The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-10-26
THE SHOOTING OF ROBERT SMITH.
Further Particulars of the Probable Fatal
Shot by an Officer Yesterday Morning.

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The shooting of Robert Smith, an ex-convict,
in the neighborhood of Darnell and Third streets,
early yesterday morning, by Charles Travis,
driver of the patrol wagon, it is claimed, fol-
lowed an attempt of the wounded man to Grim
inally assault Mary Lambert. Travis's several
statements in regard to his chase after Smith,
and firing at an angle towards the ground, after
crying "haltP three times, hold together in
agreement with that published yesterday in the
journal. After going Will the wagon to Second
street. to get the babe of 'Curley" Williams,
who had been arrested, Travis states that, while
waiting for officer Stout and the prisoner to re-
turn to the wagon, he heard, about a square and
a half away, on Third street, the cries of
Murder! murder!' Help! help!" He called to
Stout to keep an eye on the team, and
then ran over in the direction of the cries.
Reaching Third street, he met a woman
who. awakened by the same noise, had rushed
into the street. She told Travis that the cries
came from a house a quarter of a square beyond.
By this time Stout came up with the wagon and
Travis, taking the drivers seat, drove to the cor
ner of Darnell and Third streets. At that place
is a house occupied by John Rounds, and there
was talking inside. Officer Stout got down,
leaving Travis on the wagon, ard went to the
door. While he was knocking for admittarce
Travis, seeing a man run from Rounds's rear
yard across a vacant lot, jumped down and gave
chase. The man refusing to stop, Travis shot,
as has been described, when about twenty feet
from him. Travis then lost sight of him by his
turning the corner of a fence. but was told
directly afterwards by VIM. Petty and William
Wilson that the man had jumped the fence.
Following that direction, Travis and Stout found
Smith lying in the yard. Both officers say they
gave the man a hasty examination, but,
finding no blood and hearing nothing
from Smith indicating that he was
shot, supposed that he was drunk. believing
that the man who had run was a different indi-
Vldual. They say-and other officers at the sta
ton house when Smith was brought in give a
like statement-that there was no sign of a
wound as far as their examination went. DR..
Hodges was summoned, however. and he found
that a thirty-eight-calibre ball had entered the
body. just below the left shoulder blade, and
following a line upward, came to within easy
reach of probing, just above the left nipple.
Smith last night showed some indica-
ger.
1t is charged by the officers, and it is partially
confirmed by DR.. Hodges's statement as to his
examination of the woman's bruises and marks,
and further by the account John Rounds gives
or the affair, that the cries of help" and ''mur-
der" came from Mary Lambert. Smith, accord
ing to the story of the Lambert woman, who is
very depraved and has been known for years to
the police, followed her to an clubhouse a few
minutes before o'clock. and fastening the door
choked and beat her. He had been refused ad-
mission to Roundss house. Rounds says he
heard the cries, and, running to the entrance,
found the door fastened, with Mary Lambert
screaming inside, and Smith struggling with
her. He forcibly pulled the door open, when
Smith ran out, jumped the fence. and cut across
the vacant lot, when Travis took up the chase. |
DR.. Hodges says that he found on the woman's
throat and neck, yesterday afternoon, the marks
OF fingers; ON her arm was a severe bruise, and
on her head a slight wound. She claims that |
Smith caused them while they were in the out
house.
Smith has been in the penitentiary twice, the
last time serving q two years term for stealing
chickens. Mary Hart was the principal witness |
against him, and when he returned to the city, |
twoynonths ago, he tried to Kill her. For this
the last grand jury indicted him for assault and
battery with intent to kill. Tuesday last, with
Haskell, the victim of Meinhardt Heundling's |
bullet, he was arraigned, but a defect appearing |
In the Indictment, the court discharged him. |
When at the station-house, under arrest for his
assault on Mary Hart, he said to Turnkey Tafe: |
You folks might as we'll keep me here for life,
for I'll kill that woman sure, just as soon as |
out"
In support of the claim that it was a down
ward shot that young Travis fired, his father,
the sergeant, and Captain Bob Campbell say |
they found right in the path taken by Charley
and Smith, a shattered bowl. The pieces showed
that it had been recently broken, as they pre-
sumo, by the ball from Travis's revolver. Char |
ley Travis, who did the shooting, is young, but
always cool-headed and of a quiet disposition,
and during the time that he has been on the po-
lice force has conducted himself properly.
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