The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-06-18
In Self-Defense He Had Fatally Wounded
Jerry UNeil, Who, with Others, Had
Brutally Beaten the officer.
ATTEMPTS TO LYNCH KING
Policeman CrOnin's Arrival Pre-
vented Further BlOOdshed.
King Had Tried to Stop a Drunken Dis
turbance in Front of Halloran's
Saloon.

Yesterday evening, shortly after o'clock,
patrolman King attempted to arrest one of
party of five at West and Grant streets
on a charge of drunkenness, when the 9TH
ers interfered and beat the officer until he
was compelled to draw his revolver and fire
two shots in self-defense. One of the shots
took effect in the chest of Jerry O'Neil
one Of the assailants, and he now lies at
his home, No. 235 West Merrill street, in a
dangerous condition.
From all accounts it appears that patrol
man King was justified in shooting. The
men had pounded him until he was weak.
When he drew his revolver his eyes were
so blinded with blood streaming from his
wounds that he could see with difficulty
and the manner in which his assailants con-
tinued to strike him caused him TO think
that they intended to follow up their attack
until they had seriously crippled him or
possibly fatally injured him. Mrs. Jesse
Hitchcock, residing at No. 159 West Nc
Carty street, talking to the patrolman
Immediately before the trouble, and she is
positive that the officer acted wisely and
is entirely free from the blame for the
serious results.
Patrolulan King was one of the officers
assigned to report for duty yesterday
morning in citizens clothes. He was as
signed to the district in the vicinity of the
scene Of the trouble, and he went to his
district promptly after roll call. He pa
troled it all day without seeing any trou-
bic or making any arrests. Toward even
ing he noticed that there were a number of
young men, aged from eighteen to twenty
five years. evidently under the influence of
liquor, standing on the street corners and
fK, -
AS O'Clock approached he decided TO
catch the next street car and go to the
police station for evening roll call, whica
is held at $50 o'clock on Sunday. He was
standing on the corner of McCarty and
West streets, and started walk north
on West street on the west side of the
street. intending to catch the next street
car at Grant street. AS he approached
Grant street he saw five young men, aged
about twenty-three years none of whom
he knew, la front Of Henry +. Holloran's
saloon, on the southwest corner of the
two streets. One OF the five was evidently
very much intoxicated, for he talked very
loud and used obscene language. The pa
trolman went up to the men and cautioned
them, especially the one bosterous fellow
about creating the noise, and for the mo-
ment II appeared his orders had effect
Mrs. Hitchcock then passed the officer
and as she had known him for some time
and was well acquainted with him and his
family, stopped to talk with him for a
few moments. The general drift of the
conversation was towards family affairs,
and Mrs. Hitchcock left King, walking
north on West street. The man whom
King had adnonished as to conduct had
begun repeating his actions while King
was talking to Mrs. Hitchcock, and when
she left King went up to the fellow and
ordered him to desist or he would be ar
rested. The five Immediately commenced
guying King, the one being louder than
his companions King then stepped up to
directly IN front of the noisest one and
told him that 1T would be better for him
to go home and sleep off the effects of his
liquor. King received an insulting reply,
and ne took hold of the fellow and told
him he was under arrest. The officer start
ed to walk north on West street with his
prisoner, intending to go to a telephone
and summon the patrol wagon.
BEATING THE POLICEMAN.
He had not gone very far when the pris-
oner's four companions ran around in front
of King and the prisoner and held up their
hands in threatening attitude. Seeing his
jer1ed himself free from King and began
to strike him. His companions Joined in.
and for few seconds they made things
very warm for the policeman. He tried
TO defend himself. but the superiority of
numbers told, and he was soon at their
mercy. King received blows that almost
closed his eyes and turned the lids to a
very dark color. He received hard swings
on the forehead and on the back of his
head directly behind his left ear. The blows
OH the forehead broke and bruised the
skin and caused the blood to flow freely
The blood flowed down his forehead into
his eyes, and this made what little resist
ance he was able to offer before now i'm
possible. The five, seeing that King was
at their mercy, exerted themselves to their
utmost in seeing how much damage they
could do to Kings face.
The policeman received a powerful blow
on the cheek from one of his antagonists
and this convinced him that unless he
offered some eifectual resistance soon he
probably would be seriously hurt Shaking
his head in order 10 throw the blood from
his eyes, but still keeping one hand and
arm up before his face TO ward off the
blows, with his free hand he got his re-
volver from his hip pocket and placed him
sell WITH his p2Eh toward EOllOrdnS 5 Sd
loon, with the five before him painting and
ready to spring at him again at the firsi
move. King shouted huskily, for he was
almost ready TO succumb, TO the men tc
stop their attack or he would shoot to kill
One of the men sprang at King and ht
fired two shots without giving any further
warning. Erom) what he was able to see
as his eyes were again filled with coursins
blood. the first shot struck the brick pave
ment and glanced harmlessly away Bu
the second shot was more effective. Fol
lowing the report he heard some one, whom
he supposed was one of his assaiants
shout My God, I'm shot, The assailant:
stopped their attack and held back, no
daring to spring at King again. for they
I were confident that he was shooting to kill
! The report Of the revolver caused a crowC
OF fifty or more TO collect i'm few sec
onds. and these pressed up Immediately
around King and his antagonists and eager
| ly inquired the cause OF the shooting
King. feeling that the blood was filing hi.
| eyes so that he would not be able to talk,
care of himself. broke through the GROVE