The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-03-06
TWO COLORED MEN KILLED
Gus Williams Deliberately Shoots Hard
er Venable, Killing Him Instantly.
While Trying to Capture the Murderer, Po-
liceman Spears, by Mistake, Fatally
Wounds Brother of Williams.

or, occurred last night. Shortly before IL
o'clock, Gus Williams colored man. shot and
killed Harder Venable, also colored. in Joseph
Suess's saloon. at No. 40 Malott avenue Will
Jams had been employed about the saloon sew
| eral days Early ia the evening Venable and
| several other coiored men came in and spent
some time playing pool. Williams took no part
10 the games, but a spectator most
or the time, and appeared to be on friendly
terms with Venable and all the others present
| When the hour for closing came the men paid
their bills TO Suess and were about to go out,
when Williams noticed to walk from a po-
rition near the pool tables to behind the coun-
ter. Some of those present when be changed
his position went ont immediate ~ and isft Ven
able standing the end of the bar,
and almost facing Williams Sud
denly, without any proyocation, Williams
reached for singie-barrsI shotgun Mr. Suess
| Kept behind the bar, and he uttered
something which was not understood by those
present he placed tbs muzzls of the gun direct
| ly IN front of and near to Venable's right eye
and fired The gun was loaded with buckshot,
and the entire left aide of Veneables head was
blown of. Williams set the gun back in it's
place as coolly he had fetched it up and delib-
| erately walked ont of the saloon
Suess and the few other persons who were
present were dumfonnded that they made 10
effort to stop the murderer, in fact they were
so overcome that it was ten minutes before they
gave the alarm of what had been done PATROL
men Spears and Peihen, who have charge of
that district. were the frst officers to arrive
and when they reached the saloon Venaole was
lying IN q pool of blood Of course dead. They
immediately notified polite headquarters Of what
had occurred, and directed that the body of the
mn r6a paA -.
establishment. which was done.
Patient investigation did not reveal any mo-
tivefor tia cold-blooded murder although it is
supposed there one. Venable was married
but three weeks ago, and it was stated by some
colored people who knew him well that be and
Williams had had trouble over the woman he
married. Whether there is anything in the
story or not, it is believed that there must have
been some previous difficulties between the two
men. Venable's home is on Baltimore avenue.
He was twenty-five years of age, and for
several years has not had
good reputation among the police
though he always kept out OF trouble. Williams
has long been known as a very dangerous man.
having served three terms in the penitentiary,
one of them for attempting TO murder man by
cutting bis throat He is about thirty Eve years
of ags; wears a heavy beard and looks like
desperate man. Since his release from the PEN
itentiary few weeks ago he has been living in
the country east of the city.
y The tragedy that grew out of the killing is
as unfortunate the murder was cold -blooded
for 1T resulted in the probable killing of an 1nno-
cent man by officer. When the officers
reached the scene of the murder they found the
murderer gone, and without waiting to inquire
into the details of the crime, they moved
1r -
fore Captain Colbert and Sergeant Lowe
reached the locality, patrolmen Spears and
Pelhen had been informed that Williams would
perhaps go direct to his mothers house on New
man street. and they fastened over there They
found that he had not been there and they went
back to the scene of the killing There they
metCaptain Colbert and Sergeant Lowe who had |
arrived in the patrol wagon. They were told !
by Joseph Hoffbauer that Williams had most |
likely gone to his brother home an the rear of |
Dir. Moores, on Pennsylvania street. Peihen I
was left on his beat. and Cobers, Lowe and
Spears started out in search of the fugitive |
Spears was taken along because he is colored |
man, and knew Williams very we'll When |
near the place on Pennsylvania street where
Ben Williams, the brother OF the murderer was
supposed to live thew were met by colored
man named Twinams. who said tn az Williams
had moved and was now living in the alley be-
tween North. Walnut. New Jersey and East
streets. When the officers approached the house
upstairs and down. although it was now nearly
! o'clock. While preparing to surround the
hoase Spears saw man sitting the
window whom he took for Williams the
murder. and notified the other officers ina. Gus
was there. Captain Colbert dispatched Spears
% the rear door: Lowe sent TO the front
ioor, and he himself guarded side door
When Lowe opsned the front door he saw a
nan run from the front room into the rear one,
ma followed him. He reached the second
DOM just in time to see the cellar |
ioor shake. and he called out TO his comrades
hat Williams had gone into the cellar. A
minute later Shears saw man climb out of the
Get from where he standing. A high board
ence was between him and the man, and he
allied on him to halt The man started 10 run. aud
spears drew his revolver and fred two shots at
him. When the second shot was fred the man
aid, lyon have cot me-" Mr.. Spears sui snip
'osed the man at whom he had been shooting
vas Gus Williams. and knew no better until he
7alked up to the fence. and the wounded man
aid, ''this is not Gus Then Mr. Spears said
g had shot Ben Williams, brother Of the MUIR
errr
Williams was able to walk into the house.
nd Drs. Watson and Hodges were called. They
ound that Williams had been shot twice. One
Juliet had penetrated the body at the right
ipple, and the other had passed through the
ght arm The physicians pronounced the
rounds fatal.
The wounded man swooned away soon after
eug carried into the house. and was unable 10
i've any cause for his attempt to escape when :
ne officers came. It seems certain from the re-
lark he made when shot that Gus had been
here. and the theory is corroborated by the fact
lat patrolman Kinney the fugitive on !
orth street at 11:30 o'clock, but did not then ,
now OF the murder. .
As 5000 as the wants OF Williams were cared ,
IT Captain Colbert took Spears in charge and :
roueht him to the station house He was taken I;
the Office. and was left alone until a :
e-senger dispatched for Superin- .
nd~nt Travis. The Superintendent :
,ached the station at a quarter past l. and !
tier holding a personal consultation with
GILBERT aud Spears. ths latter (Spearsl was al
wed TO relate the story of the shooting to the
porters The story he told does not '
fer from the statement of facts
ven above. He said that he S
-mly believed the man he saw coming +
~ Of the cellar Gus Williams, and as he F
w he was likely TO get away he shot at him for q
A nnrnnaa of Wnnndinl, hun He also saia q