The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-11-07
Wholesale Arrest Of Counterfeit
ers in Warrick and Pike
Counties.
Bloody Fight Between the Officers and
the Outlaws in the Little VII
lage Of Pikeville.
Full Account of the Affair From the
Time of Leaving the City Till the
Return With Six Prisoners
Notes and Personals


ties for the past two years, and who, in this
time. have put thousands of dollars of
spurious money in circulation in the State
About one year ago Robert Hobbs. an en-
ployee of the Government Secret Ser
vice went into the Counties named
to attempt to locate and cap
ture the gang. and soon made
himself acquainted with a number of men
in that section and passed under the name
of Charles Henderson. 1t was not long till
he had clue to the showers of the queer"
and he apparently fell into their ways of
doing business, and they began to feel con-
fidenee in his professions of friendship. He
soon obtained evidence against two or three
of the parties but he delayed making any
arrests till the whole gang was known and
evidence against each particular individual
could be obtained and insure conviction.
This was a matter that necessitated more OIL
less caution, and despite his utmost efforts
he was suspected, and on one or two occa-
sions was in danger OF his life.
Having secured the necessary evidence and
laid his plans with characteristic
minuteneSs, warrants were issu I'd
for the arrest of some ten
or twelve OF the parties and preparations
were made for bagging the game. Armed
with the necessary warrants United States
Marshal Foster, accompanied by Andy
Hart, W. G. BaTnacle, j. L. Woods, AL
Whiteman, John and Al Glazier and repre-
sentatiTes of the city press, left this city
Tuesday morning and reached Evansville
at o'clock that afternoon. After spending
MI ha rfxru fO
Bocnville, where it was Joined by Hobbs,
killian. Abbott and KinnOch. Meeks having
joined the party at Evansville. The party
was here divided, portion going to Hunt
lngburg. a small village, and the rest stay
ing at BOonville all night. At this place
Hobbs was to meet two of the gang under
pretence OF wanting TO negotiate
some paper money. but as it
happened only one appeared, and he was
brought to Bonneville and put under arrest.
The two divisions of the posse united at Hol-
land and went to Pikeville, about eight
miles distant in wagons, reaching that place
at 9 o'clock.
Pikeville Is little hamlet of Pike County,
containing but few evidences of thrift or en-
terprise, and here the party began to realize
the real perils of their undertaking. Joseph
Houchins is a resident of this village, and
one of the members of the gang. 1t was ex-
pected that a fierce resistance would be
made in the event of anythin but surprise.
and Hobbs known to the Houchins people
as Henderson, had arranged to have his
brothers. Jess and Columbus, at
the house in the village I'M
F. der pretense of negotiating
paper money. Hobbs and Killian went to
the residence of Joe Houchins and Marshal
Foster and his deputies surrounded the
house. Prior to this it had been arranged
for Hobbs to make some excuse for leaving
the house and this act, when seen by the
the two brothers were in the house Hobbs
performed his part of the play. but when he
returned into the house, the three counter
feiters Immediately barred the doors, drew
their reyolvers and accused Hobbs of
treachery. With this Killian and Hobbs
drew their pistols and the work began. AS
soon as the firing was heard, the party
house, burst open the door
and the sport became general.
Joseph Houchins received bullet through
the lung and got out of the house into the
yard, where he fell. Jess was shot through
the thigh, but managed 70 escape from the
handcuffed- Killian received shot through
the hand. and bullet passed through the
crown of Harris hat. After the excitement
had somewhat abated Killian was taken to
the house OF physician near by and his
hand was dressed. Hardly was this accom-
wanted the doctor to go to the house OF a
man by the name o. Heskins to attend
wounded man. The officers suspected that
this was Jess Houchins, and they made it con-
venient to go with the doctor. Their suspi-
cions were confirmed when the house of
Hoskins was reached, and Jess was placed
nnder arrest without further trouble.
The party having secured less and Column
bus Houchins and finding that Joe was too
dangerously wounded to be removed, now
began to retrace their steps and pick up such
Others of the gang as lived upon or near the
The night was cold and chilly and the coun-
try on all sides presented 70 the reporters
vision a most desolate and woe-begone as
Pect. The thick. short growth of timber,
the broken land, with squalid farm
houses and numerous creeks. pre-
fields, comfortable dwellings and beautiful
woodlands of other sections of the State. AS
he logged along over the rough mud road,
with the counterfeiters grim aud silent by
his side, the feelings which the scene engen-
dered car be imagined, but not described.
The entire distance of eight miles was one
continuous succession of hill and hollow,
an unendlng monotony which added TO the
sombre stiffness which reigned as supreme as
though life had never existed in the sparseIy-
settled country. Between Pikeville and
Huntingburg the following arrests were
Henry Grossman and John Tayler
These, with jess aDG Columbus
Houchins were brought to this city yesterday
afternoon and placed in Jail. The prisoners
are all very reticent and of course, claim
that they are innocent In many respects
the men present an uncouth appearance and
the majority Of them are unlettered, some at
least being unable to spell their own names
Physically they are well developed and are
evidently in crime what John Sullivan is in
the arena-hard hitters.
The importance of the arrests can not be
sover-estimated. For two years the
business of counterfeiting has been
an progress in the section where the
Houchins reside and the gang was
no doubt increasing in numbers as well as
proficiency in the art of counterfeitlng.
Zemeri KeRder. the first captured, and who
was sent TO Evansville, is well known to the
officers. and the gang has been doing a pros
porous business in the hills of the wild coun-
try where they lived. This appears to be the
second time that Columbus Houchins has
been arrested on a charge of counterfeiting,
having been released from Jail some time
ago, and being under bond at this time on
the first charge.
The members of the city press are under
obligations for courtesies extended by II. s.
Marshal Foster during the campaign which