The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-12
HIGHWAYMEN IN A PARK
j. A. BRANDON, A GROCERY CLERK.
BEATEN BY THREE MEN.
His Gold Watch Taken-One of the
Numerous Cases Suppressed by
the Police.

A dastardly assault and robbery which
the police department has succeeded in
suppressing from the public occurred in
Military Park Saturday morning Three
men held up James A. Brandon, choked
and beat him into insensibility and after
1obbing him of his watch and money made
their escape. Brandon is employed as
clerk in Edward Gaston's grocery at IS
Kentucky avenue. 1t is his duty to open
the store every morning and is due at the
store at O'Clock to az commodate the early
morning customers. Saturday morning he
arose. as usual, at a little after o'clock
and about 4:30 started to his work He
lives at 124 Blackboard street, opposite Mill
tary Park and his habit has always been
to cross the park to West street
When he left his own yard Saturday
morning the electric lights were still burn
ing, and he could see three men about to
enter the park short distance south of
him. He thought nothing of this, as he
frequently meets men going to work in the
morning. He entered the park and crossed
a piece of lawn until he struck the cement
walk leading through the park from the
northwest to the southeast. He noticed
that the street lights had been turned out
and just when he was in the middle of
the park the park lights were turned off
The darkness was intense, after facing the
electric light just southeast of the foun.
tain.
The three men he noticed were wa king be-
hind him. but he paid no attention to them
He thought they were about to pass him
and stepped to the side of the walk, but
as they came up with him one OF the men
threw his arm around Brandcns neck and
began to choke him. while a second robber
began beating Brandon in the stomach
and the third searched his pockets
Brandon is sixty-seven years old and is
small of stature. He at the mercy of
the highwaymen and their mercy was
slight The man who did the choking kept
ordering of the other robbers to hit
the while he kept up the choking pro-
cess TO the best of his ability. The man
doing the searching evidently disap-
pointed. Mr.. Brandon remembers his eX-
clamation of disgust when he found only
so cents in money. The old watch which
but it was money the robbers were bent on
getting.
When the robbers had taken all thew
Brandon, the big ruffian who had hold of
his neck tossed him upon the grass at the
side of the walk and the three robbers fed.
1t was some little while before Brandon
was able to rise to his feet. He was able
at once telephoned to the police station and
reported the robbery. Afterwards two de-
tectlveS were detailed upon the case. In
quiry was made at the police station yester-
day for the particulars OF the robbery All
who were asked denied knowing anything
about it. Captain SDlan said he knew
nothing about it; that no such robbery had
been reported. 1t is one of the cases which
the police department sees fit to attempt TO
suppress. Mr.. Brandon is pretty badly in
jured, and it is still d question whether he
will not succumb TO the injuries .received
at the hands of the robbers. His throat
was terribly squeezed, that he has been
unable to swallow anything solid. He is
stiff and sore from the beating he received
and il may be that he Is injured internally
He is confined to his home.