The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-05-16
HAD A HAND SHOT OFF
OLIVER +. EBY CLAIMs HE WAS
HELD UP BY HIGHwAYMEN.
An Accident Policy and shotgun Cart.
ridges Found In His
Pockets.

One of the most peculiar cases ever
known TO the detective force OF this city
is that OF Oliver F. Ely, 'installment
man." Ely is now lying in a bed at st.
V~incent's Hospital. minus his right hand
and. according to his own statement. $40
and a gold watch and chain.
Yesterday afternoon about 5 o'clock a
horse drawing a one-seated buggy came
dashing into the little village OF Millers-
vile. northeast of the city. In the buggy
was a man with face as white as chalk and
lips trembling SO that he could scarcely
speak. He held the reins in his left hand.
His right hand was bound around by a lap
robe. and 1t was noticed that the cloth was
red with blood. He brought the horse TO a
standstill in the principal street of the viii
lage, and asked that a doctor be summoned.
To the crowd of curious people who gath
cred round the vehicle he said that he had
been held up and robbed, just north of the
town. and that the highwaymen had shot
his hand nearly off. In a few moments the
village was wild with excitement. DIR. Pow
ers was called. and tried to get the wound
ed mar to remain in Millersville and have
his hurt attended to, but the man. who said
his name was Ely, insisted upon being
taken TO Indianapolis without delay. The
doctor bound up the injured hand and sent
his son TO the city in company with the now
almost helpless occupant of the buggy.
Young Powers drove rapidly to town and
FASTENED to the office Of DIR. Ross. Here
Eby's wound was carefully dressed. al
though 1t was plain that the member would
have to be taken of. The City Dispensary
ambulance was called and Ely was taken
to st. Vincent's Hospital, while the police
were notified Of the robbery.
Chief of Detectives Colbert detailed De-
tectives Asch and Dugan TO call at the hos
pitai and get the victims story Of the affair.
Eby was weak from loss OF blood, but
seemed willing to talk. He said he had
formerly been in the installment business
in Marion, Ind, and that he had but re-
Gently moved to Indianapolis with the in
tention of locating In or near this city and
starting up an installment business of his
own. He said he had rented a horse ana
buggy at Smiths livery stable on Fountain
square, shortly after his noon meal, and
had started for a drive northeast OF the
city In search OF a suitable location for ms
prospective store. When about two miles
above Millersville he was confronted by. two
men in a buggy driving towards the village.
One of them pointed 20 a wheel OK Ebys
Look out, my friend, or you'll have a
break down.. You'd better get out and at
tend TO that wheel"
Eby got out of the buggy, wondering what
was the matter with the wheel, and bent
over TO examine 1t. In an instant. he claims.
ne found that "a he was being covered % %pe "a q
the men said, and give up all the money
you've got"
Ely reached for his revolver. which he
carried in the back pocket of his trousers,
when the robbeY fired one barrel Of the gun.
the entire charge striking Eby in the right
hand. The highwaymen then went through
fhafr &rf0ffrnsa n00HafQ taking a roll 0f hills
amounting to $40 and a handsome gold
watch and chain, afser which they sprang
back into their buggy and turning their
horse about, drove away to the north. This
was Eby's story, as he lay in the bed at the
hospital. During its recital. the detectives
searched the pockets of the wounded mans
from accident and life insurance companies.
a policy for 5000 accident insurance in the
Standard Accident Insurance Company OF
Detroit and two shotgun cartridges, one Of
which had been discharged.
Where did these shells come from?"
asked Detective Asch.
Eby looked surprised and said that he
didn't know-that he had never seen them
before. Detective Dugan asked him If he
money about in his pockets. and Eby replied
that he had intended TO invest 500 In the
purchasing of a place for a store If he had
Richard Bigser. Eby's family physician. who
was present. said that Ely had called at mis-
Office during the day and had paid 81 on
account of a bill which he owed.
While the detectives refused to express
their opinion of the case they said that, all
things considered. they didn't think Ii worth
while to go out to Millersville in search of
the highwaymen.
Eby is a good looking man of about thirty
five. tall and strong in appearance. He is
married and has two children, the family
home being at 175 Lockwood street. He
says that one OF the robbers was a tall red
bearded fellow and that the other was q
short man with a short stubby brown beard.
DR. Oliver and his ASST GtanfS amnutat9d the
injured land last night at 8 o'clock. The
rented horse and buggy. with the blood
stained lap robe. were returned to the stable
on Fountain square.
II wa said late last night by one of the
employees at Smiths livery stable that Ely
had a double barrel shotgun with him when
he started out in the buggy. In the pocket
OF Eby's overcoat. which was found In the
buggy. was a box containing a number of
morphine tablets.