The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-30
FATAL GAME OF CRAPS"
WESLEY BECKHAM MORTALITY
WOUNDED BY JOHN TALBOT.
Victim and Slayer Are CoIOred-Trag-
edy In a SaIOOn-Murderer Makes
Good His Escape.

Wesley Beckham, colored, was shot and
fatally injured yesterday morning by John
Talbot, also colored A dispute over a
game of craps played the night before
is said to have been responsible for the
trouble. Talbot fled Immediately after the
shooting and escaped.
A few minutes before II o'clock a message
came to the police station that a murder
had probably been committed near the in
tersection of the Big Four track and West
Sixteenth street. Bicycle Patrolmen Holtz
and Wallace went Immediately to the place
and were followed by the patrol wagon.
They found Beckham lying in shed in the
rear of the saloon at 1924 West Sixteenth
street. He was almost unconscious and was
suffering from two bullet wounds. One of
them went through the muscle of the left
arm and the other penetrated the abdomen.
From Beckham the patrolmen learne>.
that the shooting was done by Talbot, and
they FASTENED to the latters home, 1893 Hol-
ton place. They learned from Talbotts wife
that he had just left the house. She said
he came in hurriedly, got his pipe, changed
his coat and hat and left at once. The po-
lice think if word had been received at
the police station Immediately after the
shooting Talbot would have been captured.
1t was nearly half an hour after the shoot
ing occurred before the message was re-
ceived at headquarters.
While the bicycle men were looking for
Talbot others were caring for Beckham.
Captain Kruger and the patrolman on the
district reached the place in time to ques-
ton Beckham before he became uncon-
scious. He said that Talbot owed him some
money, and that they had quarreled about
it, and that Talbot pulled out pistol and
shot him.
The shooting was witnessed by several
persons besides the principals, and it is said
that Beckham was the aggressor in the
fight and that Talbot shot him in self
defense They say that Beckham saw Tai
bott come out of house near the corner
of Sixteenth and Lafayette streets and
that he went toward him, meeting him near
the railroad and the alley just north of
Sixteenth street. There were some words,
and then Beckham drew his knife and tried
to use it on Talbot. Talbot was too quick
for him. for he whipped out his pistol and
fired twice.
Beckham is at the City Hospital, and the
physicians think he cannot recover. The
bullet which penetrated the abdomen per-
forated the diaphragm once and the intes-
tines four times. DIR. Oliver performed the
operation known as laparotomy, mending
the wounds in the intestineS, but it will be
almost a miracle if the man RECEIVERS. Beck
ham lives at the corner of Mill and Fiji
teenth streets.
Coroner Brayton assisted in the operation
performed on Beckham and thinks there is
a probability of the mans recovery DIR.
Brayton also took Beckham's ante-mortem
statement. Beckham was considerably I'M
der the influence of liquor and could not
talk with much intelligence. He claims that
he had no knife or other weapon, but adj
mits that he intended giving Talbot
whipping on account of the trouble he had
Ir(q nj o.