The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-07-01


the gang. However that may be, the dark
ranks moved along in their midnight march
till they were ordered TO halt al the Iair
grounds, about one mile east of Greenfield.
At this point the big chief announced to his
army of 100 men that they would then de-
eide the victims
DEATH BY BALLOT.
Two methods were proposed, one by hang
ing. and the other by cutting mp piece-meal.
The vote was taken and the result announced
that ninety voted for the rope and seventy
for the knife. With degree of system, as
thorough as it was vicious, the ranks We're
then quietly divided, seventy men taking
positions at the fair grounds as guards, 10
act as a reserve force, in case any shot was
heard from & other part of the band, which
was agreed upon as a signal of distress,
while the balance proceeded silently
up through the main street Of
the village, passed the court ", house,
Jail was reached. 1t was then about hall
past twelve O'Clock, and the villagers, ex-
cept a few curious night hawks, whose keen
scent kept them awake, were in deep sleep.
The column halted in front of the jail, and
wsn'y e sasd %en the the s %0ss ds step
ped forth and inspected the build
ing. The front door which opens into the
sherif's private quarters and communicates
through hallway with the body OF the jail,
was left in fine condition for
THE ENTRANCE OF THE MOB.
1t was to have been finished off with
large glass panels, but the work
had not been completed, and
one of the panels was open, leaving a
space through which a man could easily gain
access to the building. Through this, &C.
at once to the room of Sheriff Thomas, on
the second floor. They demanded
him to open his door. He. re-
fused. They brought forward crowbars, and
broke into his retreat where he was in bed
with John Windsor, one of his bailiffs. To
stand up against such desperate mob was
a fruitless undertaking, but Thomas met bis
duty face to face like man, resist
ing the lawless incursion to the best
OF bis ability. They searched his pockets,
found the keys, and, on his refusing, with
an oath like Ethan Aliens, to unlock the
culprit's cell, they proceeded to the work on
their own hook. By the means OF one key
they gained entrance into the body of the jail
on the ground floor, and by means of a
lantern, searched around for their prey,
The Jail is so constructed that all the cells
can be locked and unlocked at the same
time, by means OF a lever which is worked
below. This the crowd did rot understand,
and when Keemer's cell was found
on the second floor at the head of the iron
stair case to the left, the crowbar was again
brought into use. A few moments sutnced
to break the bolts. While the working was
going on, the negro made no signs of
resistance. He was lurking for his
prey like a panther, prepared to spring on
the first man who passed the door, A large
iron bar was in his cell, and seiZing it at tue
proper moment he sprung forward with the
strength of despair and brought it down
on the head of the first intruder.
The injuries must have been Sc
we're, for blood can be plainly seen at the
door of the cell; but the work went on.
The negro was dubbed and bound end car
ried down stairs, where the rest were wait
ing with the wagon to give him
HIS LAST RIDE.
When all was in readiness, the column
marched forward, retrscing It's steps
through the main street, and proceeded to
the fair grounds, where the guards
joined the party, and the deed was
soon finished. A rope was thrown
over a rafter of Floral Hall and tied around
the villains neck when the wagon was
backed in. He simply said, "Men, you are
doing wrong" and them submitted sto-
idly to his dreadful tate. The wagon
was driven out from under him, he swung
at the ropes end, his feet only a few inch
es from the ground, and at the end of twen-
ty minutes he was dead, dead, dead. His
crime had been expiated. When the deed
was over the chief pinned on to
the Negroes shirt the following
LAwLEss VERDICT.
SIT is the verdict of 16O men of Hancock,
Rush and Shelby that his life is Inadequate
to meet the demands OF Justice
Then the leader turned to the vic.
lent ranks and said: "Whoever dis
closes what has occurred here this night
meets the same fate at the same place
whether he be white or black. This is done
to protect the honor of our wives, and we
believe God will justify us in the deed"
The work ofthe night was over, and moth
| ing more remained but for the chleftaln Of
the gang to dispense the mysterious and
nameless clans. As the order was given and
| carried into effect, the ranks relaxed a little
| in that rigid discipline which had been fol-
lowed throughout, and began to warn the
awe stricken by-standers OF the town against
lming near, or following them in
the hope of satisfying curiosity.
| 1t required but little to secure decorum on
| the part of the unmasked spectators. The mob
was allowed to dispense without any demand
for a countersign, and soon the whole CON-
pany had deserted their lynching ground,
| leaving the negro dangling with his feet Just
|
been used was new one and gave with the
weight of the victim. In order
to make the whole affair con-
sist, some one had dug
the ground up for several inches under the
dead mans feet so that the body might have
clear sweep. During the night Keemer
hung at the ropes end. and the body was
not removed till early in the morning. II
was taken to the undertaker's on Main
street and Coroner Harrison L. Cooper
promptly opened
| THE INQUEST.
An inquest was held by the coroner at II
o'clock on Saturday morning, at the fail
grounds, in Greenfield. The following is
the testimony of the witnesses then and
there examined before said coroner and
| jury, which was then and there reduced to
/ writing. John Windsor, being
/ dnlz swnrn testified "a fnllnXs