The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-14
THE EAST ST. LOUIS SHOOTING.

THE EAST ST. LOUIS SHOOTING.
The Killing of Thompson-Another Man
Dead and Two More Certain to Die.
ST. Louis, April 13.-An inquest was COM
menced this morning by Coroner Niddlet on the
body of G. II. Thompson, who was killed on the
bridge on Friday last, after the shooting by
deputy sheriffs in the yards of the Louisville &
Nashville railroad. The nine deputy sheriffs
now confined in this city were taken from the
Jail to the morgue and sworn over the dead
body, and the inquest then proceeded T. g.
Hewlett was the first witness. He said he was
special agent for the Louisville g. Nashville rail
road, and had also been sworn in as deputy
sheriff. He was not positive that he recognized
the body, but felt satisfied that he had seen the
man while he and other deputies were crossing
the bridge for St Louis The party was stopped
by man who claimed to be Mayor Joyce Of
East st. Louis, who wanted to arrest and take
them back to East ST. Louis, but they broke
away and started across the bridge. After they
had gone short distance the witness saw the
deceased fire two shots at them from behind a
lamp post The shots were returned by some
body in his party. but he did not know how
many were fred nor by whom.
Charles Kristler, known as the Cowboy one
Of the deputy sheriffs, testified that they started
across the bridge on Friday to procure protec-
ton on this side of the river. They were met at
the east end Of the bridge by man who, they
were told, was Mayor Joyce. Joyce said he
wanted the leader of the crowd-thas he wanted
to kill him. He then grabbed a rife from one
of the men to strike HEWLETT, but another dep
uty caught the weapon as it was coming down
and took 1t from him. Joyce then drew a revol-
YER, and Hewlett said to him: s.For Gods sake,
don't shoot you may be killed." Joyce then
grappled with Laird, one of the deputies, but the
latter broke loose and they all started across
Joyce handed his pistol to tall man with side
whskers, who stepped behind lamp-post and
fired three shots at the deputies; the witness,
after the man had fred the second shot. re-
turned the FIRE with his rifle. just as the man
fired his third shot The witness did not see the
man drop, but he was quite positive that the
body in the morgue was that Of the man who
did the shooting; he was almost certain that he
heard some other deputy fire a shot, but he did
not know who did it. He had seen the man who
fired at them the east side Of the river be-
fore, with Mayor Joyce.
tried to hold the ''assassins" on the east side of
the bridge only long enough to send word to the
authorities on this side Of the river. He had
heard of the shooting, and ran to the bridge to
head them Off He had q tussle with them and
tried his best to hold them, but they got away.
They said he could not offer them protection,
and he said he could. He had not been in pos
session of a rife during his trouble with the men
on the bridge. He had seen statement that he
had given his revolver to man to shoot at
them. Gentlemen of the jury said the wit
ness, ''never in my life did carry a revolver. I
use the weapons nature gave me, and that is all.
If he had had revolver on that occasion he
might have used it. Some of the deputies had
hit him with their rifles on his shoulder and arm,
paralyzing his arm and forcing him to let 60 the
hold he had on two of the deputies He showed
an enormous discolored mark his upper left
arm, and said the blow on his shoulder was even
worse. He did not remember having ever seen
the man whose body now lay in the morgue. He
did not see what was going on behind him, but
heard some shots fired from him. One of
the men had pointed rife at him, and while he
had held of the two deputies he had hard time
to keep the Others from shooting him. 1t had
been stated by the s'assasins" that ne had been
drunk on Friday. He had not taken drink on
Friday. His only object in stopping the depu-
ties was to arrest them.
Police Officer John Dowd, OF East st. Louis
corroborated the above, and added that when
the deputies got away they fired several shots
When they got half way over the deputies fired
a whole volley of shots at them. He and the
Mayor had to take shelter behind wagons until
the firing ceased. The witness never saw the
man whose body is in the morgue. There were
two shots fred from the gathering Of which he
and Mayor Joyce were part There were no
other men there except few bridge employees
Mayor Joyce did not hand revolver to any one
Neither witness nor the Mayor had reviewers,
and it was probably good for the deputies that
they had not.
Testimony was taken during the afternoon,
and late in the night the jury rendered verdict
that deceased came to his death by bullet fired
of men composed of deputy sheriffs, trackmen
and clerks, on the cas-. end of the ST. Louis
bridge, whilst they were fleeing from East ST.
Louis to this city, and that the shooting was not
justified
The East ST. Louis inquest also terminated
this evening. and the jury found verdict that
the victims of the shooting on FRIDAY last came
to their deaths from gunshot wounds inflicted
by pistols or rifles in the hands of certain deputy
sheriffs mentioning their names). and holding
them jointly responsible for their deaths.
1t was also announced that James Scollard
who was wounded in Fridays shooting, died last
night in the st. Louis Hospital 1t was decided
to have the body brought over to East St Louis
and viewed by the Jurors Three other persons
wounded on Friday are not expected to live.
THE TROY SCHOOL CHILDREN.