The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-05-12
WISE ACQUITTED.
Greenfield Jury Decides that He Did Not Fire
the Shot That Killed Quinlan.

The trial of James alias "Ananias" Wise.
indicted for the murder of Edward Qu;n-
Ian, terminated at $50. yesterday afternoon.
In the Hancock county court. at Green
field. where it had been taken on q change
of venue from the Criminal Court of this
county. The jury was out only ten min
utes. and returned verdict of not guilty
and Wise was freed. 1t will be remem-
bered that on Wise's preliminary trial here.
before Judge Buskirk. he was held TO
await the grand Jury OF the charge of man.
slaughter. The grand jury investigated
and considered the case, and indicted Wise
for murder. His attorneys then took the
case to Hancock county on q change of
venue. believing that o prejudice existed
against him here.
The circumstances of the homicide were
these: On Aug. 20. 1890. Wise reported to
Capt. Robt. Campbell. in charge OF the DO
lice station, at 10 o'clock at night. that he
had bur few minutes before been attacked
by highwaymen and robbed of $50. HIS
story was that four men, at the corner OF
New YORK and Missouri streets. waylaid
him. and whilst some of them present ted
pistols 10 his head others ransacked his
clothing and secured his money. 1T was
thereupon suggested that the highwaymen
might pit to escape from the CITY by
the midnight xpress on the Big Four. and
the plan was conceived of stopping the
train at the junction of Indiana avenue
and Michigan street and if possible to ap-
pre- bend the highwaymen. Captain Camp
bell thereupon called 10 his aid
ell the available officers he could
and proceeded to the Indiana-avenue
crossing. As the train approached the
men present were Capt. Robert Campbell.
detective NOW captainl James L. Quigley.
Sergeant Fred Kurtz. Sergeant III. III.
Wheatley, officers Ballard, Thomas, b. X.
Smith, Wash Smith and four or five other
members of the metropolitan and Merchant
police forces. When the train stopped
Edward Quinlan. who had been riding on
the front platform of the first mail car,
jumped 70 the ground. He was seized by
Sergeant Wheatley, but succeeded In break
ing away. and ran west on Michigan street.
Captain Campbell, Quigley and Ballard
started IN pursuit. Captain Campbell. in
the midst of the chase. drew his revolver
and fred two shots. Quigley then fired one
shot and Ballard one shot. The evidence
showed that il was impossible that Quig-
.sy's bullet could have killed QuinlaD. as 1t
was of different caliber from that found
IN the body of Quinlan.
The State attempted TO prove at the trial
that Edward Quinlan could not have been
one of the highwaymen, and it was there
fore claimed that the killing of Quinlan
was ut the very least voluntary man
slaughter. The State further claimed that
the story of Wise as to the robbery was o
fabrication. The position OF the state
then was that Wise was all accessory. aid
ing and abetting the commission of murder
or voluntary manslaug hter. The State
also attempted to prove that Wise actually
tired the fatal shot The prosecution of
Wise was pushed blythe family OF QuInlan.
who IN the beginning retained Henry n.
Spaan 20 that end. In January. 1871. the
father of Quinlan brought In this county a
civil suit for damages against Ca tain
Campbell. averrIng he did the killing and
demanded $1,000 damages The case has
since been dismissed.
The prosecution was In the main con-
Quoted by Henry y. Spaan. Judge Pierce
aud Cbas. G.. Otfutt. OF Greenfield. ap-
pesred for the defense. John X. Melee
and Chas. g. Ofutt made the arguments
on behalf of the defendant. and Henry N
Spaan closed the case for the State.