The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-14
MAIL CARRIER HELD UP.
Two Men Drive Him from His Buggy,
but Do Not Molest the Mails

John O Hara and William Mason are in
the police station charged with interfering
with the United States mails. O'Hara was
arrested yesterday afternoon by patrolman
Hamilton and number of citizens and de-
tectives Splann, Kinney and Richards ar
rested Mason last night. The men were
drunk yesterday afternoon, and held up
James tarskadon. q mail carrier between
this city and Providence, a country post
Office south of the city, but did not modest
the mail sack.
Carskador was coming into the city with
the afternoon mail when he was stopped
near the city limits by two men, who pre-
sented a revolver and ordered him to get
out of his buggy. Carskadon>did SO, but he
took the mail sack with him and started to
run. The men seemed to be too drunk to
know what they were doing. and they paid
no heed to him. but got into the deserted
buggy and started south gain Carskadon i'm
meiiately Summoned aid, and with few citi-
zens started in pursuit of the would-be rob-
bers. About four miles south, ON the Three
Notch road, the pursuers caught sight OF the
men some distance ahead and FASTENED
their speed. When the two men saw they
were being pursued one or them jumped
from the buggy and disappeared, but the
he could escape in that way But the fol-
lowers were too swift Tor him, and. coming
within range. some one of the party hred a
revolver, calling to the man in the buggy 10
halt. He only laughed. however, ana asked
why they did not shoot to hit IL they ex-
peeted to catch him The revolver ,r was nr r,,a
fugitive as 1t could be seen that ne was
drunk. His horse was finally stopped. but
the man showed fight, and jumping from
his buggy, began striking right and left, &C
cording to the story of some OF his captois'
consequently it was necessary TO use consid-
cradle force on him before he would sblnit.
Finally after he had received terrible
beating. he consented to accompany his
captors. and he was turned over to patrol
man Hamilton. The patrol wagon was
called and the man brought in, While more
officers We're sent to search for Mason;
At the police station the man was ldentl-
fed as an old offender by the name OF
John O. Hara, a potato and apple peddief.
He gave his companions name as William
Mason, and the detectives Immediately be-
gan search for him. with the result That
he was captured in the western part OF Tn. Lne
city about o'clock. He acknowledged that
he had been out with 'tIara the carrier
part of the afternoon, but Claimed 10 nave
left him before any trouble occurred:
OHara. was badly battered up, having
bad cut on the top of his head a deep cut
on the right hand, and a large knoa on the
heavy stick. He cleinaed that he was ar
rested by some farmer, who tied his
hands and feet and then beat and kicked
him while he could not help himself. He
said he had taken few drinks of whisky
early in the afternoon, and that was the
last he remembered until he was being
'sbeat to DEATH as he expressed it. 1t is
not known whether the men had any inten-
ton of roboing the mail or not, as they
were so drunk they evidently did not know
what they were doing.
Early yesterday afternoon word was sent
to the police station that two drunken po-
tato peddlers were causing a great deal of
disturbance on South Meridian street. The
informant said they had called at the house
located at S39 South Meridian street. occu-
pied by Thomas Turner, and, finding no
one at home, had kicked in the front door
and insulted the woman whom they found
in another house. Police officers We're sent
to that district, but were unable to get any
traces of the men. Tt is supposed that
O'Hara and Mason were the men who
were creating the disturbance there A po-
lice office found what is supposed to be
the number from the wagon which they
were driving. 1t was. a small board, OH
which was painted in rude figures '1CS.''