The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-03-08
PURSUIT OF MURDERER WILLIAMS.
Two Police Officers Hunting for Him with
Shotguns-Where He Has Been Seen.

The fact that Gus Williams, the murderer is
still fugitive. and, according to various re-
| ports, threatening to take the life of the man
| who attempts to arrest him, has inauguratsd
/ reign of terror in the northeastern part of the
city. where he is said to be skulking, and citi-
zens are almost afraid to venture out for fear of
coming in contact with him. The police, real
izing that they have a very dangerous
duty to perform in capturing the des-
perate murderer, moving very
cautiously AS the fugitive has said
to several persons that he intended to kill Ben
Thornton and CAPTAIN Campbell, those two off,
GERS each armed themselves with shotgun, and
hunted the northern portion of the city high and
low. They were unsucces sful in getting sight
of their man, although they were on his trail
several times during the day. according to infor-
nation they received from persons who claim to
know Williams.
So many reports concerning the whereabouts
of Williams come to Superintendent Travis that
he IS bothered about directing the action of his
men Quite number of persons reported 10
hlm yesterday that they had seen Williams, but
officers sent to the locality i'm mediately failed TO
get any trace of him. Martin VanBuren. a col
ored man employed at Gilbert's livery stable. on
ST. Clair street, claimed that he saw Williams
and talked with him at the stable last evening
at o'clock. and Mr.. Gilbert confirms the story
While these reports OF his presence
in the city were being received
word was coming from Hancock county that
he Philadelphia During the day
Sheriff King received three kilograms from
Philadelphia and Cum berland. stating that Will
Jams had been seen IN each of those places.
and last night citizen from the former place
came to the police sCation and said he had seen
the fugitive. The description he gave tailed
exactly with that of Williams. He said that
the man they bad seen appeared to be crazy
A farmer had attempted to hire him for the
purpose of deten ton, but he refused TO work
When last seen in the evening he was this side
of Cumberland, coming toward the city.
Superintendent Travis does not believe that
Williams has been by so many citizens, as
none reported seeing him. He announced at
rol-call last evening that he would pay any
$25 who would point out Williams to an officer.
and if ne was not arrested the officer should be
discharged.
The brother of the fugitive who was shot by
patrolman Spearis, is still in very critical corr
diton. It was acknowledged by a member of
his family yesterday thai Sfus was in the house
when Ben was shot, and there now seems to be
donbt but what Spears really did see
Gus when he gpeeped through the window. The
fact is that when the policemen came to the
house. both Gus and his brother Ben ran into
the cellar, and there it arranged that Ben
should run and have the police follow him while
Gus escaped. The police think that Gus escaped
from the cellar by way of the front door about
the time they discovered that Ben had been
shot The story of Henry Washington is that
Gus came to his house just after the shooting
The police nave also received evidence
to the real cause of the murder of Venable.
Only recently, Sress indicted for selling
liquor on Sunday and the Indictment was re-
turned upon the evidence of Venable and an
other coored man. Williams, who worked for
who caused the Indictment to be returned. and
there is evidence that he had threatened to get
even. Another feature of the whole business is
that Suess is applicant before the board of
is one of the men against whom Captain Ritter
has demonstrated.