The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-10-28
LYNCH LAW.1N INDIANA.
Two Men Accused hOf Robbery,
Wrested from the Officers of the
Law, and Hanged by a Band Of
Disguised Men. -lN x"
ORLEANs, lNp., OcLober 20.

ORLEANS, IND, OclOOcT ~
On tho night Of Thursday, October 90,
1870, the house Of John Fisher, Of this
township, was robbed by q gang Of rob.
bers, by breaking the door with a fence
rail, and before Mr.. Fisher could recover
from q deep sleep, he was requested to
deliver his money, amounting to one bun
drGd and thirty!eight' dollars. On Sun;
day last, two men, James .PiCkard and
Lewis Tongatc, each OF Newark, Green
county, Ind, werO arrested and brought
hero tor examination before Esquire
Steers. ! esterday they were examined
and required TO give bnil in the sum oi
$l,6O0 each. Failing 10 give the bail,
they started from hero last evening for
our countyjail, In charge Of constables and
posse ol deputies While on the road
and in crossing the Lost River bridge,
they were taken from the hands Oi the
officers and hung from the railing Of the
south end Of the bridge. The prisoners
were given but d moment, no words be.
ing passed but an attempted confession by
T0ngate and protest Of innocence by
PiCkard. They were taken out OF the
carriage and conducted TO the place where
the ropes had previously been tied In an
ticipation oil their arrival. The ropes
were thrown over their heads, their feet
knocked from under them, and pushed
over tho bridge. and they were launched
into eternity. The hanging party was
well organized, and did their work with
great dispatch. The verdict Of the ,CorO'
rcr's inquest, held to-day, is death At
the hands OF parties unknown. Eal
BLooMNeToNj IND, Oct.sB.
Coming from New Albany today over
the Louisville New Albany and Chicago
Railroad, l had an opportunity 70 learn
moro OF tho .lynchingJ case. Of whichll
telegraphed you this morning. All along
the route passengers coming aboard at
the smallest stations talked Of little else.
Various statements were made. Some
said that tho party TINT committed the
robbery was remnant OF the old Reno
gang that formerly gave so much trouble
10 Seymour and vicinity. Others said
that It was q part Of IN organization in
Green county. However, these, reports
may be, 1t turns out that there were six
men, instead oEfour, engaged in the crime;
that the two who were arrested, Pickarl
and Tongatc, and who were summartly
executed by the mob near Orleans last
night, have been long known throughout
this part OF Indiana as bad characters.
Tongatc robbed IN express office, some
timo ago, at Lancaster, Indiana, but for
want OF sufficient proof was discharged
upon q preliminary examination. This
man was not, however, clearly identified
by Fisher, tho man for whose robbery the
hns paid tho death penalty. Pickard was
identified, and from his person was taken
all the money Of which Fisher had been
deprived.
At Orleans l saw tho body Of Pickarll
put on the train to be shipped TO GOspOrt,
and from thence carried over the Vincen-
ncs road to Freedom, Green county, near
which place he was raised. 6 His brother
has tho corpse in charge, and a more
pitiablc looking human being ] have never
seen -......-.
The other four men who arc accused Of
participation in the robbery were arrested
io.dSy, and arc now on their way to Or.
leans, over the Louisville. Now Albany
and Chicago Railroad. It's believed they
will be dispatched as were Pickard and
Tongate, and not without reason, too, tor
the mob, ficred like csrnivorous beasts
with tho taste Of blood, arc now more
lCrOCious than ever. They urge the same
plea in defence Of mob law thRtwas urged
blythe people Of jackson county In 1868
the law does not protect them This plea,
however, is without. foundation In truth.
Tho administration Of justice In Orange
county has not bcon'less lax than in most
other counties Of the State, and I have
this day heard several Of the best citizens
Of that county dccl6iming against the law.
less taking OF life for the laWless taking Of
money. None OF the men engaged In
robbing Fisher have ever been accused Of
shedding blood, and the enoFmIty OF the
crime oi their being hanged by q mob ior
having deprived . man Of ono hundred
and tifty dollars Is appalling to the better