The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-09
DUEL WITH HORSETHIEVES
EXCITING BATTLE IN STREET, WITH
JOHN G. FINNEY AS HERO.
He Pursued on Bicycle Men Who Had
Stolen His Friends Horse-Fin-
ney Wounded i'm Face.

| In an exciting duel with horse thieves,
| about 1920 o'clock last night, John G. Fin
ney, Of No. $40 West Washington street, re-
| ceived a bullet through the chin. He thinks
he hit two of the man who were firing at
| him. Finney has been a Merchant police
man, and in his time has engaged in many
a drawn battle with criminals, but he
never had a more thrilling experience than
that Of last night.
Finney was wounded In trying to recover
a horse and wagon that belongs to his
friend, o. H. Mackey, of 1859 West Twenty
third street Finney mounted his bicycle
after supper yesterday evening and went
out to spend the evening with Mackey.
They sat on the porch until about 10 o'clock,
when Finney prepared to leave. AS he was
going they noticed a horse and wagon pass
ing in the road, and Mackey remarked that
'I believe 1t is mine he remarked again.
"Tll look in the lot. He ran TO the rear OF
the house and discovered that his horse was
gone. Further investigation showed that
the wagon was missing from the shed. The
thieves had coolly harnessed the horse,
hitched 1T to the wagon and driven away.
Mackey was much excited. and suggested
that as Finney had bicycle he might give
chase. Finney replied that it was dan
gerous thing to do without being armed.
Mackey ran into the house and brought
in his pocket and mounted his wheel.
OVERLOOK THE THIEVES.
At the White river bridge, north of
Crown Hill cemetery Finney overlook two
rigs. The in the rear was his friends
and ahead was buggy in which three men
were riding. Finney boldly rode up to the
side of his friends horse and took hold of
its head. At this the man in the wagon
yelled to the three men ahead to stop. AS
they pulled up their horse the man in the
rear rig jumped out of the wagon.
'I want to see who you are." said Fin
ney, throwing down his wheel and starting
around the wagon after the man. AS he did
so a pistol cracked and there was flash
of fire from the buggy twenty feet ahead
Finney felt a singing pain In his chin and
own pistol he instantly opened fire. He
thinks he fired four shots into the buggy
Each of the men in the buggy seemed to
have pistol and all used them. Finney
could hear the whistle Of the bullets about
his head and he forgot the singing pain
in his chin.
While he was firing his four shots he
heard a noise in the buggy ahead that
made him believe one of his bullets had not
gone astray, and before the battle closed
felt confident that he had hit another of
the men. Suddenly one of the men picked
up the reins, whipped up the horse and
drove of at rapid pace. Before Finney
could again get possession OF ms friend
horse the fourth man sprang into the
wagon again and drove after the others.
Finney stood in the road with blood
streaming from his chin and listened 10
the sound of hoofs on the hard pike road
that stretched away TO the northwest. As
the sounds died away he mounted his
wheel again and although half dazed from
his thrilling experience and suffering acute
pain from the wound rode TO the City Dis
pensary, where his wounds We're dressed.
He says the men with whom he battled
were all white but he did not recognize
any Of them.