The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-24
Circumstances Connecting Him with the
Brutal Affair at Brigb,wOOd- for
Food, but Became Frightened and Ran.
The Injured Engineer Surprises Ply
sicians at His Tenacity to Life.
Brightwood Citizens Hold Meeting to Raise
Funds for Reward-Various Theories
Mrs Nckees Story of the Negroes
WAS 1T A NEGRO TRAMP?


Two Bits OF Evidence.
There were all sorts of theories and clews
to the Kline mystery at Brightwood yes
terday. but none of them furnished enough
evidence to fasten the crime on anyone.
The best theory of the day pointed to
negro tramp as the sssailsnt OF the engi-
neer. Mrs. Mckee. who lives on Brink
man street. says she saw q negro.
behind four other negroes, hurryinG
through the woods near the cottage short
ly after the time when the crime was sup
posed to have been committed. This bit OF
evidence is put with that of Mrs. Lizzie
Sullivan, of Sol Bates street, and Q chain.
with only few links gone. is made. Mrs
Sullivan was visited by q negro tramp
about noon on the day of the Brigthw
affair. and from her description of his APP
pearance he evidently had been in q
bloody affray only short time before. He
came to the rear door and demanded that
she give him something to eat.
His manner was so nerce that she became
greatly frightened. but did not dare to re-
fuse him what he asked, for there was no
one In the house with her. She saw that
the wrist Of his right hand was badly cut
in several places. and that both of his
sleeves were quite bloody. The right sleeve.
she remembers, had more of the blood upon
It. de spoke hoBrsely. and on his face
was decidedly curious expression. She
tbought ne was badly frightened for some
reason or other. he glanced out towards
the front of the house furtively every now
and then. She went to q pantry to get him
something to eat. attempting TO cuI bread
with o case knife. Her hands trembled so
that she had difficulty In slioing the bread.
The tramp noticed this and, as he showed
signs OF impatlence. she broke the loaf In
two and gave him half oft.
The house In which Mrs. Sullivan lives is
Q part of a building. one portion of which
Is occupied as saloon. The sound Of foot
steps in the saloon con be plainly heard in
the house. just ss the negro began to eat
OF the bread which Mrs. Sullivan gave
him some one came into the saloon. The
sound of footsteps scared the tramp. and
he dropped the bread. dashlng out OF the
yard into the street. This vas the last
Mrs. Sullivan saw of him. She describes
him as @ very black negro. but does not
remember what kind of clothes he wore.
Frequently during the day there are cuts
OF oars from Brightwood going over the
Belt road. and 1t Is possible the tramp. if it
was he who assaulted Kline, Jumped
aboard one of these cuts sfterward and
soon found himself in another part of the
township. The Big Four road Is about
half mile from the Kline cot
tage, and the tramp could have
gone either to this road or TO the
Belt itself. which comes to the Big Four
o half mile below Brightwood. The suppo-
sition on this theory is that the tramp.
after hitting Kline with the Ratchet, ran
TO the junction OF the Big Four and the
Belt aud there boarded q train which
seemed to be going away from Indianapo-
lis and away from BrightwOod. The train,
however continued around the Belt until
IL came to the Big Four tracks which come
TO the city from the southeast There o
cut was sent III into the ards in the south
east of the city. and when the tramp saw
the train was again coming into the city
instead of going away from it he jumped
Off. Mrs. Sullivan's residence on Bates
street Is but short distance from the
tracks of the southeastern division of the
Big Four, and Is tho first house from a
street intersection. The trip described
could have been made by the negro within
an hour or two
Ii the theory of the assault By the tramp
is the true one. 1t is quite probable that
the tramp went TO the back door of the
Kline cottage. knocked. and receiving no
response, pushed open the door and walked
in. The Ratchet was lying on tho table at
the time. and so he picked il up intending
TO use it IL any one terrupted him in his
explorations. 1t is believed on the line of
this theory that the tramp bad inst begun
90 search the trousers Of Kline. when the
engineer awOke. The negro saw that 10
was necessary TO make light, and before
Kline could get I'D the deadly blow was
dealt. There was no evidence. from the
appearance of the bed clothes, that there
had been a scuffle. The sheet was still on
the bed when Kline was ionnd, but be
had rolled the comfort partially around
him in tumbling over TO the floor. The
negro may have then bolted out at the
front door.
No one who was near Kline yesterday re-
members hearing him say Are they gonef"
1t is also proba BILE. If the tramp theory Is
correct. that Kline was merely turning
over In his sleep. and the movement so
frIgh tened the negro that he struck the
blow with the hatebet. Ii is also claimed
that Kline told DIR. johnson some time ago
that there was q man whom he was going
to get. or he is going to get me-"