The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-11-02
A BLOODY FIGHT.
A Desperate But UnavaiIing Fight for Lib
erty-The Killed and Injured.
Gneesa1 IN +he In Aianarolis JournaI

SPECIAL to the Indianapolis Journal.
BooNvILLE, Ind, Nov. lit was appre-
hended that there would be trouble in cap
turing some of the men, as it was known
that if givea any opportunity, they would
make desperate resistance. The first arrest,
however, was made quietly and was Known
to none besides the officers before this morn
ing. Detective Hobbs went up to Blind
Tiger on the early morning train, and sue
ceeded in capturing Kinder who is regarded
rather desperate man, by aruse. Kinder
was found at work in a field, mile and
half from the railway station.
"See here, Kinder" Hobbs said to him,
Il have got an an engagement to go to Pike
vile tonight to make a deal with the
HouGhin boys on my Doodle, and [ want
good man with me that 1 know will stand
by me. 1 want you to 60"
"All right" assented Kinder.
well well go to Huntingburg on the
train, and from there drive across the coun-
try
mo, can't go to Huntngburg," he said,
because they have got warrant out for me
up there for counterfeitng."
Hobbs proposed then that they should go
to Boonville by rail. where they would get
conveyance and drive over to Pikeville.
This was agreeable to Kinder, and they
came here. Upon arriving at the hotel
Hobbs introduced Kinder to e. A. Abbott
chief of the secret service in this district,
who Immediately placed the handouts on
him. He was astounded to find himself
under arrest, and said nothing for some time,
but during the afternoon confessed mis- guilt.
He remarked that he never suspected
Charlie of being a detective, but couldn't
help admring him for the slick way that he
had worked the thing" Kinder was taken
to Evansville and placed in Jail in the even
ing.
At noon General Foster, the United States
marshal, with his nine deputies, started
overland from here in three conveyances,
and reached Holland, in Dubois county, in
the evening at o'clock. They stopped in
the woods near the place until joined by
Detectives Abbott, Kennock and HOBBS who
drove over from Huntingburg. The entire
party then started to Pikevile to arrest the
Houchins boys. When within half mile
of the village the teams were driven INTO the
woods and the men were selected to join the
four detectives in making the arrest The
programme was that Detectives Hobbs
and Killian should go in the house, and
while preparing to produce the doodle" OF
counterfeit which the former had promised
to bring, the men on the outside should rush
into the house and make the capture when
the signal was given.
THE SCENE OF THE STRUGGLE,
The house in which they were to meet was
a little log building, situated on hill, over
which the village of a dozen small houses
was scattered. The place is twelve miles
from the nearest railway station.
The detectives entered the cabin about 7:30
o'clock and found all the brothers there, as
they had promised to be. They all ate sup
per and Hobbs announced that he was ready
for business and that he would get his
doodle" which he had left outside the
house. for fear they might be surprised. The
brothers went out with him, and in return
ing proposed that they should go in the
back room of the cabin to "attend to the
business" This Hobbs refused to do, fear
ing that they suspected something wrong
and intended to take advantage OF him.
They returned to the front room of
the cabin, and Killian, to give
the men who were lying in
concealment on the outside an opportunity
to approach the house without being discov-
cred, began playing a small harmonica. The
detectives were kept in the house for two
hours without getting an opportunity to
give the signal for making arrests, and final
" Detective Hobbs backed to the door COM
manding the men to consider themselves
| under arrest. The firing at once began, and
the revolver of every man in the house was
emptied in less than Il minute. As the men
on the outside rushed up to the house and
pushed open the door two shots were
| fired at Deputy Marshals Hart and White
| man. one of the balls passing through Hart's
| 1.1z t,,,,,,
! within an inch of his head. Detective Alb
bott was standing before window in the
rear of the house guarding it, and was fired
at from the inside, Immediately following
which Jesse Houchins attempted to escape
by jumping through the window. Two shots
were fired at him, but he got away.
| There were not less than eighteen shots
fired by the men inside the cabin, and it
seems little less than miraculous
| that all were not killed.
After the firing had ceased the officers
on the outside got into the cabin. "Lum"
| Houchins and young fellow named Will
Jams were handcufled and made prisoners.
| Joe Houchins, it was found, was shot through
the right breast. Jack Killian, the detective
was wounded in the left wrist. ball passed
| through the sleeve of Detective Hobbs's coat
| A bullet hole was made in Lum Houch-
ns's hat, and two balls grazed his
elbow. Jesse had made his escape
| put III Is now known luaC ne was wounded
and it was supposed had fallen dead. When
the firing began one of the conveyances
| which had been driven into the woods half
! mile from the village, to avoid arousng the
suspicious OF the counterfeiters or their
friends living in the vicinity, was ordered
out by General Foster and was driven to the
scene of the fight with all possible speed.
Jesse Houchins could not be found.
| A physician in the village was sent for, and.
! after examining the wound of Joe Houchins,
said that he could do nothing for him. He
bled profusely from the wound, and expecto-
rated blood. He was conscious when left,
but there is no probability that he will re-
cover Lum Houchins was taken into one of
the vehicles and the party left the scene OF
the fight at 10 O'Clock. Will