The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-11-01
He SHOT A BOY.
II. 4. Fletcher Seriously Wounds
Otto Boyd, Aged Is.
Was on Guard With Gun for
Halloween Visitors.
INJURY MAY BE FATAL
Face Badly Torn by Charge of
Shot.
Families Live in ShOrey on the
North Side.

Otto Boyd, 15-year-old Shorey boy,
was the only Halloween victim In To-
peka; and he is now in ST. Francis
hospital, where doctors are removing
shot from his head. Young Boyd was
shot Tuesday evening by H. E. Fletch-
er, neighbor, when a crowd of young
sters visited the Fletcher premises.
1t is charged that Fletcher, a retired
German farmer. laid in wait for the
Halloween visitors. Both barrels of a
shotgun were loaded and young Boyd
was only a short distance from the
German when the shot was fired. a
dozen No. 6 shot entered the boys face
and head and he is in a critical con-
ditiOn at the hospital, where he was
taken a few hours after the trouble.
To a neighbor yesterday, Fletcher is
said to have stated that he would shoot
the first person who came on his premi-
SeS or bothered him. Early in the eV-
loaded it with heavy shot and waited
in ambush from q. convenient place near
the alleyway.
Tore Face With Ugly Wounds.
Then young Boyd and a half dozen
neighbor boys approached F1etcher's
premises. The German heard them
coming and waited until they were al
most close enough to distinguish faces.
When he arose from his hiding place,
the boys ran. Boyd was the last to
to run down an alleyway, Fletcher is
said to have taken quick aim and fired.
Standing less than 80 feet from the boy
when he fred, the shots from Fletch-
Royd's face and head. A physician
was called and after dressing the young
mans wounds, the boy was taken TO
the hospital.
The Fletcher and Boyd families are
close neighbors in Shorey. Fletcher has
lived in this county a number of years
and owns considerable property. He
is quite old and irritable and the dread
of Halloween prowlers probably led 10
the shooting.
No Trouble Between Families.
It was reported today that the two
families had been on unfriendly terms
before the shooting yesterday evening,
but this was denied by Mrs. D. w.
Boyd, mother of the injured boy.
''The shooting of Otto was without
the least Justification declared Mrs
Boyd today, land the boys had not mo-
Tested Mr.. Fletcher or his premises in
the least mo- said the mother in
response to a question, there was
never the least trouble between the
two families"
Fetched himself admitted after the
that the boys had not dam
aged his property, but he feared the
usual Halloween pranks and jokes
The aged German did not go to the
persons who visited the county attor-
ney's office to ask for a complaint for
Fletcher's arrest. No warrant for the
man had been issued at noon
today and he will probably not be ar
rested until the extent of young Boyd's
injuries are determined
Physicians who attended Boyd said
this afternoon that if no complications
from the wounds were encountered,
that the young man would recover
from his injuries
Out side of the discovery of a bevy
of pretty girls in boys clothes at the
corner Of Tenth and Kansas avenues
last evening, the police were little con-
cerned with Topeka's Halloween. The
patrolman who found these girls was
very much abashed but struggled up
to them, pointing to their feet.
''Those feet says he, "beIong not in
those trousers. Moreover, the city
dads have made an ordinance that
some other irregularities I notice in
those clothes should be clothed differ
emily. I should not like, of course, to
take you to the prison with its dark
cold WALL etc.
Then turning his back, he gave them
ample opportunity to escape and go
change apparel.
MANY parties of ghosts and many of
masqueraders were seen in different
sections of the city, and several down
town. A large portion were girls par
ties though men and women held
some in conjunction. Empty houses
were decorated for the occasion and
great fe.e@s were held at some CT these.
The bad boys were not so much in
evidence. A little tick-tacking and
tying of doors formed a large part Of
their work Three wagons of the Pure
Milk company were found some dis
tance from the plant, two at Third and
Van Buren and another at the AgarG
Planning company's yards. A Heinz ice
cream wagon also was found at Third
and Van Buren. None Of the wagons
were damaged. Another light spring
wagon was reported lost 20 the police
and they are watching for it.
Am=ax A4HRAM RHRrRR