The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-07-01
THE INDIANA OUTRAGE.
Midnight Murder OF an
Entire PamiIy-PetrOleum and OIL
Thrown into the House and the In
mates Shot While Escapins;.

Louisville Journal Of June 9th, at differ
ent times to record many savage crimes
that have been perpetrated in our
neighboriug State of Indiana, and par
ticularly in that portion Of the State
south of the line Of the Jacksonville
railroad. There were the robberies and
murders in Jackson county, commencing
in the bloody tragedy at Clear. Spring, in
which an educated but helpless Old wild
ow, belonging to a family OF the highest
rcspctablity in New York, was sutfO-
Gated in her bed, and then literally
hacked to pieces, that the tiends who
perpetrated the crime might possess
themselves the small sum she was be-
lieved TO possess. Following this awful
crime was the express robberies on the
Ohio and Mississippi and the Jefferson
vile railroads, which eliminated in the
hanging by mob OF nine men in that
county, and the three Reno brothers
and Charles Anderson in the jai! at
New Albany. Then followed the fear
ful tragedy in Orange county, in which
the Woodward family, husband, wife,
chilG and sister were Drained and
stabbed, and the mother and another
child left for dead Half dozen single
murders followed these in rapid success
son-the shooting Of three men at
New Albany, the Draining Of three men
in Orange county, the shooting OF two
others in Harrison county Then fol-
lowing or intervening, came the deeds
of violence of mobs, the launching Of
men into eternity from bridges or tree
limbs. All these and many others we
could name, were horrible enough, but
what we are about to relate is even more
savage than any Of the bloody prede
CessOrs.
In the county Of Lawrence, two and
half miles north OF the little town OF
Orleans, Orange county, and near the
dividing line between the two counties,
lived four brothers, all of them single
men, and well advanced in years. With
them lived. their widowed sister, Mrs.
Tolliver. and farm hand named Lee
Throughout the two counties the family
was well known as one OF industrious
farmers-the men rather positive in
their characters, and perhaps a little
bitter in their aDimosities. They how
ever lived in peace with their neighbors
and were well respected. Some have
thought that there existed in that
neighborhood vendetta spirit, for
there have been hangings and much
violence not many miles away. But
however well or i'll founded this suppo-
sition may be, it is certain that the
Moody brothers had enemies who had
determined upon their destruction at
one foil swuup, and in manner - bar
barous and utter y cruel as to make the
blood run cold even in its recital.
Near two o'clock on Sunday morning
the Moody residence was invaded by
several disguised men, the doors and
windows being forced open, and into
the rooms of the house several earthen
jugs, filled with petroleum, were thrown,
while several bottles Of the same or an
equally infammable material, and
seven or eight torpedoes loaded with
lead, scraps OF old iron, nails and other
missiles, were also forcibly pitched.
The torpcdoes exploded with crash as
soon as they touched the floor, setting
the house on fire. The Moody brothers,
their sister, and the hired man, Lee,
were awakened by the noise OF the cX
plOdrg torpedoes and the smell OF fire,
and in their bewiderment, made n rush
tor the door The murderous wrctche-
who were thirsting for their blood had
prepared themselves for such an emcr
gency, however, AMI as the men strug-
glei Tor the front door OF the house,
the wrctchcs commenced n deliberate
fire upon them from revolvcrs. Twenty
or more shots were fired; but Thomas
Moody, one Of the brothers, and the
hired man, Lee, pressed resolutely to,
ward the door where the assasSIns were
stationed, while the two other brothers,
and the hired man, Lee, pressed re-o-
lutcly toward the door where the
assa-sins were stationed, while the two
other brothers rushed to another door,
to the rear Of the house This
thoroughly alarmed and discomhtted
the villains, and firing another volley at
the two approaching men, they turned
and fled at the top OF their speed.
Their last volIey wounded Thomas
Moody fatally, ball striking him on
the upper part Of the hip, passing into
and through the stomach, and out At
the lowe point of the breast hone. At
four o clock Yesterday afternoon he was
reported lying, and had made his dying
declaration in relation to the attack /.
upon his home, and those he thought
he recognized as his assailants. Lee
the hirec man, received a ball in his T.
thigh, causing a severe wound, and one
in his back, which, it is believed will
prove fa,al Mrs. Tolliver, the sister,
was terribly burned by the fire in the
house, ignited by the bursting torpedOes
and infammable material with which
the floors and furniture were saturated
and her injuries may prove fatal. One
of the brother, rescued her, or she
would have perished before the fire in
the house was extinguished. Another
brother escaped, unobserved, and fled
from house to house in the neighbor-
hood, alarming the people.
The savage villains who perpetrated
this crime succeeded in getting away
before the arrival at the scene OF the in
furiated people The excitement among
the citizens in consequence Of this ter
rible crime is intense beyond descriP-
ton, and if the assassins are arrested,
there is no doubt that the State Of In
diana will have another chapter Of mob
infamv added to her criminal history.
1t is believed the perpetrators Of the
crime will be found and secured, as such
revelations have been made by the
MOODY 5rOtbers a. leaves but little doubt