The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-08-24
C~0NSTABLES' DARK DAY
ONE WAS SHOT AND ANOTHER JUST
ESCAPED AN Az.
william Wakefield. Colored. Sent a
Bullet Through John r.
H~enninger's Body.

John F. Henninger. a deputy constable in
Justice Stout's court, was shot yesterday
morning by William Wakefield. colored.
Wakefield escaped. Henninger was taken
to the City Hospital. and last night the
physicians said the result of his injuries
could not be foretold.
The shooting occurred at Wakeheld's
home, S4 Hosbrook street. where Hen
ringer went to serve a writ Of replevin for
Charles Koehring. a hardware dealer at
$50 Virginia avenue. Wakefield was en-
ployed last winter by Koehring. who had
given him credit for $3.50. After Wakefield
was discharged ne made several small pay
ments upon the account. Koehring claimed
nothing had been paid for four months,
and he brought suit to recover the prop
erty for which payment had not been made.
On Thursday Henninger. with the writ Of
replevin, went to Wakefield's home. but
found no one there. To some one with whom
he talked he said something about return
ing next day. Wakefield heard of it, and
in the evening went to Koehring's store,
taking with him the receipts for money he
had paid. There he displayed TO Koehring
a large revolver. and minated that any
one who entered his place for the purpose
or taking the goods away would have
trouble.
Yesterday morning Koehring called Hen
ninger by telephone and told him of the
negro's threat TO shoot, and advised him
to keep away. Henninger had made ar
rangements with Deputy Constable Frank
Glass to accompany him. but they failed
TO meet at the place agreed upon. Hennin-
ger went TO the house alone. He found
Wakefield and his wife there. He told
reading the writ of replevin. Wakefield
began talking about having made salts
ordered the constable from the house.
Henninger tried TO reason with the negro.
but his arguments had only the effect of
which he began shooting.
The constable grabbed the weapon. and
a close struggle followed. during which
two shots were fired. One of the bullets
struck Henninger in the groin. passing
through the body. The other bullet struck
him in the calf of the leg. After being
wounded Henninger allowed the negro 10
get from his grasp. and he ran out of the
back door. passing hts wife. who had gone
into the yard at the beginning of the
trouble. She returned TO the kitchen and
assisted Henninger to a chair. afterward
calling the. City Dispensary physicians.
She said that Henninger put his hand be-
hind him as If TO draw a weapon before her
husband picked up the revolver from the
table. where he had been cleaning it..
Henninger lived with his wife and seven
children at 3235 Bloyd avenue. He has been
a deputy constable for a number of years
and was this summer employed as special
policeman at Fairview Park. Wakefield
was in trouble about four years ago. be-
ing connected with a shooting on Willard
street. He is also said to have been i'm
plicated in a shooting affair two years ago.
o seemed 10 hover around con-
stables yesterday. Not long after the
shooting of Henninger. Deputy Constable
Killian was threatened with instant; death,
He. too. had gone cut with a writ of re-
plevin. His writ was served and the
woman, Mrs. Mary Charleston. colored.
upon whom II was served was arrested and
taken into Justice Lockman's court. where
she was a~rraigned and the case continued
until Monday morning. She TO
strike killian over the head with the hand
ak, but he was too quick and il was
taken from her.