The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-07-23
He Escaped to Chicago After killing
John Horne, but Was Quickly
Drawn Back to His Home.
HIS STORY OF THE CRIME
ONLY REMEMBERS STRIKING HIS
BROTHER-IN-LAw ONCE.
Mrs. Summers Visits Her Husband at
Police Station-Her Statement
to the Coroner.

Suffering pangs of remorse for the murder
Of his brother-in-law. John Horne. on Tues
day night, William Summers entered the
police station last night at o'clock and
gave himself voluntarily into the hands of
Captain Kruger. He said that when he
realized the extent of his crime he boarded
a Monon freight train and went to Chicago,
where he stayed until yesterday morning,
but suffered so much from a guilty con-
science that he decided that life imprison-
ment or death would be more welcome TO
him than his miserable freedom. When he
slept at night he dreamed awful dreams,
saw blotches of blood before his eyes and
was haunted by the face of the man he had
murdered
Il stood IL as long as 1 could and then de-
cided that the best thing l could do would
be to come back to indianapolis and give
myself up" said the big blacksmith last
night he sat in the turkeys office ADD
with dropping head told of the quarrel
that ended in the death of his sisters hus-
band and the staining of his own hands
with blood.
SUMMERS'S STATEMENT.
my wife and 1 were about ready to go
to bed when Horne came to the door and
in and saw right away that he had been
drinking, but did not think much of 1t until
he began to abuse my parents. 1 told him
that If he was looking for trouble he had
better go out of my house, and he said ne
would be quiet If / would give him cup of
coffee. My wife got him the coffee, and
after he had drunk a part of 1T he began
to abuse my father and called him num-
Der of bad names, which L told him he
would have to take back, but he said he
would kill the old man and me- too, before
he would do anything like that. At that he
grabbed chair and swung it over his head,
saying he would kill me along with my
father and send us both to hell. He struck
me on the arm with the chair and raised it
for the second time when / reached down
and picked up Ratchet that was lying on
the floor beside me and hit him on the head.
L saw him fall and saw the 6!ood, and they
say that hit him three or four times after
he was down on the floor, but L don't re-
member that.
II was wild and only remember pulling
on my shoes and leaving the house. From
the house went to the Monon yards and
caught freight rain for Chicago, but when
l got to Chicago / didn't know what to do
and was worried so that / came back here.
L rode part OF the way on freight and paid
my fare the rest of the distance, and when
1 struck town had a friend that L met on
the street telephone to the police and tell
them that / was coming back TO give my
died and / am willing to take whatever
they want to give me and have 1t all over
with
WAS MUCH AFFECTED.
While telling of the crime Summers
seemed much affected. and when told that
he could go back to his cell he tottered
through the open door and lay down on his
bunk with heavy sigh.
The police are inclined to feel kindly to-
ward the murderer and say that from all
appearances his action in killing Horne
was largely one in self-defense.
Summers said that Horne and his father
had been ON the outs for over fifteen years,
and that in Franklin, Simpson county, KY,
where both families lived at one time his
father was shot by the murdered man. He
also said that Horne shot his own brother
In Simpson county, and was on that ac-
count compelled to leave the State. Since
they have lived here he says Horne fire.
quently threatened to kill man whom he
has fought for years. and on several occa-
sins had been put out of his (Summers's
fathers house to prevent him from carry
ing out his avowed intention.
Mrs. Summers called at the city prison to
see her husband last night and talked with
him for nearly an hour. Both the murderer
and his wife seem reconciled to his fate
and aside from few tears shed by his wife
the meeting was without emotion.
WILL HAVE HEARING TO-DAY
Summers will be given a hearing in the
Police Court this morning and will be bound
over to the grand jury. Little sympathy
is expressed for the murdered man, as he
was always known as a tough character,
and had been arrested several times on
charges more or less serious.
At the coroner's inquest, held by Deputy
Coroner Gels yesterday morning, Mrs. Sum-
mers testified practically to what her hus-
band said last night. She said that he
struck Horne three times after he had
fallen to the floor but stated that the fight
was provoked by Horne, who was drunk.
The coroner's verdict was that Horne met
his death at the hands of William Sum-
mers, who murdered him in cold blood.