The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-27
FARMER BOY STAbS ONE OF
GANG WHICH ATTACKS HIM
In City One Night, and Young
Chester Gregg May Face
Murder Charge.
CALL HIM FARMER"
Pitiful Scene When Lad Bids
Goodbye to Father at the
Cell Door.

Attacked and abused by crowd of boys,
ranging in age from thirteen years to eight
cen years, Chester Gregg. in self-defense
last night about o'clock stabbed and Sc
riously wounded Bert Crist, eighteen years
old, one of the members of the gang. Gregg
was arrested by Bicyclemen Lowe and Ber-
nauer and Patrolmen Dever and Eek,
charged with assault and battery with in
tent to kill.
Crist was taken to the City Hospital.
where upon examination it was found that
the wall of the bowel was punctured in two
places. His condition is serious and the
wounds may result fatally. He withstood
the shock attendant upon the dressing of
the wounds well and was resting at mid
night.
With his father. Gregg, who is sixteen
years old. came into the city yesterday from
their home five miles northeast of Browns
burg in Hendricks county. The father sold
a load of hay and went to the home of
Frank L. Perry, 921 King avenue, relative
of his, intending to remain there last night
and return to his home this morning
Taking his little cousin. Guy Perry, eleven
years old, with him, the Gregg boy went to
the grocery store at the corner of King
avenue and Tenth street, to get some candy.
As Gregg passed the crowd of boys on the
corner they called him and threw
snowballs at him.
Guy Perry. the little cousin, said that
when they left the store the boys and young
men on the corner again threw at Chester
and followed him along the street, calling
him names and threatening TO fix" him
Tor being a farmer. Finally they crowded
the thoroughly-frig boy and he drew
his knife, thrusting blndly.
AT the sight of the knife his aSSailants
turned and ran and Gregg returned to the
house where he was staying. He said last
night that he did not know he had cut any
one until he arrested, while playing a
game of crokinole, by the bicyclemen.
CRIST MAY DIE.
Crist turned to run with his companions,
but after few feet staggered and fell, with
| the blood gushing from the wound in his
abdomen. SEEING him fall, his companions
returned and he was taken to the office
| of DR.. Preston, where the flow of blood
was stanched and a hurry call sent in for
the ambulance.
When his son was arrested, the father,
nearly frantic, hurried to the police station.
With the tears streaming down his face
and in voice choked with emotion. he told
of the trouble his boy was in. why, SER
geant," he said she was never in trouble
before in his life. I'm not a rich man, but
1 have a little farm In Hendricks county
| and / would gladly give 1t TO keep my boy
| from having to spend the night here
The son is a delicate-looking boy, tall fol-
his age. and was dazed by his arrest. u
| didn't know / cut any one" he repeated
| almost constantly. When the iron door lead
| ing into the cellroom at the police station
| was open and the boy told by the
| turnkey TO step inside, the father gathered
| him in his arms for a moment and Their
turned away, unable to speak for the deer
sobs as the heavy iron door clanked shut.
| The boys bail was placed at $1,000 and
| after reassuring his boy that he would see
| him early this morning, the father left tC
\ find a bondSman.