The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-25
WILLIAM HUFF'S DEATH
THE POLICE CHARGE THAT HIS SON
EDWARD CAUSED 1T.
The Young Man Arrested and Cues
toned CIOsely-Denies that He
QunrreIed with His Father.

Edward Huff, 24l1 Bond street. North In
dlanapohs, was arrested last night by De-
tectves Colbert, Hyland, Gerber and Nor
gan, and is charged with causing the death
of his father, William HUFF. The latter
died at his home on Bond street at S:lO
O'Clock yesterday morning from injuries re-
ceived about o'clock the evening before.
The first intelligence of the elder Hun 8
death was brought to his wife by young
Huff, who assisted in carrying the BODY
to the house. The father did not recover
consciousness after he was found but
great lump over one eye, which might have
been inflicted with blunt instrument, gave
the clew to the police that led to thor
ough investigation by the coroner.
The family accounted for Huff's death by
the theory of heart disease. several attacks
of which they said he had suffered. But
the coroner thought differently and claimed
that death was due to blood clot on the
brain produced by a confusion. The con-
fusion was in such a position that it was
hard to see how it could have been inflicted
in a fall The heart was normal, the
autopsy showed. The detectives claim they
have evidence not yet given out which.
coupled with the circumstandal evidence
pointing to a patricide, justified them in
arresting young Huff.
William HUFF had apparently been gather
ing coal along the railroad tracks. a
small basket and a large lump of coal were
found at the side of the body. Edward
HUFF came home about o'clock-earher
than usual the police say-and asked where
his father was. On being told that ne hao
gone out but a few minutes before, he said
he had passed a man lying on the ground
grooming near the Big -Four tracks, one
square south of the depot and within fifty
yards of the house. 1t is said that his
mother assured him that it could not be
f1 h1lf In inciG cd on
panying him back to see. They found the
old man just as the son had described him,
moaning and unable to move, and carried
him to the house. The detectives say that
the mother claimed her son had demanded
to know what she was crying for, and
ficers have collected information regarding
qIarre!s between the father and son that
Will, they believe, bear out their action in
arresting young Huff.
When brought to police headquarters at
z O'Clock last evening Huff was put through
a rigid questioning, and, while denying any
connection with the affair is said to have
faltered in the cross-eXamination. He is
twenty-three years old and seemed more
distressed by the fact that he was hungry
than by the magnitude of the crime with
which he was charged. Both he and his
father were laborers but have been out Of
work much of the time lately. He pro-
tested his willingness to swear on a stack
of Bibles as high as the courthouse" that
he was innocent as bird that flies" He
denied that he had ever quarreled with his
father but the detectives claim his mother
told them he had words with both his father
and her. Huff declares he had no dispute
with his fatherson Monday evening, and on
this point the officers have not yet made
public their discoveries.
William Huff leaves four daughters be-
sides his wife and son. Their home is on
the outskirts of North indianapolis, west
of the canal. Gle was fifty-six years old.
The injury to his head extended clear
around one side of his head, starting over
the right eye, and such, the coroner said,
as might have been inflicted with LOADED"
piece of hose or a sandbag. Just beneath
the heart there was another confusion, such
as might nave been inflicted by kick, and
causing another blood clot which was found
in the right ventricle. Either clot was suffi-
cient to have caused death.