The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-05-27

sons, when last SEEN was known to have
with him sack This led Coroner Beck
10 believe that the murdered man was
Lewis Parsons. ard he had Thompson call
a. the morgue where Thompson Identified
Parsons resided at No ass South Tennessee
street with his parents and was about
thlrty-five years old
Coroner Beck asked Thompson IL he
knew a man named John Mullen, and
Thompson replied that he did Thompson
then gave the coroner Nulen's address.
and Coroner Beck Immediately drove TO
the number and found Mullen at home. The
cCroner did not state his errand immedi-
ately TO- Mullen, but asked nm nm 70 accom-
he wished TO speak TO him on an important
subject. The coroner drove slowly to his
Office and piled many questions to Mullen
while en- route. Finally, he asked Mullen
II Il he knew man named Lewis Parsons;
me expression OF Nu!en's race changed
Immediately; he hung his head down and
instantly became very nervous as he re-
piled that he did. When the coroner asked
Mullen when he saw Parsons last Mullen
stated that he and Parsons were together
for several hours during Friday afternoon.
he said that he and Parsons had taken a
number of drinks together in the vicinity
OF Merrill and Tennessee streets. Mullen
insisted that he had left Parsons IN the
neighborhood OF 80 O'Clock that afternoon
He said he left Parsons at the corner Of
West and Merrill streets. and that they
had quarreled on parting. Before separat-
ing Mullen stated Parsons had sack in his
hand and wished him TO go to the city
dump on Kentucky avenue Mullen said he
did not wish TO go, and, on telling Parsons
away with the remark. "Well, then, go to
Ill and walked rapidly away. Mullen
then stated that he had returned to the
neighborhood of his home and had not
seen or heard of Parsons since that time
At his Office Coroner Beck showed Mullen
formers nane s The latter alter Immediately
recognized Ii. Mullen said he had served a
term in the penitentiary for burglary and
written the letter to Parsons while at the
penitentiary, and that. about two weeks
i'm his possession. Coroner Beck then took
the oath of Mullen that the last time he
Nulen) had seen Parsons was about 4:SO
followed this matter, when the coroner
quietly remarked; Did you know Par
sons was murdered yesterday
The words fell on Mullen like a bomb
shell. He started up and grasped the
chair in which he was sitting nervously
while. with great difficulty. he stammered.
NULEN'S PECULIAR ACTION.
That's what said,' replied the coroner
but Mullen did not reply. He sat in his
chair as If one in trance He gazed va
cantly in the space before him, and the
further remarks of the coroner did not
seem to interest or affect him. He did not
once reply TO what Coroner Beck asked
him. The coroner was 30 impressed with
the mans actions that he believed that
Mullen knew a great deal more Of the affair
than what he had stated, and, In fact, was
q, party TO the murder. He telephoned to
the police station and consulted with the
officers. II was decided to hold Mullen on
charge OF a known thief until his actions
tanned. Mullen was taken to the police sta
ton, where, realizing that he was sus-
pected of being a party to the murder of
anything about the tragedy
The coroner, still bent on investigating
Tennessee street. He knocked at the front
door and the summons was answered by
Mrs. Parsons Coroner Beck then said
Are you Lewis Parsons's mother?" to
which the woman replied, st am"
Well said the coroner, ct am the coro-
ner and come to tell you some sad news"
Nrs. Parsons did not seem greatly sur
prised, but answered in the same tone of
voice when speaking before, well Ii can't
De much worse. than what dreamed last
Why" asked the coroner what did you
dream?''
WELL" said Mrs. Parsons. in low voice.
81 dreamt that he died last night; that he
murdered. / him lying before me,
with blood all over his face and head His
eyes seemed TO pierce through me, and 1
could not bear to look at him. Then,
again, he seemed to grin at me, and that
so scared me that / awoke."
We'll, this is remarkable" said the cor
oner, as he waited for Mrs. Parsons to
speak again. but she did not until further
questioning Finally Coroner Beck asked:
death?"
mo" replied Mrs Parsons, st only re-
member that It seemed as If he was hor-
ribly mangled.'
BY questioning Coroner Beck learned
that Parsons had served a term in the
penitentiary for stealing chickens, and that
he had been released last June. He further
learned that Parsons married. but had
not lived with his wife since his release. He
went to live with his parents while his
wife went to live on West Merrill street.
One child had been born to them. but it,
died.
The coroner then asked Mrs. Parsons if
her son was at home, to which she re-
piled that he had not been since Friday
afternoon at O'Clock. She said he had left
health. She said she knew of no reason
why her son had not returned, but sup
During all this time Coroner Beck had not
told Mrs. Parsons of her sons death, but
still continued to question her, He then
asked Mrs. Parsons If anyone had called
at the house to see her son. She said that
a man named Chris. Baker. whom she had
seen with her son great many umes times,
z o'clock and asked If Lew was at home
AIRS. Parsons said she told Baker that he
had not been home since o'clock in the
afteTIocn. Baker, without any further re-
marks, turned away and left.
Coroner Beck then told Mrs Parsons that
her son had been murdered Friday. and that
his body had been discovered on the Van
dalia tracks west of the river, that Morn
ing. Mrs. Parsons was greatly affected
perhaps her sons companions would know
something about the murder.
The coroner learned yesterday evening
that Mullen had been seen in company with
Parsons about Z o'clock in an alley near
Merrill and Tennessee streets. This evil
dence is in direct opposition to the sworn
statement of Hulen. While Coroner Beck
was tracing down this matter in regard to
Hulen he learned Of facts which lead him
TO believe that Baker knew something
about the affair. Several persons told the
coroner that they had seen Baker in COM
pany with Parsons during Friday even
ing Coroner Beck reported TO the police
his evidence and the police decided to take
Baker in custody. Detectives found Baker
at his home Charles street and took him
10 the police station, where he was slated
on a charge of being known thief. Baker
has also served a term in the penitentiary.
having been released recently. Afterwards
ne was released.
Patrolman King learned yesterday after
noon that Parsons was pal of Lon Hen
derson. who Is now serving a term in the
penitentiary for killing John Tarpey, OF
Haughville, in the spring of a year ago.
The police are investigating the record OF
Parsons, and as far as they can find out
Parsons was connected with a rather tough
class of people