The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-18
ATTEMPTED MURDER.
Vaudeville Russell, an Ex-Convict,
Dangerously Wounds John Fague.
IN Mystery-Statement OF the
Wounded Man.

johnson County, ten miles south OF this city,
and in which was perpetrated some two
months ago a most brutal outrage upon the
person of Mrs. Mary E. Smith by three
masked scoundrels was the scene of sn at
tempted murder early yesterday morning,
in which Vaudeville Russell, an ex nyict,
deliberately shot and dangerously wounded
John Q. Fague. Hearing yesterday that "a
man bad been shot in Greenwood the nj ght
before" q representative of the Sentinel Wis.
tied Ii scene and learned the following par.
ticulaIs:
John @. Feeue, man about forty years
old, came to Greenwood about year ago.
and was engaged for some time in the manu-
faciure and repair of bed springs. After
ward he turned day laborer. and for six
months past has been employed at first one
thing and then another, as he could obtain
work. During his residence in Greenwood
be formed the acquaintance of Mrs. Mary
Berry, . widow, who has been doing his
washing. Possibly impressed with her skill
IN this most necessary art, Fague began
to pay her some attention, and was
al her residence much oftener and stayed
longer than was necessary to settle a wash
BILL Saturda y night was not an exception
ia THE regard. and between II and o'clock
DIR. Thomas Curry, physician OF the viii
lsge. YVES called up. and saw Fague standing
1T his door his shirt covered with blood, ana
the bleeding man evidently suffering from q
serious hurt. Faeue sad that he had been
called out OF Mrs Berry's residence. where
ne was visiting, and shot by Vaudeville Rus.
sell, an exconvict, whose reputation as
fighter has been made by several desperate
encounters, in which he has borne promi-
nent part In the community. The physi-
clans examination proved that bullet had
entered Fague's left breast, about four inches
above the nipple, and had ranged outward
and backward, producing painful and dan
perous wound. Fague WAS taken back to the
Berry residence and his wound dressed.
Yesterday be was suffering considerable
pain but was able to eign an affidavit charg-
ing Russell with attempted murder.
Russell being a married man, the reporter
failed to see why he should be
prowling around at II O'Clock
at night disturbing the billing and
cooling OF Whoever Fsgue and Widow Berry,
and iDquiring among the citizens failed TO
elicit any satisfactory explanation Of the
matter. To the query, what business had
he there st such time" no one vouchsafed
an answer, and the reporter repaired to the
Berry residence ia search OF the information
which he could not get from any other
source. The wounded man occupied the only
bed in the house, and after showing the re.
porter the wound, gave substantially the fol-
loving account OF the matter / know of no
reason for the shooting. for j have givsn
RUssel no cause of enmity against me. In
December last he came here one night and
invited me to fight, and when I refused he
cane into the house aud attempted to take
me out. but be found me SO good man as he
was and he didn't succeed. | came here last
night about o'clock after my washing. aud
about II / went out to the pump to get q
drink OF water and saw man inside the
yard. After re entered the house, looked
out the window and saw two men on the op.
pos.te side of the street. Presently one of
them came across and got over the fence into
the yard. ! then went TO the window on the
east side of the room I'D saw two men sitting
under the window. l opened the door and
went out and asked them what they wanted.
They MAIDS no reply, and told them to 20
away, saying that they had no business
loungiDg around here at that hour of
the night With that, one of them. whom
l recognized a. Vaudeville Russell.
pointed pistol at ms and said. Damn you
we'll make you GIT and with that fred. I
turned round with the force OF the ball that
struck me and entered the house, and the
men went away. think the other man
was Dietch Hinkle, but will not be positive
OF that. was armed with revolver ut the
time but do not know whether had it in
my hand or not. know did not make any
attempt to use it, 1 do not know what he
came here for or why he wanted to shoot me.
We have never had any trouble except what
l bave spoken Of F"
When Mrs. Berry was questioned, she said
that she did not see the mon in the yard and
did ot know nything about the shooting.
She acknowledged that Mr.. Fague was "hsr
beau" but could advance no reason for Rus
sells action, except pure devilment and
desire TO int Plere where he had no business"
as she expressed IL. She denied that Russell
had ever visited her house save the time al.
luded to bv Fsgue. when he invited the Lat.
ter out 10 fight. Ii different impression
prevails in the community Mrs. Berry Ia
possibly not responsible for ii. as she should
know who her visitors are. IN conversation
with The physician, he said that the wound
was Dot necessarily fatal, though IL was more
dangerous on account OF the warm weather.
he said the wound was very painful Que,
but with good nursing Fague would recover.
As stated in the foregoing. Fsgus Is but lit
tie known in Greenwood, having been there
but one year. but the same can hardly be
said of Russell. The latter kept o saloon on
the outskirts of the village for two or TIRES
years and during this time was the hero Of
several desperate fights in which he always
came ont uuscathed his adverssries how.
ever, fariDg much worse. Several years ago
he was indicie ed in the Johnson Circuit Court
for receiving stolen money. and was sent to
the penitentiAry, from which he was released
by Governor Williams upon condition that
he should be sent back il he began TO drink
again. Russell carried himself very well for
a time, bat soon got back to his ola habits
but not till the full time Of his sentence bad
run ont. A warrant was issued FOR his arrest
at a late hoor yesterday. afternoon, and il he
has not left the neighborhood, he is no doubt
in custody. AS he is known to be desperate
n "a Wi W
ing of Fsgue, no matter what may be the
merits Of the trouble between the two.