The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-16
ONE MAN DISPERSED TEN
WARREN GRIDER HAD TO STAB
THREE OF THE RowDIEs FIRST.
Desperate Defense of His Home
Against the Insults of This South
Merfdian-Street Gang.

Blood flowed freely yesterday in stabbing
ARRAYS and several men stood on the verge
OF death. John Steadmeyer, a negro,
stabbed twice at Louis Traugott's throat
and then ran for refuge to the police sta
tior. fearing he would be lynched, with a
mob at bis heels.
Warren Order cut three men, two of them
seriously. in a desperate fight of one man
against ten, on South Meridian Street. WAL
ter Order, brother of Warren tells story
of the fight which is believed by the police.
He lives at South Meridian and Minnesota
streets. and his brother lives square far
Their south. Last evening Warren started
home from his brothers house. when
Warren nearly reached his house" says
Walter Order. 'he met the tough gang
that hangs around that part of town. There
were about ten of them, and they were
singing vulgar songs. Warren met Fling
Blackwell, one of the gang. His right name
is Tom Blackwell and he's brother of the
prize fighter. Warren asked Fling and the
other men to quit singing the songs be-
cause his wife was standing in the door.
He asked them to go some place else to
have their fun. AS soon as Warren spoke
of mis- wife Blackwell hit him in the mouth
and knocked him down. Warren rolled
down hill and the whole gang jumped on
him. They kicked him and beat him. but
he struggled to his feet and succeeded in
getting his knife out and OPEN After he
cut three of them they all ran, except those
that couldn't. It was case of life or death
with Warren, and he only defended him
SELF This gang has caused trouble for
ionS time, and several men have had to
fight it. The gang can't even get can Of
beer in any of the saloons in that part of
town.
Bicycle Patrolmen Schroeder and Hauser
were called to the scene OF the fight They
found on the corner Jack Riley and
Fling" Blackwell. Both were bleeding pro-
fusely. Riley was sent to the City Hospital
for he had an ugly wound in his side.
Blackwell was taken to the City Dispensary
and a deep wound in his left arm was
dressed He was then locked up for assault
and battery. Warren Order was slated for
assault and battery with intent to kill. Nor
ris Finley another of the gang, was taken
to DR.. Lashs office before the bicycle patrol
men arrived. From the physicians Office
he was moved to the City Hospital. His
wound is in the back and does not penetrate
the lung. Riley was stabbed in the left
side and the blade cut into his lung. He
and Finley will recover, the physicians say.
how they were hurt. They said that Order
had slipped up behind them and stabbed
them. Finley said he was boiler maker
and lived at 1112 Maple street. Riley
claimed he was a wheel maker and that his
home was at 5S1k Russell avenue. Captain
Kruger ordered that both be watched by
the patrolman at the hospital, and they will
be taken to the police station when they
are able to move.
The police say the gang led by Finley,
Blackwell and Riley has given trouble for
a long time Riley is said to be one of the
meanest men in the city. He has been
arrested time and again for different crimes.
The police express no sympathy for the men
who were stabbed, and say they do not
blame Order at all. They praise him for
fighting for his wife and family.
John Steadmeyer the negro, is a porter
living on South Alabama street, near Wash
ington street. About O'Clock yesterday
afternoon he went into Drosdowitz's pawn
ington streets. He asked to see some rings
and tray was set before him. While the
clerks eyes were turned away Louis
Traugott said he saw the colored man slip
a ring into his pocket He accused him of
stealing the ring, and the negro drew a
knife and lunged at him. He struck for
Traugott'S jugular, but missed and cut a
cash on the side Of his head and his ear.
Again he struck and this time he caught
Traugotts cheek, cutting down to the chin.
DroSdowitZ joined in the struggle and the
negro slashed his hand A crowd had gath
cred by this time and Steadmeyer dashed
out the door and turned down Alabama
street, running with the crowd behind him.
Sergeant Hyland was sitting at the
window in the captains office at the police
station. HI saw negro fiourishing knife
and running toward the station and behind
him about four feet with blood
streaming from his face. Following them
was the crowd. The sergeant opened the
~ and ron, ont fV,f@
the street to stop the negro. Steadmeyer
swerved to one side and ran into the sta
ton, still clutching the bloody knife. At
torney< Orton and Sergeant Hyland pre-
vented the crowd from entering the station.
Bicycle Patrolman Schroeder and Hauser
were called from the stable, and they took
the negro up stairs and locked him up.
Traugott, in the excitement of the fight
ard the chase had not felt the pain of his
wounds or seen the blood ts;r Il guess he hit
scratched" He put his hand to his face
and when he took it down it was covered
with blood. His shirt was saturated He did
not realize until then that his cheek and
scalp were laid open half around his head
and that if the negro's aim had been more
lost a great deal of blood before his wounds
were dressed. The negro was slated for as
sault and battery with intent to kill and
drawing a deadly weapon
Late last night a row broke out in the
corridor between the cells at the police sta
tion When Turnkey Long opened the door
who claimed some one had tried to hit an
other with a cuspidor. Finley had been
brought in from the hospital and Tom
Manley, who is known to have been friend
~ with the gang at different times, had
been arrested by Patrolmen Monninger and
Tyner and charged with lettering, SO he
could be held pending investigation. Man
ley, Finley and Blackwell were in the
coop with Order. and it is believed the
three men were trying to wreak venge-
ance on Order for having stabbed three of
their gang" The three members of the
gang exclaimed loudly that the upsetting
of cuspidor was accident, but Turnkey
Long locked Order in cell, so he might
ha SeOarate from his enemies