The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-11
Harry Sherer Found James a. Hester,
ColOred, Providing About
His House.
WIFE KNEELING IN PRAYER
WHEN SHE HEARD A NOISE AT THE
WINDOW SHUTTER.
Hester Was Once. Sentenced to the
Penitentiary for BurGlary-De-
tails OF the Shooting.

While Mrs. Harry Sherer. of 72s West
Torbet street, was k~neeling in prayer be-
side her couch before retiring last night
her husband outside shot four times at a
negro who had for some time attempted TO
gain an entrance to the house. killing him
with one of the bullets.
For several hours the shooting, which
had attracted the attention of the neigh
bors, was the subject of conversation and
there were many policemen among them
who congratulated Mr.. Sherer on the ef-
fective manner in which the operations of
the thief or pepper were stopped.
The shooting occurred about 1880 o'clock.
at which time Mr.. and Mrs. Sherer had
prepared to retire for the night. For at
least a half hour before Mrs. Sherer had
heard noises on the front walk and at
the windows of the sitting room and had
called the attention of her husband to
them. He told her that there was no one
outside. and hat she was a victim Of her
imagination. So insistent was she that
Sherer went outs'1e and found upon look
ing about the house hat there was no
one In sight. Shortly after his return and
just as Mrs. Sherer knelt beside the couch
for her prayers he heard the unmistakable
sounds of someone at the window. He had
on at that time no clothing but his under
wear. and he picked UP his revolver and
went out the back door. Walking around
the house he found the negro at the win
dow He fired and the negro ran while
three more shots were quickly fired. The
negro ran across the backyard, jumped
over a fence between the Sherer and Sol.
Erb homes and then across Erb's property,
tearing down a well-built wire chicken
fence and jumping or climbing over a
fence next to an alley. He then went
north in this alley and turned westward
into the alley between Torbet and Eleventh
streets and entered, about 100 feet from the
intersection of the alleys. a vacant stable,
where he lay down, and was there found
a moment later by Steve Taylor. colored.
Taylor lives at sol West Eleventh street,
and was in his backyard at the time of the
shooting. He ran down the alley and saw
the fleeing negro enter the stable. Taylor
had a lantern, and when he arrived at the
side OF the injured man he was able to
see that he was about 10 breathe his last.
Sherer. returned to his house, though
he had not gone from the yard, dressed
and then went to a telephone and advised
the police, who quickly responded.
The negro was, from letters found on
his person, thought TO be Albert Hester.
III letters he had written preparatory. TO
mailing he gave the address of 2124 Yandes
street, n Captains Kruger and Kinney
went 10 the address to ascertain If possible
something OF the dead nan, while Sherer,
accompanied by his father, Edward J.
Sherer, and a sergeant of police, went to
headquarters on a street car. One of the
letters was to S. w. Harris, at Philadel-
phia, and the writer stated that he had
for the past year been at work in the
gas belt and had been back in this city
only two weeks. In his pocket was found
an open knife. Whether this was for use
in case he was caught or had been used
TO pry open the shutters on the Sherer
home, the Stats of which had been loosened,
and thrust open into his pocket when he
ran, Is not known.
Mrs. Sherer was almost Frustrated by the
excitement. She told Of having heard the
noise for some time and Of her inability
to make her husband believe that she
had really heard anything. She also told
of having been awakened several times re-
Gently by similar noises. A sister of Harry
Sherer, living On West Tenth street, said
her mother was awakened one evening
from sleep on a couch by noises at her
window, and discovered q negro with a
light soft hat peering in under the shade,
which did not come to the bottom Of the
window. Neighbors said they had fire.
quently heard someone about their houses,
though there was nothing to show that the
dead man had been about there, as no one
had seen him before.
The body of the negro was taken 70 the
morgue, and though not carefully examined,
IL was thought that but one bullet, which
entered the right side, had taken effect.