The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-12
ChicagO's Most Aristocratic Boule-
ward the Scene OF "a Battle" in
Which One Man Was Shot.
WINCHESTER RIFLES USED
FRANK KIRK, A COMBATANT, NOR
TALLY WOUNDED.
Fight Ended by the Police-Captain
Streeter Armed with a Rifle
and Four Revolvers.

CHICAGO, Feb. u.-During a fight with
Winchester rifles this evening between fol-
lowers of rival claimants TO property ly-
ing along the Lake Shore drive, the most
aristocratc boulevard in Chicago, Frank
Kirk a watchman for one of the claim
ants, was shot through the head, receiving
a mortal wound
The property in dispute consists of made
land lying east of the Lake Shore drive
and between it and Lake Michigan. Cap
tain George w. Streeter, who has for many
years been a thorn in the side of North
Side property owners because of his pro-
pensity to settle on vacant ground and then
claim in the courts the rights of a squat
ter, has erected several small shanties up
on this ground, and claims that inasmuch
as it was not originally included in the
government surveys of the State of Illinois
it does not belong TO the State, but was
public property open to settlement. He
claims TO be the first settler and calls the
ground THE District of Lake Michigan"
and denies that the officials Of the city of
Chicago or the State of Illinois have any
rights on it. Between Streeter and his
men and the watchmen employed by the
property owners along the Lake Shore
drive there have been frequent fights.
Tonight Henry Cooper. a lawyer who has
been active in his. opposition to Streeter,
accompanied by Policeman O'Malley, went
upon the ground of the district and was
attacked by Streeter, who knocked him
down with the butt of a revolver. Several
OF Streeter's followers covered OMalley
with their weapons, and he was ordered to
leave or be shot
Shortly after Cooper and OMalley had
left the ground there was fight between
three OF Streeter's followers-WiIliam Nc
Manners, William Block and John Hoeldt-
ke-and two watchmen employed by Cooper
Frank Kirk and Samuel Porteous. Kirk
and PorteUS were standing just outside
small shanty of their own, and one of the
first shots fired struck Kirk in the top of
the head. Porteous entered the shanty and
returned the fire of the Streeter men with
a Winchester.
A riot call was hastily sent to the East
Chicago-avenue police station and a wagon
filled with officers under the command Of
Captain Revere was sent on the run toward
the place. When the officers arrived Kirk 8
body lay in the snow outside his shanty,
while from the window Porteous kept up a
steady fire upon the three men in the other
house who were returning his fire with
all the speed with which they could work
their rifles. The firing ceased the po-
lice appeared and a Gordon of officers was
at once thrown around the shanty III which
McManners, Blocki and Hoeldtke were.
They barricaded the door and threatened
TO kill the first officer who approached
Headed by Captain Revere a squad of DO
licemen began TO batter in the door, while
the others stood waiting with drawn re-
volvers for the first shot from within Be
cause OF the sntreaties Of Mrs. McManners
who had been inside the cottage through
out the fighting. her husband decided not
10 resist the officers and the door was
opened before the police had broken il
down. The three men and Mrs. McMan-
ners were at once placed under arrest and
taken to the police station.
Returning 10 the building i'm a short time
the officer found that Streeter had bar
ricaded the house once more. He was sum-
moned TO surrender, and after parleying
gave himself up. When he came out of
the house he carried a rife and four re-
yolvers He claims that he was not on the
ground when the fight was in progress. Nc
Manners, Blocki and Hoeldtke claim that
the first shot was fired by Kirk and that
he was shot when they returned his fire.
This is denied by Portsous, who claims
that the other side fired the opening shot
All persons living on the District OF Lake