The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-09-01
KILLED IN A VINEYARD.
James Howell Fatally Shoots One Of a Party
Found Stealing His Grapes.


--
James Howell, an old man living two miles
east of the city, fred a load Of No. 6 shot into a
party of grape pilferers, whom he caught in his
vineyard yesterday afternoon, and more than
fifty of them entered the body of an unknown
young man, who was found a few moments af-
terward, lying in the road near by, bleeding and
unconscious.
Howell lives on what is known as the Erdel-
meyer. farm, which lies in a corner of the inter
secting The Brookville and National roads, east of
the city. Upon a few acres of ground which are
conveniently exposed to the public highways he
had cultivated a very tempting vineyard,
which he has been compelled to watch night and
day to protect from the invasions of differing
tramps and boys. He has been greatly
ammo yed by the trespasses upon his
property during the ripening season of
the grapes, and has been in the practice
Of discharging his shotgun down over the vine
yard whenever he supposed the pilferers were
around, for the purpose of frightening them
away. Yesterday afternoon he found that there
were some trespassers on the premises stealing
grapes, and he discharged his loaded shotgun in
the direction where they were, but not with the
intention, he claims, of i~njuring any one. It
put the pilferers to flight, and Howell
returned to the house, supposing that the
only effect of his shot had been to brighten the
invaders. James Carpenter, a toll-gate keeper,
who lived within a short distance Of HowelTs
place, came dow the road a few moments after
ward, and found a young man lying in the dust
with his face down, where he had evidently
e ~ IL. .-.- 4
the dust was muddy with the blood which had
flowed from the wounds in his face and head.
The place where he was found was sixty or sew
enty yards from the part Of the vineyard into
which the shot had been fired. and where ne had
got over the fence a handkerchief containing
wounded youths companions were running away
when Carpenter came down the road,
and he called to- them, but it only
had the effect to accelerate their
speed, and they made no response. The body
was carried to the roadside. and Joseph B. Keal-
ing, the attorney, who lives in the vicinity, came
to the city and reported the matter to turnkey
AL Tafe, at the police station. who Immediately
started for the scene of the trouble. He was
followed a few moments later by patrolmen
Schergert and Flanner e Hommown's ambu-
lance. Howell was found at his house, with
several Of his neighbors, appare ntly little ex-
cited or disturbed over what had happened. He
accompanied the officers to the city, and was
DldCCA Ill tttO dUiO 4tOuS jill I'LL CLdISG VI
shooting with intent to kill. He is a man fifty
years old. and is of reputable standing among
his neighbors. He was disposed to be cautious
in what he said while speaking of the affair, but
in an interview, when asked il the shot was
aimed at the young mar who was wounded, he
gave as an explanation what he called
a ~'scircunnstantial case. Suppose. he
said, that you were aiming at the
feet of some one that you could plainly see, and
some person should arise from the grass, in di-
rect range of the aim, evidently having discov-
cred the danger, just as the shot is fred. He
says that he had no intention of killing the I'M.
yaders, and could lot see where the wounded
man was lying in concealment. He employed
counsel last evening, and confidently expects TO
be released this morning.
The wounded youth was brought to the city In
the ambulance, and was examined at the ~station-
house by police surgeon Hodges. 1t was found
that there were more than fifty shot in his body,
nearly all of them having entered his left side.
There were several wounds in the head and face,
and two shots entered the ear. One penetrated
the left eye and the side of the face and body
were peppered with shot. From the examina-
ton which was made last night the police sur
geon could not tell how deep the shot in the
head and body had penetrated. but there is
hardly any chance whatever for the recovery
of the wounded youth. He was removed to the
City Hospital. and was still alive late last night.
The young man has not been identified. A negro
barber who called at the station house
last evening claimed that he knew the victim
to be a young man famed Hustled, but Hustled
appeared in person a short time afterward to
correct the mistaken identity. The wounded
man is apparently not over twenty years old,
and has a dark complexion. with rather a full
face. 1t is believed that he lived somewhere in
the lower part of the city, but no information
could be obtained last night which would lead
to his identity.