The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-08-19

hred upon, but only attempted TO be, Tor the |
caps snapped. The would be Dlurderers
took to their heels, but Sisney identified |
them both, and on his testimony, they were
indicted. namely: our sheriff's cousin, !
'Jim" Norris, and Tim" eagle, one of Nor
ris' rufiisnly associates. OF course Norris |
wasn't caught. and won't be; bur eagle is in
Jail awaiting his trial. Sisney was man OF
courage; bad served with honor as cap |
tain in an Illinois regiment, and, from 1866
To 1868, was sheriff of Williamson county. |
But. In consequence of these repeated
ATTEMPTS UPON HIS LIFE
and of " warnings" which he had received
to quit the country, he moved to C&rbondale
expressly, as he stated to numerous of his
friends, to get where he could feel assured
of protection. At Carbondale he opened
store, and, with his family, lived in the same
house. which stood at one OF the most prom
inent street corners in Carbonate. On the
night of the 18th ult., between 9 aud 10
O'Clock, while number of the neighboring
stores were yet open, the report of gun
was heard in the vicinity. AS by common
" AS soon as we heard the shot," said one
of my informants, we knew that George
Sisney was killed everybody knew
it would be Sisney's tnrn next" Within
ten or fifteen minutes, a crowd had gathered
at Sisney's. The house is plain, two story
frame, with a two story L reaching back
along the cross street. The ground floor
room of this L was the family sitting room,
the windows of which open upon long
porch fronting the sidewalk. All was in
darkness. Hearing cries and shrieks of the
women inside, the crowd entered. A light
was procured, and they beheld Ssney
seated in an armed chair as he sat when
shot, with a terrible wound, Az inches in
diameter. in his body. Life was extinct ere
help arrived. An examination of
the window showed that the shot
evidently from shot gun loaded
with slugs and bucksbot-had been fred
through the porch window. The wire gauze
screen was torn, as was the curtain inside.
They also found inside the room Qverton
Stanley, farmer pretty we'll known in
these parts, and who lives in the northern
part OF Union county, adjoining Jackson
and Williamson counties. Stanley's story,
as told at the inquest, was that, getting into
town at dark, ana having to leave early next
morning, he called TO ask Sisney to indorse
a note for him (Stanley.) Sisney was abed
when Stanley Knocked, and SIS daughter,
! who came to the door, asked who was there.
Stanley gave his name, and Sisney came
down stairs with light aud let him in. A
/ few minutes after, Stanley states, the shot
was fred from tbs outside. Stanley's story
as to calling was confirmed by Sisney's
daughter, who, before the shooting, bad
sgain retired and fallen asleep. It is report
ed IN the community generally that
STANLEY AND sIsNEY
were friends; and Mr. L. Hiudrnan. q mer-
chant here, stated that, in q settlement with
Stanley, he had offered TO take the latter's
note with Sisney's endorsement. Further,
SisDey was surety for Stanley as admins
traitor of an estate. On the other hand.
Stanley is well known a rough character.
Six years ago his brother was killed at an
election by man named Cash. Shortly
after, Cash was waylaid on the road and
shot dead. Nobody WA ever prosecuted
for it; no arrests we're made, but suspicion
pointed to Stanley. Next, Sisney's life
! having already been attempted, he would
have only come down stairs,
and so exposed himself to be shot,
at call OF a friend-or supposed
friend. Stanley was such, which would
have rendered him efficient as confederate
| in the murder. Then Stanley is reported to
have been harboring "Jim" Norris, jointly
indicted with eagle for the attempt on the
lifo of Sisney. If eagle were convicted, it is
believed, with apparent good reason. that he
would tell what he knows about Norris and
the rest implicated in the murders and series
| of murderous assaults lately committed, and
in the latter of which he, eagle, participated.
1t is surmised that eagle had intimaied that
be would "talk' If convicted, and it is a
matter of surmise whether Norris knew
enough about the Cash murder TO threaten
Stanley. At all events, none OF these
matters were proved by the coroner's
Jury; no lawyer was present to conduct
the examination; and, on his own state
ment, Stanley was let go, and, il is reported,
has left the state. No pursuit of Sisney's
assassins was made, though, that night, one
of them, if there were more than one, as
tracked to mill near the edge of the town,
where evidently he had mounted horse
Sisney's family have moved out of town.
The eldest son, in consequence of warn
ings" by him received, has gone to Missouri
TO settle-sending word to the states attor-
ney that, in consequence of the warnings,
be does not feel safe, and can not stay to
prosecute anybody. And now no efforts
are being made TO bring the assassins to
justice. Sisney's remains were sent to
GAINESVILLE for interment on the 30th.
William Spence, middle aged Scotchman,
nd rich man and of influence for this
region, kept the chief store there. At it
ISisney's friends gathered
| AFTER The FUNERAL,
while waiting for the train. Conversation
naturally turned on Sisney's death. Spence
liucautiously remarked to the effect that If
what be (Spence) knew were told, somebody
would have to suffer for these things (the
ssssssinations), and added that 1t was time
they were stopped. The next morning
Spence was found dead in the store. with a
trighitul shotgun wound in his body, and a
pistol hole in his brain and another in his
heart. Nobody can be found who will ad-
init that he knows anything about it, more
than hgviDg heard the report OF firearms.
Yet there were people living within one
hundred feet of the store. Witnesses
here, too, were terror-stricken. But, from
what little has developed, the theory is, that
Spence, who was known to have retired
early, was called, by some "friend," from
his sleeping-room above the store. He
came down and unlocked the door-it was
found unlocked, with the key on the inside,
and, before he could open it, was shot
through the window; that, not Immediately
killing the assassins entered, and with their
pistols finished the work, the pistols being
held close to the head and the heart, as evil
dence by the powder-burns Trunks in the
store were broken open, and an empty
pocket-book was dropped near the door;
I'm not M n kox-o hoo,,