The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-13
Democratic Politician John Williams
shot Down by bartender Lewis
During n BraxyI.
ROBBERS MURDER A WIDOW
PORTLAND OFFICERS NOW on THE
TRACK OF THE CRIMINALS.
Harry Blackstone, WeII-Known Com
mercinI Traveller, Gives His Wife
CarbOlic Acid for Wine.
specIal 70 the 1ndianapOlIg journal.


COLUMBUS, Ind, Feb. Thames Lewis,
who shot John Williams to death last night
at Jonesville, a small town ten miles from
here, was safely lodged in the hands of
Sheriff Cox, at the county Jail here this
morning at 1:30 o'clock. The murderer was
brought to Columbus by Marshal Frederick
Schultz, of Jonesvile, and Edward Blanch,
an old soldier, both Of whom were present
when the crime was committed. After noti-
flying Deputy Coroner j. d. Emmons they
drove home again. Marshal Schultz re-
turned here to-day and strongly declared
|. there was at no time any danger of a
lynching. Some of the boys were in for
coming with me for fear Jim Lewis might
get away" he said, "but 1 told them L
could take care of him."
The killing of John Williams, a man Of
some humble means, with wife ard three
children, the youngest only two months
old, was the result of saloon brawl par
ticipated in by Democratic politicians who
could not agree among themselves as to
the division of the spoils. The murderer
was the bartender and claims he acted in
self-defense. The marshal denies this and
says it was a old-booded crime. Lewis,
the slayer, was tending bar in John Ford's
saloon the only drinkshop in Jonesville.
penter by trade with political ambitions.
| He was an avowed candidate for town mar
| shall to succeed Schultz his most intimate
| friend, who has held the Office two terms
| and was not asking for another term. Ed
| ward Blanch was also a candidate for the
| place, but did not appear to be formidable.
Friday afternoon the primaries took place
and the town was full of Democrats. In
| the evening there was crowd in the
| LOOM Lewis had been in Jeffersonville since
Wednesday and returned late in the day,
| taking his place behind the bar to serve the
| guests. Williams had not been selected a
George Schlachter have the honor. Will
George Schlachtetr have the honor. Will
liams was treating everybody, not only
| those of Jonesville, who could help him be-
come town marshal but also those from
out of the village. About O'Clock in the
evening Marshal Schultz, together with the
rival candidates, Blarch and Williams.
West" Babe, James Smaliwood, Frank
Gore. Eli Davis, John Ford and a number
| of others were drinking at the bar, Will
| liams treating literally, constantly call
| ing, Jim, fill em up come up, boys
After time Blanch wanted to stand
treat" but took umbrage at the idea of
treating those out of town, who could not
help him politically.
Treat everybody cried Williams.
'T can't I've only got dollar COM
| planned Blanch.
20 I'll pay for the drinks" cried Will
/ iiams.
| After this Banch had asquarrelsome mood
| and abused Williams. plainly telling him
that he had robbed him (Blanch), and
That started the trouble, and the marshal
had to interfere and prevent Williams from
hitting the old man. who IS crippled: Hard
| ~ had this episode passed when the mar
shall says. Lewis came from behind the bar
| with q poker and threatened to drive out
! everybody. Some of the party left at once,
/ fearing trouble. At that moment the town
marshal called for the drinks and LEWIS
| suddenly took his place to dispense the
| beer. All this time Williams still held his
was drawn the marshal demonstrated with
| the bartender for his treatment of his
| and rushed to the ice box. picked up
an ax-handle and, with an oath, started
| for those still left in -he saloon.
Marshal Schultz took the club away from
Lewis and left the saloon. AS he stepped
out the shot was fired. Lewis had secured
crowd. Williams stepped in to restrain
him and Lewis deliberately shot him down.
the marshal returned and at once arrested
the bartender. Williams was gasping on
the floor. with the blood flowing from a
hole in his breast. He died before the doc
! tor arrived. There were a number of eye
| witnesses who said Williams made no at
| tempt to harm Lewis The marshal soon
after started for Columbus with his pris-
oner. There was no mob or any danger of
the prisoner being roughly handled No
one in Columbus had heard of the killing
until the morning papers appeared. Then
| the interest in the convention engrOssed
attention anu there was but little comment
on it. No one anticipated any danger of
mob violence.
The prisoner Lewis was reluctant to dis
| Gus the killing or make a detailed state
| ment of the affair when seen this morn
| ing, but answered questions without SEEM
| ing hesitation, claiming he not the ag-
| gressor and acted in self-defense. His story
| of the affair conflicts good deal with that
| given above. He says that John Williams
| got into Il controversy with Edward Blanch
and after it grew pretty loud he interfered
| saying that he did not want disturbance
| in his place. This quoted things for time,
but the trouble was renewed worse than
/ before and Lewis finally ordered out the
| entire crowd. Williams was in an ugly
mood and refused to leave. The bartender
| started around the bar to put him out. Will
| liams did not wait for Lewis to reach him.
| but himself became aggressive. "He grab
| bed me about the neck and forced me back
| behind the bar" said Lewis. / saw I was
! no match for him and drew my revolver
and fired. He was larger man than I, be-
sides, 1 was weak from illness. There was
but shot fired.
What were Williams and Blanch quarrel
| ing about?''
ut was a personal affair between them.
and I do not care to talk about it. 1t had
| nothing to do with politics. / had no talk
1 WlIu Williams ABOUT pOullcS ana the only
/ trouble we had was on account of the
racket they were raising"
Lewis says the shooting took place at $3.50
/ or 10 o'clock. There was a sad scene at the
williams home when his body was carried
| in before his widow and little children.
| Lewis is rather above the average height
| bilious looking and hollow chested, and one
would not expect him to have much show
/ in a rough-and-tumble saloon brawl He
| had never had any trouble with Williams.
The funeral of John Williams will most
| likely be held this afternoon from his late
home There is much feeling over the af-
| fair DO h at Jonesville and here among the
| dead mans friends, and they will insist that
| the prosecution be vigorous. They say that
Williams was sober and Industrious, rarely
| indulging in saloon drinking, and then only
| on occasions like that of yesterday, when
| a political occasion is celebrated In this
| manner by a good many. On the other hand
| the friends of John Lewis say he would
| not have acted as he did save in self-de-