Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 June 1908 — A MURDER AT DELPHI. [ARTICLE]

A MURDER AT DELPHI.

Whiskey Responsible for Another Coldblooded Homicide. Delphi, Ind., June 17.—Frenzijd with drink, Frank Lykens attacked his half-brother, Amos Pratt, with a heavy stove poker last night, inflicting injuries of such a nature that death resulted within a few minutes. This is the flm murder within the city limits of Delphi. Pratt and Lykens, both of whom were unmarried, roomed together in a house in West Market street, and always appeared to be the very best of friends. Last night, while uptown, Pratt found two of his friends, Jesse Franklin and Matt Lewis, in an Intoxicated condition, and, fearing they would fall into the hands of the police, took them home with him to sober up. As far as has been developed this was the cause of the tragedy. About 10:30 o’clock Lykens went to the room, and the presence of the two men angered him. He at once began abusing Pratt, and finally picked up the poker and started toward him with the remark that he intended to kill him. Calling for help, Pratt ran from the room into the yard at the home of Lem Wagner. Hearing the cries Wagner ran to the door Just in time to see Lykens strike Pratt three times with the poker. The injured man fell to the bround, and Lykens called to Wagner and told him if he did not tak& Pratt into the house he would kill him. He then walked away. > The injured' man was carried into his own home, where he died within a very short time. He made a statement, however, in which he said that Lykens was responsible for his injuries and that the other two men had nothing to do with the affair. Shortly after death Lykens returned to the room and was arrested. While he ahd been drink-

ing during the evening, it is not thought he was what might be termed intoxicated when the assault on his half-brother was- committed. Pratt was forty-five- years old and Lykens is thirty-five. Franklin, who is the son of Benjamin Franklin, a well-to-do farmer of the county, was found in the house where the fight started, sound asleep, and was taken to jail. Lewis, who was awakened by the noise, ran to the home of his father, J. C. Lewis, foreman of the Wabash Railway Company bridge painters, where he was afterward arrested and taken to jail.