The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-08-20
MURDERED BY A DESPERATE
ACOwbOy Uses His Revolver on James
Pedro, Whose Brother Offended Him.
Result of a Quarrel Arising Out Of an Init.
mate Association with q Fellow Who
Wanted to Control the Neighborhood.

A murder occurred yesterday, just before noon.
in an upstairs room at the southwest corner OF
West and " sshington streets. Edward Huff
man, twenty-four years of age, shot and almost
instantly killed James Pedro. Both were young
men and unmarried, although the victim was to
have been married to-day. The murder appears to
have been premeditsted. although Huffman de-
nies that he intended to kill Pedro. He says
the shooting was accidental Pedro and his
brother lived ct the place where the shooting
took place. Ono was married, and . Miss Ad-
dington. whom the other was to marry, was
living with them. Yesterday, about IL o'clock.
Huffman came up to the rooms. He was not
apparently out of humor, but his actions served
TO arouse the suspicious Of the others. He and
James got to talking about fighting. James
said he preferred r~svolvers as be could knock
them aside. lis that soi' exclaimed Huffman;
let's sec you do it with this And as said
this he drew forth the revolver and fred. the
bullet entering Pedros head, and causing death
two hours later. After the shooting Huffman
went down stairs and epdeavOred to make bis
escape. but was captu red by Sergeants Quigley
and Lowe, aud detective Thornton, near the
Union Depot. while trying to hide among some
cars.
The killing appears to have been done almost
wholly without cause, as the men had not had a
great deal Of trouble. The Pedros followed
peddling for q living. Huffman made their ac-
quaintance at hunters restaurant, on Wash
ington street, where they all took their meals.
He claimed to have been a ranchman and
gloried in the title of cowboy. given him in the
neighborhOod. He was frequently seen en-
gagged 10 conversation with Ben Pedro and
wife when the latter were eating their meals at
Hunters. II was also thought that ne was pay
ing moro attention to the woman than Pedro
liked. However, they had no difficulty. and
about two weeks ago Huffman rented ono
Of the rooms in which the Psdros are now liv-
ing. He paid the rent up to yesterday, but it
seems that trouble occurred last week and he
was ordered away from the premises. He and
the elder Pedro had q fight on Friday. and that
led to a feud between him and James Pedro.
Saturday evening Huffman boasted to q num-
Der of people that he was going to kill James.
One Of these he met on the stairway yesterday
after the shooting and he said to him, "Well.
I've done what I told you I was going to do" 1t
is also known that Huffman endeavored to get
into the rooms Of the Pedros on Saturday night,
but found them locked. This greatly enragsd
him, and he went away swearing vengeance.
At the police station, . few hours after the
shooting, Huffman was playing cards with a fell
low.prisoner and did not seem the least discon-
certed by what he had done. He told the fol-
lowing story OF his life: II was born In Switz-
erland twenty-four years ago. AT twelve years
OF age l ran away and came to this country. 1
lived ia the East q short time, but not finding
anything to do went West and was for several
years . cowboy on large ranches I was princi-
paly in Wyoming. but have been all over the
Vert
.Did you ever get into any difficulty Of this
kind heforeF asked the reporter.
mo; / got shot once here where you see this
scar pointing to an ugly mark above the eyeL
1t was when | was chief OF . section OF q big
ranch in WyominS. A ranchman wanted q
horse which he had no right 70, and because 1
would not let him have 10 he shot me. The ball
ht the skull bone and glanced of.
Huffman said that he came to Indianapolis
last March and had since worked as several
the shooting he said: 1.-THE gun went of acct
dentally. / hadn't anything against Jim; We
had always been good friends. This morning
/ had the gun in my hand when be cam up and
asked me for it. ! said to him: You don't
know anything about guns. II you'd had as
VA Oap0k1SuSo Wtsa om ~ y Ao4 yV0A
know how 20 handle EN- Then I began show
ing him how quick / could get the drop on o
man when it went of"
'Have you any relatives In this country7"
Yes. I've eosa brother living in Kansas
City. or there's where he was the last ! heard Of
him. have no use for him. He tried to knife
me once"
Huffman's reputation is not good here, al
though he has not troubled the police hitherto.
He has the reputation of a braggart and bully.
IN ona orractnp ha rap fhrnwo our ~ Hnnfarfe
restaurant by the owner for using vile Ian
uage. Mr. Hunter hit him in the face,
and Huffman then threatened to get even. He
told . friend that he was going to kill Hunter.
he aftsrwsrd apologized. and WAS allowed to re-
turn to the house. He seems to think Mr..
Hunter comes nearer being his friend than any
one in the city. for he sent for him late yester-
day evening. Mr.. Hunter was allowed to go
Town and cried. He told him he
sent for him because he did not
know whom to ask to help him. Huffman then
reiterated the statement that the shooting was
accidental.
.sThey don't talk that way down in the West
End, Ed.n said Mr.. Hunter. .,hey seem to think
il was a clear case of murder"
well, il they want to tell q pack of lies about
ii l can't help It" said Huffman, again breaking
down. .'If they want 20 hang me 1 can't help
it. I'm ready to go to the eallows right now;
but l didn't mean to do the killing"
Drs. Eisenbeiss and Beck were called to look
after Pedro's wounds. and DR.. Parsons was
afterward summoned. The ball entered an inch
to the left of the median line of the head, pass
ing through the brain and lodging at the base of
the skull. The victim died at 1:30 P. n, and mis-
body was taken TO Kregelo's.
A sad feature in connection with the affair is
that q sister Of the murdered man is dying of
consumption at the home Of her parents on Ann
street. Shortly after the shooting, the surviv-
ing brother and his wife were summoned to her
bedside. where they have remained since. An