The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-09
AN IRISH HILL TRAGEDY
WIZ. BROOKS. A LAMP-LIGHTER,
KILLS FRANK MATHEWS.
The Slayer, a COIored Lad, Was Being
Pursued by a Crowd of Drunken
Corner Loafers.

Frank Mathews, twenty-five years old
the only son of Mrs. Martha Mathews, of
No. % Harrison street. was shot and almost
instantly killed last evening by William
Brooks, a sixteen-year-oldc olored boy. The
shooting occurred on Concordia street, in
front of the residence of John Sweeny, at
No. 8. 1t was about $50 o'clock when it
occurred, and in less than half an hour the
murderer was under arrest at the police
station.
Brooks is employed by the Indianapolis
Gas Company as a lamplighter. Since the
advent of electricity the gas lamps are
scattered, and he has a great deal of terri
tory to cover, taking in nearly the whole
of the South side, including that part of the
city known as Irish HILL" or the Elmer
aid Heights" where the shooting occurred.
Brooks had lighted the lamp at the south
east corner of Georgia and Concordia
streets, and had started north with his lad
der over his shoulder. A short distance
from Georgia street he came upon crowd
of young men standing on the sidewalk at
the mouth of the first alley north of Geor-
gia street. They were young men of from
twenty to thirty years of age, and one of
their number had just started to a saloon
to get a pail of beer. They were occupying
a large portion of the sidewalk, and to
avoid them Brooks stepped into the street
and passed them.
Three of the men, Frank Mathews, Frank
Smith and Albert Long, followed Brooks as
far the second alley, which is only about
a hundred feet further north, and there the
shot which killed Mathews was fired. Just
what provocation there was for the shoot
ing is not certain. but it is evident that the
men were attempting to assault Brooks,
and that he fired after warning them to
keep away from him. May Sweeney and
May Citizens, living at Nos. 8 and II Con-
cordia street, were in the yard back of Mr..
Sweeneys house when they heard angry
voices in front of the house and ran around
in time to see the shot fired. They tell
about the same story of the affair. They
saw the colored boy backing away from
the three men. and heard him exclaim;
Keep away from me, L tell you, or I'll
The men continued to advance on him,
and then the colored boy drew his pistol
and again warned the men, saying:
IF you come a step further I'll fire.
Mathews was the first to continue the
advance upon the colored boy. and the lat
ter then fired.
AS soon as he fired the fatal shot
Brooks took to his heels and ran north
TO Meek street. turned west and was soon
Long followed him and then returned to
where Mathews lay. The later was shot
through the left 1;t eye the bali penetrating
was not able to speak a word. Frank
Smith raised him UP in the hope that he
might say something before the end came,
but the word did not come, and in a few
minutes Mathews breathed his last
: The sound of the pistol shot brought
tragedy. George Mathews boy living
close by ran to drug store and tele-
phoned to the police station. Captain Daw-
son and Sergeant Schwab were there when
the message came in and they quickly
learned that Brooks had run away. learned
his address and in a short time they drove
up to the residence of Peter P. Cornet, 800
living with Mr.. Cornet, doing the chores
about the house. The officers found him
in his room changing his clothes as if pre-
at the police station in less than half an
hour after Mathews had fallen.
THE LOAFERS DISPERSE
The young men who were in the crowd
with Mathews did not remain about the
place long after the shooting and all their
names could not be learned. Charles and
Frank Smith, of 62 Bates street, Harry
Sharp, Daniel Kinney and Albert Long are
said to have been among them, though none
of them are willing to acknowledge the
fact.
Mrs. G. E. Ross, who lives at q Com
cordia street, says the crowd of men had
been standing in the mouth of the alley
for long time drinking beer. They had
a tin can or pail and would send and get
it filled and it would go the round of the
crowd and then be rushed" again. She saw
the colored boy come along and saw three
OF the men follow him They had said
something to him as he passed, but she
could not hear what it was She went in
the house and did not see the shot fired
She says this crowd of men has a habit
OF congregating in front of her house and
mas become great nuisance Coucordia
street is a narrow street just east of Noble
ana the place where the men meet is not
man. II should pass along Georgia
street he could not see the Ioafers for
they would keep back just inside the al
ley. other nelShborS also complained of
the gang, charac terizing the fnemb ers as
loafers and hoodlums who spent most of
th I5 time rus hing the, GROWER"
snoollng: nave frequently been kicked
ana cuHed by rowdies who meet me as l go
ABOUT my business, and found that it was
necessary for me to arm myself Several
llInes coming along the railroad track men
it is. or ask me for a chew of tobacco /
ten them L nave no watch nor tobacco and
they then demand to know what 1 have
got have been kicked until l am tired of
II. W hen L passed this crowd of men |
knew they were of the rowdy sort because
they were rushing the gfoweler' in the
street; so just stepped out into the street
70 pass them. / know the class SO well
that felt | would be kicked or possibly
knocked down II l passed within reach of
them was not surprised when one OF
them said; Here you Niger,
where are you goin'?' l always make ii a
rule to say nothing when thus assailed
If | do make reply there is 70 possibility of
replying TO please them; but my silence
seemed to anger these men. and they came
in his hand / kept right ahead without
paying any attention TO them, and they
kept coming up behind me, cursing me ali
the way and demanding that I wait TO get
whipped AT the second alley l turned
around and faced the men and warned
them to let me alone. l backed away from
them as they pressed me, and again warned
them ! did not know what moment the
one with the bowlder would hit me Thew
all seemed 70 be under the influence OF
liquor and in a very bad mood / again
warned them to stop and when they would
not | fired. | then ran and did not know
that / hit one of them"
MATTHEW'S RECORD.
Mathews. the man killed. lived with his
mother. sister and niece at % Harrison
street. He was a brass molder by trade