The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-12-21
-,o Tragedy I'm Indiana-Interessina
Particulars.


Inc ..' scenes in the Floyd County Jail
T rto four prisoners were seized and hung
0!c :roron Reno was killed with two licks
sluug-shot before he was hanged
.v vaorson's fncc was as placid as though he
~, rnntlv passed into death without pain.
"SS s cot he died harder and was longer pass
~. \ rough the dread ordeal than either OF
, ,Se otbrr prisoners. His struggles for life,
arc tod By one of the prisoners in the
~ who witnessed them, were terrific
;Tben cnt down his toes we're touching the
Iii stone floor henesth him.
yps AND MISS RENO AND MRS. ANDERSON.
Frank Reno and Charles Anderson were
.,a-ried. After the bodies hsd been laid
mi mon the floor in the Jail hail the wives
these two men, and Miss Reno, the sister
- the three brothers, were permitted to
.Y,cr the hall to take their last look OF those
rhn although covered with crime, were, in
.lr;r lives, sill the world to them. All.
what scene was there! What grief and
,nrr;sh what unutterable woe The three
women entered paler by far than the dead
bodies stretched out so stark and ghastly
nnou the prison floor. First came from
these dcspairing women such piercing
bricks as love only can utter when it feels
that al it lived for is lost forever. Then
tears, like rain bursting from oyerfown
fountains, and means so touching in their
r,aiutiyencss and inter despair, that not
even the most stolid could keep from weep
ing.
svsTEp>S
The outburst of grief ended, the quiet of
despair settled upon the faces of the wo-
men. But not long did one of them remain
under the burden. The sister of the three
Reno brothers--an intelligent and hand
some young lsdy-dried her eyes with her
handkerchief, then taking the grief-stained
piece of linen, she placed it over the face
q her brother Willamette to the last de-
clared his inrocence--then she kneeled be-
side the dead man, and laid her left hand
oyer his heart, and raising her right one
ioward Heaven, she took this terrible oath ::
"Oh, my poor murdered brother, may God
curse your sister if she avenge not your
death, terribly and fully This ! will do,
:, help me GCd." What q tragic scene was
this. The dark, strong walls on all sides,
and the cold stone floor beneath her knees.
The sable garments of the bereft sister, the
pale face turned upward, and the white
hand pointing heavenward. What tableau
O! death, despair, love, and revenge
THE PRISONERS IN THE JAIL.
The prisoners in the county jail, during
the time the mob remained inside accom-
Fishing their work Of death, were almost
raralYzed with fear. One of them informed
US Saturday that, supposing he was to be
hanged with the others, he fell upon his
knees and prayed Gods forgiveness. "O,"
said be, "you cannot imagine the terrors
Of the scene. prayed with such earnest
ness NJ no man ever prayed before" We
asked another how he felt2 He replied
81 thought my time had come, and prayed
God with all my soul to forgive my sins. If
ever get out Of here will lead new life,
for have seen the awful end that wicked
ness will bring man to-" Another said
he crept under his bed, and there prayed
that God would spare him long enough to
give him an opportunity for repentance
and reformation. The mob did not speak
to or in any manner disturb any of the
prisoners except the Renos and Anderson
After they had got through their work
some one Of them proposed to hang all the
,,rrderers in the iail. The leader of the Vigil
agts replied to this, "We've nothing to do
With them. We have done what We came
70 10, and we must now leave"
THE LEADER OF TIE MOB.
The leading spirit in the mob was large,
ror,ly man, we'll dressed, and of command
irr personal appearance. In the murky
light, as he moved through the cell-rooms,
issuing orders, pointing ont positions, and
adjusting ropes around the necks Of the
victims, a brilliant diamond ring gave forth
its flashes of light. This was noticed by
several persons in the Jail, as we'll as by
the prison guards who had been captured
and placed in the 5heriif's room. Who
knows but that diamond ring may yet
cost the wearer trouble? Who can say that
j; may not lead to the detection of many Of
the men engaged in the terrible work Of
saturday morning?
MASONRY SAVES THE sHERIFF'S LIFE.
After the mob had accomplished their
work in the Jail they returned to the
saeriii's Office, where Sheriff Fullenlove
vas sitting, quite faint from the pain and
loss Of blood caused by the pistot-ball he
had received IL his arm from one of the
Ijgilants while trying to give the alarm. a
guard had been left in the room with him,
lr. Pcrrette, and others. OF this guard
I've or six were Masons. They gave the
sheriff the Mailing sign, but he refused to re-
cosni2eit. Mr. Perre;te, however, recognized
Inc sign, and answered it. He vouched to
tae men giving it that Fullenlove YVES q
Mason. The mob from the Jail were just
then coming in, and two or three of them
drew their pistols, crying out, " Shoot the
sheriff; he knows too much" The Masons
who were in the room, however, covered the
sheriff and ordered back the mob, thus
saving Mr.. Fullenlove's life. Had it not
'een for these Masons he would undoubt-
ally have been murdered.
NONE OF THE MOB RECOGNIZED.
Neither Sheriff Fullenlove nor any one
else about the Jail recognized any Of the
Vigilance Committee. Every one Of them
wore long red flannel mask that COM
ileteiy hid their features. 1t was utterly
impossible to recognize any one in such
disguise.
THE RENO FAMILY.
Vi the Reno family but four are now left
ATlng-the father, an old man of near
seVtnty-fve years, two sons, and daugh-
tet. One Of the sons was released from the
Missouri penitentiary last Thursday, and
lis brother, who is said to be an honest,
good citizen, is now in Missouri for the pur-
9Se Of bringing him home. If ne comes
ne Is sure to meet the fate of Frank, Will
nam, and Simeon. The daughter is young
lady Of medium size. of very prepossessing
appearance, and intelligent and accom-
piished. The mother died during the past
Tail Of a broken heart.