The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1882-05-10
And Then Realizes the Enormity
of His Crime---Details of
the Shooting.
An Interview With the Murderer and
Something Of His History-The
- Murdered Man.

city TIE startling announcement IuaJ muir
der he'd been committed at Beech Grove
FARM, six miles southeast of Indianapolis.
The meager statement was soon confirmed
by fail particulars Of the crime, which
seems cold-blooded and inexcusable.
Instead of being the outgrOwth of fend or
the result of longstanding enmity, the fatal
affEay took place between men who less
than half an hour before were friends, and
had been fellOw-laborers for two months.
The occasion of the difficulty of a
trivial nature, as Will be found below, and
the facts show both parties TO have
been strikingly stubborn, and
the one who lives possessed
of quick temper and uncomfortable passion,
in the absence of which he would not
now be IN the awful position of a murderer.
oUARRELED OVER A HORSE COLLAR.
Hiram Kn PIP and Charles Z. Hildreth
were employed as farm hands by Messrs.
Churchman Il Jackson, and work was as
signed them yesterday morning By
Mr. Jackson, vino came to the
city. About half-past 8 O'Clock both
were engaged in harnessing team. Hill
.dreth appears TO have taken u collar which
Knapp desired him not TO use on the horse
he was hitching, the latter claiming it was
too small. Hildreth gave no attention 10
Knapp. however, and proceeded to harness
spite of the repeated cautions against
doing So Thereupon Knapp removed the
collar from around the horses neck, which
led TO a scuffle. Bad feeling had been en-
gendered on both sides. In the struggle for
the possession of the collar it began to tear,
when Hildreth released his hold and called
knapp's attention to the fact. The latter
then struck Hildreth in the face, which led
to
BLOODY FIGHT.
The men fought like beasts, their clothing
being torn and covered with blood. TIE
fight lasted fully twenty minutes, and, al
though there were byStanders, not move
menL to part the men was made. Both men
seemed terribly in earnest and unwilling 10
give in, but finally Hildre.h, who
was the smaller, was forceO
to CRY enough" Then Knapp
ceased MS blows and released Hildreth, VINO
acted as if insane. He looked around for
something with which TO strike Knapp, and
picked up an axe, hesItatIng for a moment
as if thinking what course to pursue. a
sudden idea seemed to occur TO him,
and be dropped the axe and
started from the scene OF the affTay,
near the barn, to the house of man named
Ryan, 100 yards distance, where he had a
room. He sought the latter and took from
his trunk revolver (3S calibre(, and went
toward the hOwe of Mr.. jackson. Connected
with the latter's residence is a dairy build
ing, beneath which there is a creamery.
Knapp after the fight started toward
the house. As he was descending the
steps leading into the basement Hildreth,
whose frenzy had not abated, came around
the corner on the opposite side. He saw
Knapp's face, which barely appeared above
the landing, and
FIXED THE FATAL SHOT.
The ball entered Knapp's head, just above
10 loff 10 oil puf
to the bottom of the steps,
where he lag bleeding, until carried
into one of the rooms above. The stone
floor was covered with blood and the brains
of the murdered man, which had oozed out.
Dr. VI. L RuRneils, of this city, was tele-
phoned for, and arrived about the came time
that did Sheriff Adams and Deputy Sheriff
Glazier. The wounded man was still
breathing. bat beyond aid, and he died
shortly afterwarc. There was Intense eX
element about the premises, and, strange To
say, sympathy was expressed not only for
the murdered Haan, but also the murderer.
,Hildreth, immediately after the shooting,
seemed to realize his awful CRIME. His
frenzy appeared to at once give
place to feeling of utter
helplessness. Hestood for a moment fixed
to the spot from which he fired the shot,
and then walked toward the barn. He sur
rendered the weapon, in which four cart
ridges remained, and 10 those who were
with him
. BEGsEF,Eo BE SHOT.
The Sheriff found him sitting in the barn,
and he offered resistance TO arrest.
On the way TO the city he spoke in the most
deplOrIng terms OF what he had done, and
seemed to be sufferi2g terribly. He talked
freely tC the Sheriff and admitted be knew
not what he was doing until
after he had fired the shot
10
insisted that he took no aim, but fired reck-
lessly. Arriving IN tbe,city he was taken
into the Mayors Court, where he waived ex-
Elimination. and was committed to Jail Sher-.
"A III Adamssat his request, summoned Nessrs..
'Herding &LIovey, who held a two hours
consultations with the murderer in Jail
THE MURDERER.
a Sentinel reporter called at the Jail and
wasedmitted TO see the prisoner short
time after hiE Incarceration He was still
engaged in conversation with his
attorneys. who had previously a.
vised HIM not to talk aboEtl
the shooting. 9n appearance he is about
five fee seven igches tail, me6iIuns- sized,
smooth faced, with dark hsir and blue eyes.
He was zestly dressed, and altogether would
be termed q overlooking youth, not
having the appearance OF a we'll
developed man. He bore marks of
the fight with his victim, being
bruised about the bead and the smaller
fRger of his right hand having been almost
bitten off ON his throat were finger ERarks,
indicating that he had been chOked. The
officers had allowed him to change his
clothes. and his appearance was mach
better than It would have been otherwise. |
He vas rot averse to talking |
about his personal history, and being CUES
toned, said: II am twenty-six years old, /
and was born in Boston, Mass. Most OF my |
life was spent in Wilmington, Del, but I
have been away from home since my SIX
tenth year and have been shifting for my
SELF My father is a macbinist, and /
has large family. Ny mother is
dead, but have a stepmother. After left
school my health was so bad that / could
not stand indoor work, and was advised