The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-27
ROW OVER GAME OF POOL
MAY RESULT IN THE DEATH OF JOHN
TAYLOR, A cOLoRED MAN.
shot by the Barkeeper of Bnrnes,s
sheIby-ssreet characterization
of the Wounded Man.

John Taylor. a colored man, was shot and
probably fatally injured yesterday morn
ing by Bert Barnes, bartender in Charles
Barness saloon, at 1857 Shelby street The
bullet struck Taylor in the back about four
inches to the right of the spinal column
and just below the ribs. At the City Hos
pital DIR. Dunning, assisted by DIR. Jobes,
performed an operation known as laparot-
omy, and 1t is possibility that Taylor will
recover. Without the operation he could
not have lived a day. The intestines were
perforated in two places and the stomach
was punctured twice. The incisions were
carefully treated in an antiseptic way and
sewed up and the opening in the abdomen,
made for the purpose Of performing the
delicate operation, was then sewed UP.
Taylor was unconscious when the incision
in the abdomen was made, but after the
operation was concluded he began to re-
vive and was conscious in an hour. He is
still in a precarious condition, but may live
The shooting occurred in the saloon where
Barnes is employed. 1t was witnessed by
several people, among whom were Benia-
min Young, Harry Curtis, George Zeizer
and three or four others. According to
Barnes and these witnesses the act of
Barnes was probably justifahle. Taylor
played five games of pool and owed 80 cents
for them. He paid % cents but denied
owing another dime which Barnes wanted
to collect. He refused to pay and Barnes
ordered him to go out of the saloon and
stay out telling him his trade was not
wanted. Taylor defied him and challenged
him to put him out. Barnes said he prob
ably could not do that but could have it
done just then Taylor advanced toward
Barnes, and, the witnesses say, put his
hand back toward his hip pocket. Barnes
quickly drew his pistol and fired twice at
Taylor.
The police heard of the case Immediately
after the shooting occurred. A telephone
message was sent from Eitel's drug store,
at Cottage avenue and Shelby street, and
the bicycle patrolmen, STREET and Lancaster
We're dispatched to the scene. They made
the fastest trip on record with their
wheels. Patrolman Rinker made report
last night in which he said Mr.. Eitel stated
70 fln tnat the bicycle men were at the
drug store in exactly four minutes from the
time he telephoned to the police station.
RMS is probably somewhat of an exaggera-
ton, as the police station and the drug
store are mile and half apart, and there
y the viaduct and the South-street hill to
be climbed
Hospital and Barnes to the police station
Barnes is twenty-four years old and UNI
married, he boards with his mother, next
door to the saloon. He has the reputation
of being quiet and inoifensive He said, in
speaking OF the case, after relating how the
quarrel which led up 20 the shooting had
perate and unprincipled man. He has the
reputation OF being a man who would
snoot Tor nothing. | did not care to take
none"
Taylor has bad reputation. He has been
arrested several times, and frequently gets
into trouble over his willingness 10 6eht
ABOUT a year ago he got into a fight with
Moses Fulford In a saloon on Shelby street.
so severely that. it was thought Fulford
would die: Taylor received workhouse
sentence for this. He was released from
Inc Workhouse only recently for another
hight in which his vicousness was demon-
strated. Taylor boarded with family
named Stubs, at 1925 Callahan street.