Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 October 1901 — A MURDEROUS ASSAULT, [ARTICLE]

A MURDEROUS ASSAULT,

Old Henry Tinder Nearly Killed by James Blake. James Blake, a nineteen year old boy, who was sent to the reformatory four or five years ago from Rensselaer for breaking into a Monon box car and stealing candy is a fugitive from justice and may have to answer to the charge of murder. He was released from the reformatory some months ago on parole and has been working on Gifford’s section at Gifford, where his father, Al Blake, lives.

His work has been unsatisfactory and the foieman has often threatened him with discharge, and last Friday carried his threat into execution. At the time of his discharge Blake was working with Tinder, who is a feeble old man of 52 years. Blake, after his discharge, got his dinner pail and left, but shortly returned. The foreman suspected that Blake wished to assault him andwatched him so closely that he could not accomplish his purpose. Being balked in this, Blake picked up a heavy track jack and without warning struck Tinder, whom he suspected of having reported him, over the head, felling him instantly. Tinder was unconscious for a full day, when he rallied, but almost immediately had a reac tion, and his death at any time would not be a matter of surprise. Blake fled but was captured and confined in a house at Gifford, but his father induced his captors to turn the young man over to him, promsingto produce him when wanted.

Some of the Giffordites, not satisfied with the promise, started to guard his father’s house, bnt yohng Blake armed himself with a shot gun and drove nis guards away, then disappeared. He went to Medaryville and from there was drove to Monon by a relative, but at this writing has not been apprehended. Constable Vick has been in search of him since the assault an J thinks his arrest is a question of but a short time. Later: Through the efforts of Sheriff Hardy and Constable Vick, Blake was captured near Reynolds Tuesday by J. O, Mitchell, of Reynolds, a member of a Horse Thief Detectiye Association, He was hiding in the country near there and after being captured mid that it had been his intention to hide until the excitement quieted down and to then make his way to California. He was brought here and lodged in jail. He will be bound over to the circuit court, where he will have to answer a charge of assault and battery with intent to kill, and to a more serious charge if his victim dies.