The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-12-25
Ex-Sheriff Willis Believed to Be the
Murderer and Is Promptly Placed
Behind the Bars.
ALL FROM A FAITHLESS WIFE
More Trouble i'm Store for the
State Normal at Terre Haute.
Programme for indianapolis Meeting Of
Teachers Promises Sensation
Result of Practical Joke.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
SULLIVAN, Ind, Dec. A.-This city was
startled with the news of a most daring
assassination which occurred about o'clock
this morning John c. Hultz, who has been
a prominent attorney here for years. was
riddled with a double charge OF buckshot,
one fired quickly after the other. The man
who did the shooting wore both a mask
and a wig, and he turned and made his es-
cape through network of alleys Lawyer
Hultz saw him approaching and turned
about the first shot was fired. He at
tempted to dart into livery stable. but
the second load tore great hole In his
back and he fell. 1t is said he called to a
man in the rear of the stable Lem Will
lis has shot me-" He died where he fen.
Several saw the shooting, but claim the
mans disguise prevent them from positively
identifying him. Only a few persons were
on the street and the assassin wasn't fol-
lowed Later his mask. wig and gunstock
were found in a pond which is on a line
from the place where the shooting was done
and the residence of Willis who is the ex-
sheriff of Sullivan county.
No one was surprised that Lawyer Hultz
thus came to his death. but the wonder is
that the assassin selected the daylight in
which TO do the deed. 1t was known that
Hultz's life was not safe in Sullivan. Will
lis and Hultz had been personal and politi-
cal friends, the former having done more
than any one to secure Hultzs election as
prosecuting attorney. Some three months
ago Willis suspected criminal intimacy be-
tween his wife and Hultz and set a trap
for them by telling his wife he had business
in another town which would detain him all
night. She drove him to the station and saw
him get on the train and then informed
Hultz that her husband would be away that
night At an early hour in the evening the
husband returned and listening at the win
dow discovered the guilty pair together. He
had fastened the door of escape and broke
in on them, opening fire on the intruder.
Hultz was wounded in two places. The law
yer was undressed, but crawled a half mile
to a friends house. where a physician
dressed what were thought to be fatal
wounds. Willis put Mrs. Willis in buggy
and drove to her fathers house, where he
left her. Hultz recovered and Willis brought
suit against him for $4,000 damages. not
with the hope Of recovering anything, but, as
was said at the time. to crush the lawyer
or drive him out of town. Hultz went to
Arkansas on a hunt and not returning with
the party, it was supposed he would seek
turned and announced he had come to stay.
About an hour after the killing Willis was
arrested by a consta bic who met him COM
ing toward town. He claims to be inno-
cent.
The circumstantial evidence against Willis
is very strong. small boy mas been found
who, just before the shooting, saw man
who, the boy says positively, was none
other than Willis putting on a false beard
and wig in a stairway. The hostler of the
stable was told by a disguised man just
before the shooting to leave the stable.
Immediately after the shooting the assassin.
ran out of town in the direction of Williss
farm, stopping at small pond, where ne
wrapped the wig beard and gun I'm the
overcoat he had worn and threw the bundle
into the water.
At the time Hultz and Mrs. Willis were
caught together Willis secured divorce.
The damage suit against HultZ wa still
pending Willis, il is said, having refused
offers of "a compromise The popular senti-
ment is strongly against Willis tonight
although at the time of the former happen
ing il was with him