| from making progress. Did not see Thomas
| try to use any weapon upon McFee. did moi
/ see the weapon; beard the report and saw the
flashes. After the ARRAY saw the instrument
used by the colored man. which was an lror
| rod, thirty inches in length and one-half incl
in diameter.