The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-07-08
SHOT AT HIS EMPLOYER
THOMAS sIMMs's BULLET STRUCK
ALFRED BANKS IN ELBOW.
The LATTER Had Deducted Fifty Cents
from Simms's Pay No Ar
rest Made.

The desire of Thomas Simms TO get even
with Alfred Banks, his employer. for de-
Quoting so cents from his salary, led him
TO attempt murder. Both men are colored.
Banks is proprietor Of the Stubbins Hotel
restaurant, and when settling with Simms,
last night. an alteration took place be-
cause Banks withheld 80 cents from money
due Simms. The latter was almost forcibly
elected from the restaurant and. Banks
says, threatened to get even" To guard
against an attack Banks placed a revolver
in his pocket when he started to his home,
S3 North California street. about 8 o'clock.
Thinking that Simms might make his word
good, he rode on a car past st. Clair street,
his usual place of getting off. to Pratt
street. Then he started west TO California
street. and. as he neared that corner. saw
Simms standing in the middle of the street.
He said Simms, without saying a word,
raised his arm, exposing a revolver. and
Banks jumped behind a tree. Simms fired
one shot, which took effect in Banks's ell
bow, and Banks shot three times, but
failed 70 hit Simms. To be prepared for
an emergency, Banks carried his revolver
in his hand after he left the street car, and
the ready use of the weapon drove Simms
NV I'LL ran SOuln vi lila
street and made his escape through a yard.
Many Of the ~neighbors did not think much
OF the shooting, but left their houses to
see what 1T was about. Banks was met by
a man who was waiting to see him at the
house. and escorted home. Drs. Mckenzie
and Pendleton were called. They found
the bullet had penetrated the skin and
tissue about the elbow and passed on, doing
little damage.
Simms has been employed as cook by
Banks since last winter. Saturday night
| ne 0nlt. There Is a SVGfam of having for
laundry at the restaurant, Banks paying
the bill for all employees, with the eXcep-
ton OF dinner men," walters who work
only at the noon hour. He says he learned
that Simms was putting a walters laundry
In the washing as his own and collecting
from the waiter upon the representation
that he was paying for it. When he paid
his men, last night, Banks deducted 80
cents from Simms's pay for laundry and
Simms objected, which led TO the contro-
versy and shooting.
Bicycle Policemen Morgan and Simon
were sent 10 look for Simms. He had
a half hours start of the officers and
succeeded in evading them. 1t is under
stood that he had planned to leave the
he had made his escape. While the officers
were searching for Simms their attention
was attracted to the house at sos West
Michigan street. They were told a fight
was going on inside and they. entered.
makers, who board at the house, were en-
gagged in a rapid fistic encounter. One of
the men went home under the influence of
liquor and made an offensive remark to a
woman of the house. The other took IL up
and, climbing out of bed, entered. the room
to interfere. The fight followed and when
separated both men had skinned noses. AT
the police station they both laughed at the
incident as a huge joke.