The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-03-10
IN A TOWN WELL
JOE GREEN, COLORED, Is CHARGED
WITH A SERIOUS CRIME.
He Q~uarreied with His Wife and, 1t
Is said, Threatened to "Get Even"
Much Excitement.

II is seldom that negroes are more ex-
cite6 than they were yesterday in the vi
cinity of Mill and Thirteenth streets. a
common pump, used by about fifty families
In that neighbOrhOOd. was tied with wire
and rendered useless. Around the pump
was a green spot. which from a distance
looked as if early summer had settled in
that one place. The green was due, 1t is
believed, to Paris green. which was pumped
with the water from the we'll. Joe Green,
cOlored. Is under arrest, charged with put
ting the poison in the well. He was arrest
ed late Saturday night and charged with
loitering. the charge being changed yes
terday.
The first that was known Of the poison
ing Of the well was about o'clock Sat
urday night when Mrs. Granger, of 1926
West Fourteenth street, went TO the well
for a bucket Of water. When she got into
the house she found PARTICLES of green sub
stance floating on the top and the water
mad a greenish tint. She threw the water
out and filled the bucket again. 1t was as
green as the first. She dropped the bucket,
ran to a neighbours and told the members
of the family the well had been poisoned
and not to use the water. She went TO
other families and they in turn started
NuN anu III AtEo AAAAA ~ AAAoN~ 1btAN
twenty persons were running from house to
house and spreading the news. telling it
time after time to those who had heard
Il before. Finally the negroes gathered
about the well and discussed the matter.
II was agreed that 1T could have been done
BY but one person and that was Joe Green.
Mrs. Stone. OF 1fO7 Mill street, said she had
been 10 the we'll about five minutes be-
fore Mrs. Granger and the water she got
ms al rfCh A - al as GnTIn he ~
Certained Joe Green, who had been creating
a disturbance in the neighbOrhOOd, left
the home OF Mrs SweetIand, at 1903 Mill
street, where his wife was living, and after
a few minutes returned.
nesses. threatened to get even and FIX"
his wife and many of the neighbOrs, who,
ne claimed. had been against MIN. and
as ne claimed had been trying to take his
pension away from him. Several persons
said that after his short absence he re
marked that he had nNcd all OF them.
lie left the house and went 10 a restaurant
and there told Of having liked those who
had been trying to- down him About II
O'Clock he returned 10 the house where
his wife lived and talked about various
things. but m no disturbance such
as ne had created early in the evening. The
folks think he came back 10 see the result
OF the work he - accused OF doing.
The trouble between Green and his wife
has been brewing for a long time, the
neighboTs say. and their quarrels were
frequent. lie had, they told the policemen,
a habit OF abusing his wife. About a week
ago his son. Joe Green. had a light with
him. knocking him down several times.
Ills son is now in the wOrkhOuse, serving
a short sentence for assault and battery.
The mother took the part of the son and
that caused a separation. Friday Green
went TO his home and took away all OF the
furniture, leaving his wife only a bed on
which TO sleep. His visit Saturday began
and ended with a quarrel Yesterday at the
police station. where he was held IN de-
fault OF bond of $500, he disclaimed all
knowledge of tile way in which the Paris
Green cot info the We'll.