Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 July 1910 — GAME WARDENS MEET A TARTAR. [ARTICLE]

GAME WARDENS MEET A TARTAR.

James Haines, of Milroy Tp., Fills Deputy With Bird Shot. A PRICE NOW ON THE HEAD Of the Alleged Bad Man, and a Warrant Sworn Out for His Arrest, But No One Found Who Wants, to Serve the Warrant.

Considerable excitement was occasioned here Wednesday forenoon when a couple of deputy game wardens who had went out in Milroy tp., to look after violations of the game laws came back and one of them sought a doctor to have a load of bird shot picked out of his back, head and face, where one James Haynes, an alleged “bad man of Milroy, had fired them when tihie deputies attempted to apprehend him. Residents of Milroy tp., have complained for some time of depredations on their chicken roosts and of boot-legging of wlhiskey in their midst, and James Haines an alleged ex-convict who with this wife and seven small children moved from near Seafield onto the old Sutton farm, one mile north of Milroy church several months ago, seems to be the party at whose door the alleged violation of the criminal laws were directed. People out there, howeyer, seem to be afraid of Haines, who is alleged to be a desperate character, and no one cared to pry too closely into the alleged violations. Recently it has been rumored that Haines was shooting prairie chickens and shipping them from Lee and McCoysburg to Chicago, and Deputy Game Wardens James Donley of Kouts and Albert M. Gallion of Logansport came here and determined to catch the alleged violator. They drove out to Haines’ place Wednesday morning and before reaching there met Haines and one of his little boys in a buggy, but not knowing him they passed on to the house, where it is alleged they hold Mrs. Haines their business. She told them where Haines had gone but said there was no use to arrest him as he had no money to pay a fine. The deputies turned about, however, and soon caught up with Haines, who had stopped and was talking to some one. He had a shotgun in his buggy and, the deputies allege, one or two prairie chickens. Gillian got out and told Haines they “wanted him.” The latter grabbed his gun and started to run. Gillian called to him to halt, and fired a couple of shots in the air' from his revolver. Haines turned and fired one barrel of his shotgun at the deputy, some of the shot striking him in the face and breast. Gillian then fired direct at the fleeing man, and at the second shot Haines turned and with the remark “you —, I will kill you,” poured the contents of the other barrel into the deputy, who turned and received the shot in his back and head, they only 'penetrating the skin. Haines then continued his flight, hastened by one more shot from the deputy’s revolver, but escaped in the woods near by. This, in substance, is the story told by the deputies, who also allege that Haines fell after one of the latter shots, and they think they winged him. They also allege that he threw away the chicken or two that he had and later must have returned for them, as they could not find them after making a thorough search. While the shooting was going on, Donley was busy taking care of the horse, and after Gillian had emptied his revolver he alleges he called to Donley to bring him more cartridges. But the quarry had got away. The deputies then hurried back to town and Gillian’s wounds were dressed, they not being of •a serious nature, pnly one or

two shot penetrating the skin of his check and lip, and tlhe back of his head and back. His coat bore evidence of the charge, however, and had be been closer to the shooter it ■ might have fared much worse for him. After the shot were picked out the deputies alege that they drove back to the neighborhood of Haines’ and watched until two o’clock Thursday morning without getting any glimpse of the hunted man. They intended to bring him in dead or alive, tihey said. . . Returning to town they conferred \by telephone with the State Game Warden and state that he authorized them to advertise a reward of SSO for the man’s arrest. Gillian swore out a warrant in Squire Irwin’s court charging Haines with assault and battery With intent to kill, but Constable 01 Robinson is not in a physicial condition to serve any papers in the country and Constable Ropp is out of town. They have tried to get about a dozen different ones to act as special constables, but. without avail, and up to yesterday no further attempt had been made to find Haines. It is likely that he is “laying low” and a hard time may be had to find him. Some think if found that he will put up a desperate fight, and as a consequence the job of deputy constable is going begging. Jack Montgomery is alleged to be willing to act, but his wife and also his employer won’t let him. But perhaps this is only a little bluff that Jack is putting up to impress his wife with his bravery, and if given the warrant he wouldn’t go further than Pleasant Ridge An effort was made to get Judge Hanley to issue a bench warrant, but the Court was not quite sure that he ought tp au so in vacation, and did not. This probably saved Lou Shirer to make his campaign for re-election as sheriff this fallj for Haines' bird shot might have filled his “balloon*’ so full of holes that he wouldn’t have been able to hold it together. • with it, anyway. Haines, the alleged poacher, is said to have served two years in the penitentiary at Michigan City for cattle rustling near Monon. A few months ago a trunk was stolen from the depot at Monon, and on May 10 a search warrant was sworn out here by two of the Monon’s detectives and they went out to search Haines’ house, it being alleged that he was the thief. The trunk is said to have contained clothing, jewelry, wearing apparel, etc., and was the property of one Edith Sheetz, the detectives alleged. No return on the search warrant has ever been made, and whether or not the detectives found anything incriminating we are unable to state. Haines is said to not bear out in appearance at least the desperate character he is alleged to be. He is living as a tenant or squattor bn a 160 acre farm and cultivates perhaps an acre or two of this, the rest being grown up to weeds. He is said to be out every day hunting, and his sole ambition apparently is to raise a big family and hustle as little as possible for their support. * Any would-be heroes with their spiritual and worldly affairs in good shape can have the appointment of deputy constable by calling on Squire Irwin.