The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1906-07-25
CAR THUGS
ROUNDED Up
Quick Work by Police in the
Melee at the Forsyth
Corner.
NEFF HAS THICK SKULL
With Bullet Imbedded in Bone Brags
of Success of His Vengeful
Job.

The most successful man hunt that
the Hammond Robertsdale and
Whiting police ever engaged in oc-
cured yesterday afternoon after Fred
Neff and j. Billings slugged William
Young and Motorman Baxter.
At ten minutes to four o'clock
Mrs. Ana Snyder of number IL State
street, who was one of the passen-
gers on the car ran into the White
House nearby, and had one of the
men telephone to the Hammond po-
lice. Chief Rimbach and Captain
Peter Austgen took the four O'Clock
car for Forsythes. Before they ar
rived at the White House officer
Horlbeck happened on the scene and
caught Neff in a nearby field.
Mrs. Snyder who had pF ned the
police at Hammond then boarded a
Whiting car and noticed that Bill
ings got on the same car at Roberts
dale. She told the crew that he was
the man who had just killed a mot
orman. Billings ran but the crew
followed him and Constable Mueller
Of Whiting took him in charge. In
this manner. two principal Offenders
We're arrested. Peck came to Ham
mond on one of the first cars and
was pointed out to officer Burge who
arrested him. By 4:45 all three of
the gang had been arrested.
The chief stayed at Robertsdale
with Neff where Neff's wound was
dressed by DR.. Kohr of the village
Horlbeck and Elsner went to Whit
ing and brought Billings back with
them. The whole party arrived at
the police station at about o'clock.
Peck a Peacemaker
AT the police station the dozen or
more witnesses were examined and
enough evidence was secured
against the two men to warrant their
being held without bail. Peck
however, proved by the witnesses
present that he took no part in the
fight and that he was the one to
pull the fighters off from their vic
tins. He told pretty straightfor-
ward story and as the principal evil
denee against him was the fact that
ne was in bad company, it was
thought advisable to let him go.
With this question off his mind
Chief Rimbach remembered that the
doctor in Robertsdale advised that
Men be examined more carefully mn
on his arrival in Hammond. 1t was
a noticeable fact that although
there was bullet hole in one side
of Neff's hat there did not seem to
be a corresponding one such as
would be sure to be found on The
other side if the bullet had simDlv
grazed his head. It was ineonceiv-
able that the man was walking
around with bullet in his head and
so the police did not take the time
or trouble to figure out where the
missile could have gone.
1t was the improbable that happen-
ed however, and when Chief Rim
bach took Nen to DR.. Sharrer for
another examination it was found
that the man who had walked to the
Office without assistance, had a
leaden bullet wedged into his skull.
Has a Hard Skull.
The fact was almost unbelievable
for Neff walked without difficulty
to the police station. talked ration
ally. smoked with apparent enjoy
ment and finally did not seem to
mind the walk to the hospital DR..
Sharrer's diagnosis of the case proved
to be correct, however. for last
night at st. Margaret's hospital the
bullet was located and removed.
In entering the head it shattered
the outer layer of the skull. The
point was then driven on into the
second layer but the force of the i'm
pact had changed the shape of the
bullet to wedge and. instead of
proceeding on is death-dealing wav.
fH.wr