The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-09-08

men were yelling in hollow tones: Watch |
out. watch out!' Halt, no excitement here
We mean business The mules and horses
of the dismounted men were grouped along |
the line. A few outside the line were riding
up and down, exchanging ords with a few
town people gathered about at safe dis |
lance, when suddenly there was command
Fifteen men follow mel and
LOT OF MEN DASHED AWAY
on foot from the Jail door across the street
into the court house, from whence they soon
issued again, blowing shrill whistle, utter
ing yells of triumph and rushing back to
the Jail, dashed into the Jail door, Then
there was momentary quiet, followed by
exultant expressions from those outside. i
passed around and got into the courtyard
on the fence directly opposite thejall, which
was only across the street. The full moon
lit up the indescribable scene, obscured by
occasional clouds, and horses, mules, men
and most OF the grotesque costumes were
distinctly visible. Ten or twenty town peo-
pie were inside the courtyard, intently
watching the scene. A few on the fence
kept up running banter of words with
some of the masked party. as sHelle, amt
you thirstyr Come and take a drink
Look at the old gall referring to one with a
black gown on). Say, Bob. Lee, thought
you was killed at Shiloh!' Answered in as
sumed voices: Yes, was killed at Shiloh.
but I'm here We are ready etc. Il
lin the meantime, darkness and quiet
seemed TO be in the jail 1t was difficult to
think of that Gpy Fawkes crowd enacting
the terrible tragedy that soon followed.
About O'Clock there was rush at che door
of the jail-a whistle sounded-the order
Mount! given, and we saw a dark looking
group being pushed ahead of the column.
which was Immediately put in motion di-
rectly eastward
They've got them,' was whispered along
the courthouse fence, but not cry, not
L fr@r he
hoofs, cloud of dust, and nothing was to be
seen of them. We went across to the iail
| and piled jailer and prisoners with questions.
The iailer knew nothing, had not gone up,
saw nothing, was moody and silent, and his
women folks frightened and silent, but the
prisoners said they had taken l6. We
stood silently, involuntarily look
ing down the road taken by the band,
and soon we hear bang Our hearts
paused-'bangv 'volleyp 'bangp Some
counted the shots; others said ''Tis awfulr
others, The negroes are gone A few of us
started of in the direction of the shots,
others followed, and about half a mile away.
just beyond bridge over a small stream.
and down the right-hand side of the road.
we found six bodies, lying in various posi-
tons apart, but all within three or four yards
square. Four were dead, but the pulses of
two still beat. Matches were lit, and by the
fitting light we examined them, called to
them, but no answer. Finally motion, the
ropes binding their hands are cut, and both
groaned and then spoke. Water was called for
brought in hat, and the wounded men
| placed in as comfortable a position as DOS
sible, and physician sent for. / went
back, utterly horriied. On my way to the
| hotel saw some negro women, and begged
them to go 70 the wounded men but thew
were too thoroughly frightened. About 10
O'Clock A. NJ. young man came dashing
into Trenton with the fearful news that
! 900 QrnoQ0 W. rnoro1ino
ton to avenge the killing of the negroes last
night. There was momentary paralysis as
men thought of the possible entry of such a
body of Infatuated, blood-tbirsty negroes
into town. There were
| BLANcHED FACES OF STRONG MEN
as they shut stores, left the street and shops
and hurried home-swift courlers shot out
on the road one by one with awful dread
on their faces, women and children gathered
in groups, trembling with terror at dan
ger so awful. One group OF ladies I had
| seen few moments before come in on a
visit all radiant, now they were in fearful
despair. The Teachers Institute, in session
here, broke up instantly and the male men,
bers either went to their families or TO Sc
cure guns. Men buried to and fro as
If in painful uncertainty whether to
| gather on the square or to stay with the
loved ones. The very air seemed nervous
with awful apprehensions. Those that Sc
cured guns finally began to mass on the
square. New scouts were sent out ammu-
milton divided, and Major Gay soon had 60
men with all manner of fire arms, from old
single-barreled pistols to double-barreled
shotgun, In line. He commenced at once
to drill them and form a nucleus for the
constantly arriving recruits. Fear began TO
vanish as the people saw their means of
defense, and the first chill of terror was over.
The scouts began to return, too, without hav-
ing seen any negro troops. Sill they "had
heard" Doubters arose with each accession
of assurance, and two wagon loads of badly
frightened women and girls were not enough
to renew the fright when il was found that
they too had only heard but they had
heard awful things and had lefC their homes
at moments notice. By this time doubts
of any armed negroes being about were
openly expressed, and some even suggested
the masked men had sent in the report to
cover up their tracks. Finally, after an age
of apprehension, terrors, bloody resolves
and dreams of carnage. attended by all the
circumstances of the most horrible posi-
BILE war, the terrible report was boiled
down to something like these facts:
Some three or four negroes called in
the morning on farmer named Gleason,
living about five miles from Trenton. He
was in the field, and Mrs. Gleason sent the
negroes to him. While they were there
another small party of negroes (none of
whom are said to have been armed) came
up Mrs Gleason, influenced by the unqui-
etness in the community succeeding the affair
of Saturday night at once became terrified,
blew her horn and alarmed the neighbors, to
whom rushing in she told her fears, which
grew at once into all manner of frightful
rumors, among which | heard at Picketts-
Vile that her house was surrounded and she
nd other women murdered, that 500 armed
negroes were marching on Pickettsville and
Trenton, etc.
81 went from Trenton to Humboldt and
} from there to Picketsville, and found appre-
} tensions, fears, aud excitement, but could
l not ascertain of any actual fighting, or any
one being hurt or molestsd."
"And what did you understand had been
done with the ten negroes carried away By
the masked mem" inquired the reporter.
81 understood that they were all shot a