Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1867-05-10
The Gosport Murder.

ne uosport Wuruer.
Our readers are aware of the brutal
murder of the telegraph operator at Cos
port, Owen county, Mr.. John s. Johns,
on Tuesday night of last week. Mr.. Beeler,
the Greencastlo operator, was dispatched
10 the scene of the murder, from whom
the following particulars are obtained,
the substance of which was published in
the Cincinnati Commercial Of Thursday:
On Wednesday morning, about half
past six o'clock, when the northward-
bound freight train reached Gosport, the
conductor noticed that things wore an
unusually quiet appearance, and was sur
prised, as Mr. Johns was always there at
that hour On looking in at the window
the conductor saw n dead man leaning
against the wall He Immediately broke
the door open, and found it to be Mr..
Johns. lie raised the alarm at once.
The floor was found covered with the blood
and brains Of the murdered man. He had
evidently crawled across the room to the
wall, and placed himself in sitting posi-
ton. Ills face had horrible cash from
the eye to'the temple, and also one above
the other eye. His hands were covered
with blood, where he had rubbed the blood
from his face. There were no marks of a
struggle, as he had evidently been knock
ed senseless at the first blow.
1t is supposed that Mr.. Johns was kill
ed about nine o'clock last night. He was
last seen about half past eight at the depot
attending to freight train, by two or
three citizens. a strange man, who was
large and looked supicious, was there
helping him with the freight. He, 1t is
thought, committed the murder Mr.
Johns was struck in the back Of the head
with some blunt acknowledgement to
be coupling link or pin-Aand knocked
senseless. The man then took the keys
and opened the safe, and distracted from
it and the person Of Mr.. Johns about two
hundred and sixty dollars. There were
thirty-f dollars in another pocket Of
the murdered man, which the murderer
did not get The man, after committing
the deed, locked the depot and threw ava J
the key, which was found some distances
from the depot.
1t appears that tho murderer walked
for some distance on the ends Of the ties
on the railroad, each step being marked
with clots OF blood. MFR. Masten, tho
President Of the Louisville, New Albany
and Chicago railroad, offered a reward Of
5000 for the arrest of the murderer.
The Coroners Inquest was held upon
the body yesterday afternoon. and late
Inst niphf tl.,
the jury had returned verdict charging
Willis McMinniway with the murder, and
also the gratifying intelligence that the
fend had been arrested, and is now in
the hands of Marshal Akers The whole
village is in intense excitement, and il is
fcarcd.tha the people will break over The
restraint of the law and inAict summary
vengeance upon the miserable murderer.
LATER.
INDIANAPOLIS. May 8.
The money stolen from the railroad Of
fee at Gosport, and Willis McMinniway',
(the murderors) clothes, were found bur.
led under an ash-hopper in McMinniway's
yard-money and clothes bloody.
Another man implicated had beer
arrested. The excitement is increasing
and il is feared the citizens will hang
them before night.
Mc1linniway is a resident Of Gosport
and has been assisting Johns in loading
freight and collecting freight bills. His
wife says he did not come home until IL
O'Clock on the night OF the murder, and
left about 8 o'clock in the morning fol
Quincy.
AT the preliminary examination to-day
of McMinniway, before the magistrate, he
was found guilty of murder in the first
degree. Judge Eckles adjourned biz
court at Bloomington, and with the Sher-
iff aud members of the bar, went TO Cos
port.
At tho conclusion of the examination
Judge Eckles, ex Governor Cunning, and
Messrs. Buskirk aud Montgomery, OF
Bloomington, addressed the excited crowd
of citizens, urging strict observance Of
the law.
The prisoner was then started under o
guard Of twenty five men for the Jail Of
Spencer.
The excitement is still very great, and
it was with difficulty lynching was pre-
vented,
LOUISVILLE, April 3.
Dispatches from Gosport, Indiana. to
1 =. a., state that McMinniway, the muir.
derer Of Johns, the telegraph operator and
station agent, would surely be hung this
evening
A platform has been erected in the street
to try the prisoner. The excitement was
very great.