The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-14
WIFE HELD FOR MURDER
LINCOLN MITCHELL, COLoRED
KILLED NEAR BRIDGEPORT.
She Claims a Shotgun Was Acciden.
tally Discharged in a strug-
gle for 1t.

Lincoln Mitchell, a colored man thirty
five years old, was killed at his home. near
bridgeport, Wednesday night. The circum-
stances are such that his wife, Nora
Mitchell, has been arrested. charged with
murder, and is now in jail. Mitchell lived
| on the farm of Chris Wishmeyer, about
mile east of Bridgeport, in a little cottage
| opposite the Wishmeyer residence. There
are two other little cottages close by, oc-
| cupied by employees Of Mr.: Wishmeyer.
Boarding with the Mitchens was George
| Greer, another employee of Mr.. Wishmeyer.
Wednesday night, about o'clock, the re-
port of gun at the Mitchell cottage was
heard. Mrs. Mitchell came running out of
the house screaming. The neighbors We're
attracted and they found Mitchell lying on
the floor dying from CHASTITY wound in the
groin. FIe lived nearly an hour, but talked
little He did not accuse anyone of killing
him and when asked how it occurred
made no reply so far as can be learned.
He merely said that he wanted to die and
hoped the end would come in hurry.
Sheriff Shufelton arrested Mrs. Mitchell
| late yesterday afternoon and during the day
she and a dozen others were questioned by
Deputy Coroner Dodds. He is in doubt
about the case, but is inclined to believe
that no blame can attach to Mrs. Mitchell,
though there are some damaging rumors
associating her with George Greer, which
may cause further investigation.
The killing of Mitchell was witnessed by
Greer. There were no other witnesses be-
side Mrs. Mitchell. According TO their
statements, made in a most straightforward
manner, the shooting was accidental and
occurred while Mrs. Mitchell was trying to
prevent her husband shooting her. Mitchell
went hunting Wednesday returning home
about o'clock in the afternoon. The rest
of the evening he put in drinking hard cider,
and he was under the influence of it when
he went to bed. Mrs Mitchell started for
church, but changed her intention, and re-
turned home about O'clock after her hus-
band had retired She undressed and started
to climb over him into bed Lying by his
side on the bed was a little dog, pet OF
Mitchelrs. Mrs Mitchell dropped scent
piece on the bed beside the dog and slapped
the dog to make it get up so that she could
find the coin. This made her husband
angry, and he said harshly:
C you. Don't you strike that
dog. You can strike me, but - - you
you can't hurt that dog"
With this he jumped out of bed threaten
ing to kill her. He seized piece of stove
wood and raised it to strike her.
THE STRUGGLE FOR THE GUN.
The quarrel and the words of Mitchell at
tracted Greer, and he ran into the room in
time to snatch the stick of wood from the
man. Mitchell picked up another piece and
made another. attempt to strike his wife.
Failing in this, he declared he would settle
- toto ff,.
back room and seized his shotgun. This
was not loaded, and so he rushed into
Greer's room and grabbed his gun from its
position in the corner. Mrs. Mitchell antici-
pated the movement, and, as he picked the
gun up by the barrel, she threw her arms
about him and tried to pinfon them. But
he was too strong for her and threw her
on swinging around at tne same Tune MN n
the barrel. She seized the stock and there
was a struggle for possession or the
weapon, during which he said, II she would
let him have it, he would kill himself. In
the struggle the gun was discharged, the
contents striking Mitchell in the left groin
and making a hole almost exactly as large
in diameter as the muZzle of the gum Ihere
was a hole several inches in diameter in his
clothing, and his flesh and clothing were
powder burned, showing that the shot had
been fired with the muzzle of the gun
pressed almost against the mans body.
Mrs. Mitchell and Greer told the same
story of the affair, and told it in such a way
as to impress their hearers with their truth
fulness. Mrs. Mitchell. is small woman,
tWenty-Six years old, her color resembling
that of an Indian. She talked freely about
the case while at the Jail last night.
What did l did to save my own life"
she said. but now / wish l had let him
kill me-" She wept bitterly. When the
sheriff went to arrest her he found her
weeping over the body of her husband, and
kiss the dead man.
GOSSIP AS TO GREER
She is the daughter of John Newly, a re-
spectacle colored man, living in Rushville.
She was married once before, and her di-
vorced husband is now living in this city.
There is some gossip in Bridgeport among
the colored people about her and Greer, but
no one could give any good grounds for the
gossip. She denied that there was anything
between them. She said that Greer and her
husband were warm friends; that they had
worked together in indianapolis, and that
he had boarded with her and her husband
here; that when her husband went to work
for Mr.. Wishmeyer he secured place for
Greer and had him go to Bridgeport and
make his home with them, as he had in In
dianapolis. They were like brothers.
Mrs. Mitchell said her husband was kind
TO her when he was not drinking, but was
mean when under the influence of liquor.
About two weeks ago he became angry and
said he was going to leave her. He first
beat her and threw her on the stove. She
exhlDlted big scar on the side or her face
where she was burned. She said he went
away taking all his clothes with him, but
that he returned that evening as usual, and
had been at home ever since, though he
never brought his clothes home. Mitchell's
father lives in Seymour and a brother,
George, lives in Brightwood. They are re-
spectacle people.
The coroner's verdict was not reached
last night, and will not be until more
thorough investigation is made. From what
was learned yesterday the coroner and
sheriff do not feel justified in arresting
Greer, though they felt obliged to hold Mrs.
Mitchell. 1t looks now as If the final YER
dict of the coroner would cause her release
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M,CAXIC EICuT TO MIcIIT