The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-11
STORY OF THE CRIME.

A Brief Resume OF the Circumstances-Wit-
nesses Begin to Unbridie Their Tongues.
The crime for which Parker and McAfee
are to pay the severest penalty known to
the law was one Of the most atrOcious and
cold blooded murders ever committed in
this county. 1t was without provocatiou.
deliberate and premeditated. The facts
were related In these columns at the time of
the murder. On the night OF April
II Charles Eyster was In his
drug store at the corner of Mississippi and
Third streets. A few minutes before 10
o'clock Parker and McAfee entered the
store and asked to look at some playing
cards. Mr.. Eyster stepped to the showcase
containing the cards and showed them to
the men. While her husband was exhibit
Ing the cards, Mrs. Eyster said to him. Il
will 60 upstairs and prepare the bed" Her
husband replied. "All right. will be up in
few minutes"
Mrs Eyster went up stairs and had been
there but q moment when she heard
shot fired in the drug store. She started
In the hallway. just at the head of
the stairs. He fell into her arms
exclaiming, MY God. MAZDA, i am shot.
Those two col0red men who were In the
store when you were there came back and
asked for cigarettes and shot me-" Eyster
lived until the next morning. when he
died. Before he died. however. he related
the circumstances attending the shooting.
he said the two colOred men, after looking
at the cards for awhile, said they did not
want cards. but would take some dice.
They bought q pair of dice and started to
leave the store. but when they reached the
door turned and came back. They asked
for cigarettes, and after getting them
- g.
get the matches one of them said. You
are an angel. or soon will be-" and with
that remark fired the fatal shot. Eyster
turned and ran up stairs. and was met In
the hallway by his wife. as stated. She
carried him to the bed, and, after placing
him upon it. raised q window and screamed
for help. Patrolmen Ward and Carter
were soon upon the scene, the evidence
showing them to have been among the
very first there. The men were described
to them, and upon this description they at
once concluded that il was Parker and Nc
Afee who had been In the store. and upon
INSTRUMENTATION to the superintendent
the two were arrested.
From the time of the arrest until after
the verdict of the jury was returned yes
terday afternoon. the evidence against the
two men gathered thicker and stronger
every Day. After the verdict of the jury
became known the tongues of several wit
nesses were lOOsened, and It was then
demonstrated beyond all doubt that the
guilty persons were TO hang for their crime.
In addition TO the statements made by
Hattie Mitchell as to seeing the two muir
derers enter the drug store, William Banks,
who had testified to seeing two men run by
his house on Middle street on the night of
the murder amplified this by saying that he
was very CLOSE to the men when they
passed, and that he recognized them as
Parker and McAfee. Both those witnesses
were afraid to testify upon the trial the
whole truth in the case for fear of bodily
harm at the hands of the defendants or
their friends. When shey learned that the
defendants were to hang, however, and
there was no probability of their ever hSv.
ing an opport unity to wreak q VENGEANCE.
they told all they know.