Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 165, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 July 1910 — GAME WARDENS ENCOUNTER . BAD MAN IN MILROY-TP. [ARTICLE]

GAME WARDENS ENCOUNTER . BAD MAN IN MILROY-TP.

James Haines fires Two Barrels from Shotgun in Exchange for Pistol Shots fired by Warden.

HAINES IS A “ BAD MAN ” Game Wardens Return to Town to Have Shot Picked Out and to Get Warrant for Their Assailant.

Two game Wardens, James Donley, of Kouts, and Al Gillian, of Logansport. made an unsuccessful attempt this Wednesday morning to arrest James Haines, of Milroy township, on a charge of having violated the game laws of the state. Haines refused to submit to arrest, however, and fired both barrels of his shot gun into Gillian, when the latter commanded him to halt and fired at him with his revolver. Donley and Gillian came to Rensselaer Tuesday and registered at the Makeever house. They procured some fishing tackle and spent the day fishing, and it is presumed in doing a little detective work to ascertain if there were any game law violations going on in this vicinity. They came particularly, however, to arrest Haines, who lives 2% miles south of McCoysburg, and whom they understood was guilty of shipping prairie chickens out of the state. They had been informed that Haines was a bad man and would be hard to arrest and they came together on that account. This morning they procured a horse and buggy and started to Haines’ house. Just before reaching there they passed Haines and a boy in a buggy, but they did not know it was Haines. He was talking to two men and they noticed a shotgun in the buggy. They went to Haines’ house and were told by Mrs. Haines that he was not at home and when they informed her what they wanted him for she told them that he did not have any money to pay a fine with. They decided that it was him they passed in the buggy and startedback that way. They met Haines and the boy and stopped them in the road, asking a few questions to try to find out if it was their man. When they decided that it was, Gillian said, “Haines, we want you.” Haines struck his horse a lick with the whip and the animal took down the road at its best speed. The game wardens set out in pursuit. When Haines saw that he was going to be overtaken, he handed the lines to the boy and jumped from the buggy and struck across the woods. Gillian followed, while Donley held the horse.

Gillian commanded Haines to halt and fired twice in the air, and Haines responded by firing one barrel from his shot gun into the game warden. The' shot sprinkled across his chest and into his arms, wh’le one entered his left cheek and two or three passed through his hat and grazed his scalp. He replied to the fire with his pistol and aimed'at the fleeing Haines, who, after the second ohot, turned and leveled his gun ab Gillian and said, “You s— of a b—, I’ll kill you.” Gillian swung around just as Haines fired and this time the shot struck him in the back and the hip, probably two dozen shot being embedded in the muscles. Haines turned and ran and Gillian shot both remaining cartridges at the fleeing man, but if either took effect, Gillian could not tell, although Haines fell when about 75 yards away. Gillian called back to Donley to bring more cartridges, as he had emptied his revolver and Donley, who had been having trouble holding the horse, hastened to him as soon as he could tie the animal. They made quite a search of the woods and the swamp, but found po trace of Haines, and as Gillian wsa in much pain and bleeding somewhat, they returned to Rensselaer and had most of the shot probed out. They expected to procure a bench warrant, from Judge Hanley and to again go after their man, but the Judge was out of town and they went to Justice Irwin. They stated that they would bring Haines in dead or alive, provided he has not already made his get-a-way.

They claim that Haines has served a term or two in* the penitentiary and is a bad character in many ways. He is about 40 years of age and has a large family. The shot used by Haines were No. 5 chilled, and the local doctor thinks they will not prove serious. The Republican learned from neighbors of Haines that he is-regarded as a bad man, is absolutely fearless and will not hesitate to use firearms to de-, fend himself. It is stated that he carries a knife with a six-inch blade and is feared by all his neighbors. He came to Milftiy township from near Seafield only a few months ago. Chicken thefts have been charged to him and he is said to have been in difficulty at Wolcott. He is said to talk of his Imprisonment and to say that he will kill any man who tries to arrest him. It is thought probable that he will barricade himself in his house and try to stand off the game wardens or other officers who try to place him under arrest.