The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-06-23
THE LAwRENcEBURG MURDER.

THE LAwRENCEBURG MURDER.
THE PROBABLE GUILT OF WILLIAM M'DoLE-
SOME coRRoBoRATING FACTs-THREATENED
LYNCHIEo.
The Cincinnati Commercial of the 10th
inst. sayss The preliminary examination OF
William McDole, charged with the bloody
murder of the Bradley family, near Law
renceburg, few days ago, was commenced
before Mayor Houk, OF Lawrenceourg, at
the court house, yesterday morning. Inc
room was densely crowded by throng OF
excited people, who expressed nrm DeheI
that the prisoner had committed the crlIue
charged against him. Several witnesses
were examined, when the mayor was SUD
denly attacked with illness, and an exam
ination of the case was postponed
until next Monday. Our reporter
found William McDole, the sns-
pected murderer, in the county jail. Ills
brother Charles, who had been held as
witness, was released on ms own recog-
nizance Yesterday. William appeared free
to talk, and expressed, in rather doubling
manner and toneof voice. belief that Ms
case would be cleared up and that he would
be released in few days. He Is tan,
spare, dark skinned man, with an eye tnat
does not look one square and steaoy IN sne
face. He said that he did not commit the
murder and was sorry it had been done
that the author of the crime ought TO be
made suffer for it. He WAS full
cousin, he said, of Bradley. and svmpa-
thised deeply with the poor man ipiois uE-
happy bereavement. So far as ne Knew, ne
was on good terms with Bradley. once
they had railing about pillow, but that
had long been squared up, and Mrs. Bradley,
who took no part in the difficulty, was al
ways on good terms with him 1.-THE prison
err. McDOle said the woman was about
Il EfNVsn a
character so far as he knew. On the night
the murder was committed he went home 10
his mothers house in ElizabetEtown, about
10 o'clock. He didn't exactly suspect any
body of having
COMMITTED THE CRIME,
but there we're some bad boys in Lawrence
burg who would go down and swim in the
creek in front of Brsdley's house for the pur-
pose of annoying the family. He had often
helped Bradley to drive the boys on, but
maybe some of these did the murder, but he
didn't like to say. At any rate, the muir
derer or murderers ought to be iounC OUT
and brought to justice. The reporter sug-
gested to the prisoner that the thing for him
to do was to prove an allDi 1or tne Ia'ai
Monday night, and was answered that 1t
was thought possible to do that. Yesterday
morning Mr.. Bradley visited the prisoner IN
iail, and with much excitement demanded,
.'Will you look me in the face and tell me
that you murdered my tamlly?" McDole
hung his head and sheepishly said he knew
nothing about it. The interview was
brief, as Bradley's feelings overcame him.
IL the statements made by witnesses IN the
examination, as well as those given to our re-
porter by other parties, are true, there can
be little doubt of McDole's guilt. At his
home was found wet pair of heavy shoes,
with the soles filled with hob nails, and the
nails worn out at the toe. These shoes
exactly 1T into the tracks leading from the
cabin door of the murdered family, even 10
a piece of leather nailed on one OF
the heels. A blood mark was dis
covered on one of his shoes. A pair of pants
and shirt of McDole were found at the
house that were very bloody. The shirt
front, from top TO bottom, was covered with
blood, leading some to believe the story that
the woman was murdered before being raw
ished. When our reporter left Lawrence
burg last evening, the officers were expect
lug that mob would attempt
THE LYNCHING OF THE PRISONER.
The murder is matter several days old, but
the excitement in the village and vicinity
has scarcely abated any since Wednesday
morning During yesterday and last even
ing groups of men were to be seen on street
corners, in doorways and on dry goods
boxes and the topic of conversation was in
variably the murder. On Thursday
night large crowd of men went from
Aurora to Lawrenceburg for the purpose
of hanging McDole, but they were induced
to wait little longer until the evidence
should become more conclusive. At Eliza
BEETHOVEN and vicinity, it is said, a paper has
been circulated and signed by over two
hundred men, pledging themselves to
assist in hanging McDole as soon as his
guilt shall have been fully established
In Lawrenceburg there are plenty who
would be willing to engage in the execu-
ton. They say that is the only sure way o
dealing out justice in extreme cases, as lega
hanging as become played out. The sheriff
of Dearborn county said slyly that he would
do all in his power to prevent unlawful vic
lence, but that if the mob came he presumed
he wouldn't be able TO hold out against it.