The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-08-22
After Being shot Twice, the officer
Sent Fiv Bullets Into His MUIR
derOus Antagonist.
A COLUMBIA BLOCK AFFRAY
WARREN WENT TO QUIET BIRCH,
WHO WAS BEATING HIS WIFE.
Outcome of an Afternoon Seer Ca
rousaI in a West Washington-
Street Tenement.

A man ard his wife quarreled in a dirty
back room in a block on West Washing
ton street yesterday afternoon and the re-
suit was that the nan was shot dead, a
policeman was wounded in the breast and
in the arm and the wife was shot in the
arm and her face was cut open. The man
was James Birch, night Waterman at
Hauck's commission house.; the policeman
is Calvin NJ. Warren. The room is at No.
513 West Washington street. Warren will
recover. it was said late last night. Birch's
body lies in the city morgue at the police
station. The woman is in a cell just
across the court from the morgue, but she
does not know that her husband is dead.
last night, but it is doubtful she would have
appreciated the charity had she known it.
Yesterday afternoon Annie Watts. Carl
Humphrey and his wife and Frank Hart, all
friends Of the Birches, called on them. They
were entertained with beer. Birch and his
wife were drunk and a quarrel arose be-
tween them. The four visitors left when
the wrangle developed into a fight. Annie
Watts was only partially dressed, and in
stead of leaving the building with her
friends she crouched in a corner of the
hall. Other tenants heard the noise from
the Birchs' room. Mrs. Maria Price, GUS
todian of the building, went out into the
hall and saw the Watts woman.
What's the natter" she asked.
"A mans in there beating his wife to
DEATH" replied Annie Watts. In the con-
fusion she left the building, but was found
by the police last night in the roundup of
the four afternoon callers.
Mrs. Price sent her husband for a police
man, but he did not find one. A neighbcr
called Patrolman Warren, who was Just
leaving a nearby barber shop with his
ten-year-old son. Warren bid his son good
bye at the foot of the stairs leading up to
the BircEs' room and told him to go
straight home. Then he turned to the bus
mess In hand, which, ne supposed, was one
of the easily-quelled quarrels which occur
frequently in the neighborhood. He was
directed to the Birchs' door and went in
alone. AS soon as he entered Birch cried:
Get out of here, you
BIRCH FIRED FIRST SHOT.
Birch put his hand to his rear pocket
and Warren, taking Birch's movement as
a cue, promptly raped him over the head
with his heavy mace. The blow did not
stagger Birch. He pulled a revolver out
of his pocket and fired at Warren. The
first shot struck Warren in the breast. The
revolver was so close that the powder
burned his coat. Again Birch pulled the
trigger and the second shot buried itself
in Warren's left arm. Warren had pulled
his own revolver with his left hand. Birch's
wife grasped Warren's arm and tried to
take his revolver from him. He struck
her aside and a shot from Birch's revolver
caught her in the arm. 1t was quick action
on the part of the Birches, but no quicker
than Warren's defense. He shot Birch
twice in the abdomen. Then the fingers
of his left hand gave out from the wound
In the arm and he transferred his revolver
to his right hand. Three more shots he
fired into Birch as he stood before him,
one taking effect in the mans abdomen, one
in the back of the neck and one near the
top of the head. Not until the last shot,
which pierced his brain, did Birch fall.
DIR. EisenbeisS was called. His office Is
directly across the street from the scene OF
the tragedy. Warren walked to the office,
The police were notified and Captain Daw-
son, Police Surgeon Christian and Bicycle
Patrolmen Bray and Griffin hurried to the
place. Birch had been lifted on to the bed
DIR. Griffith, of the City Dispensary staff
arrived with the ambulance. A moments
examination of Birch showed the doctor
that there was no hope of his recovery
Police Surgeon Christian went to DR.
| Eisenbeiss's office and assisted in attending
Warren. 1t was found that the first bullet
had struck a rib on the left side of the
breast and had followed ii around to the
back. 1t will probably never be taken on
of Warren's body, but, the physicians say
he will never suffer from it. The bullet ir
his left arm was taken out, and when h,
was we'll bandaged DIR. Christian took hin
to his home, No. 2312 Ash street, in hi.
buggy.
A great crowd collected on the street II
front of the block. Upstairs. in the Birch'i
room, policemen and curious people of tn,
block gazed on TIE PROSTATE form of Birch
There was a constant incoming and outgo
ing of spectators until the policemen shu
all others out. Birch was drawing hi
| breath in great gasps, which raised his bod,
off the bed. Blood covered the white shee
and the pillow. His complexion was
pasty yellow. His wife, drunk as she was
was busy bathing her dying husbands fac,
with cold water. She displayed little con
Germ, for her brain was numb with the bee
she had been drinking all day. The onl.
furniture the room contained was the bed
a dresser, a cupboard. an oilcloth-cov
cred table and three chairs, all o
the stuff being poor. There was n
carpet on the floor. The floor wa
dirty, and near the table and at tn
side of the bed were pools of blood. rapid,
soaking into the boards. On the table wer
two beer glasses containing a small quan
tity OF foam.
OBJECTED TO HIS REMOVAL.
Captain Dawson decided Birch should b
taken to the City Hospital. Mrs. Birch pre-
tested.
well, we'll do what the doctor says,
said the captain.
This is my own house and my own hus
band" said Mrs. Birch quietly. 'and L.
keep him here"
Hell not die any quicker at the hos
pital than right here" said the doctor.
Can / go with him?" asked the woman
"No.'' answered Captain Dawson.
Then he stays here" she said, and wen
calmly on hopping the unconscious man
face, unmoved by his horrible gasping 10
breath.
But the doctor and the captain presse
the woman until she consented that he
husband should be moved. A stretcher wa
brought and Birch was lifted on II. The
the procession filed down the stairs. a shee
covering the form on the stretcher. TIL
crowd on the sidewalk stretched its neck
and strained its eyes to see the stretche