The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-13
FIGHT AT A FUNERAL
DRUNKEN HACKMEN MAUI EACH
OTHER ON SOUTH WEST STREET.
Mr.. Luth, Whose Wffe's Funeral Ii
Was Made Frantic-WOmen Scared
and Crowd Excited.

Two drunken hack drivers caused dis
graceful scene yesterday afternoon at the
funeral of Mrs. John Luth, who lived at
Ray and West streets. The men were
Charles Wilson and Harley Ryan drivers
for the Frank Bird Transfer Company.
When all arrangements had been COM
pleted for the funeral procession to move,
the service held and the palIbearers seated
in their carriage. the two drivers began
fighting. The funeral was in charge of
Adams & Krieger. They, however, were
in wise responsible for the affair." as
agent for the Frank Bird Company, had
ordered all the carriages for the funeral
through his agency.
Wilson was the man sent by the Bird
company to drive the carriage for the pail
bearers. When Wilson arrived at the
house he was so drunk that he made him.
self odious by his language on the street
and in a saloon near the corner. Some
friend of Mr.. Luth, disgusted with the
actions of Wilson. telephoned to the Bird
company. The company Immediately sent
another man to the house TO take charge
of the carriage. This man was Ryan, who
was also drunk and hardly able 10 walk
the funeral was about to leave. Wilson
staggered to the carriage and met Ryan,
who told him that he had been sent by the
manager of the Frank Bird Company to
take charge of the carriage. Wilson OBJ
jected to being superseded and told Ryan
to get out of the way. Ryan was insistent,
and told Wilson TO go way back
This aroused the Indignation of Wilson,
who started toward Ryan. The latter
jumped to the carriage. Wilson also tried
to get on the carriage and Ryan kicked
him In the mouth. The streets around
the Luth home were crowded by curious
people watching the funeral. and when
they saw the two men fighting they be-
came excited and crowded around. As
Ryan kicked Wilson the latter grabbed
the whip from the socket and lashed Ryan
across the face several times The crack
of the whip brought the two horses to at
tention and they started off across the
street. The pallbearers' carriage con-
tanned six women. AS the excited horses
started toward telegraph pole the women
screamed and made frantic efforts to get
out of the hack. Several men who recog-
nized the plight of the women ran to the
door. Several of the women tried to force
down the windows and escape in that man.
ner-
CROWD FELT OUTRAGED
The two drivers continued their fight in
the street until Patrolman Kiefer stopped
carriage was returned to the opposite side
of the street. Then the excited bystanders
began denouncing the transfer company
and the drivers. Mr. Krieger, of the
undertaking firm, was at a loss to know
what to do as he had not hired the car
riages. He called up the company and
asked it 10 send another man to drive
This was done and the third man was
sober when he arrived. The funeral was
supposed TO have been at the Zion Evan
gelical Church on West Ohio street at 2:30
O'Clock. The actions of the two men de-
! layed the funeral one hour and a quarter
The burial OF Mrs. Luth took place at
Crown Hill. Mr.. Luth heart-brOken at
the loss Of his wife and chagrined at what
had occurred at the last moment re-
turned home frantic. The first object that
met his gaze after alighting from his car
riage a sign attached 10 his house i'm
forming people that he an agent FOR
the Frank Bird Transfer Company and
carriages for all parts OF the city could be
mad for rates lower than prescribed by the
recent hackman's union. He resolved i'm
mediately TO sever his connection with the
company. Accordingly he ran into the
house. picked up hatchet, returned TO the
sidewalk and knocked the pine board from
the house. He then used the hatchet in
splitting up the wood into pieces of kind
ling.