The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1878-10-17
Lynch Law I'm Indiana.

A correspondent of the c ~ncinnati Gazette
writes from M. Vernon, Ind, October IL:
Four negroes were hung by a mob to-
night at eleven o'clock.
On Monday seven negroes went TO ahouse
of i'll fame and ravished four white women.
F. Four were arrested yesterday, and at three
O'Clock this morning Ed. Hayes and Oscar
Tnomas went to the house of Daniel Harris
to arrest his son for being concerned in the
crime. Harris opened his window and
fired two barrels of a gun into Thomas's face
and stomach, killing him. hayes returned
the fire with a revolver, and shot Harris in
the neck and arms.
Harris ran and was -overtaken about a
mile from the house and returned to Jail.
AS morning came the matter was dis
cussed. Crowds gathered at the public
square and attempts were made to force the
Jail. The mob organized and boarded the
train to prevent militia or officers coming
from abroad, the crowd ali the time growing
and reports spreading of the death of
Thomas, who was well liked.
The widest of rnmors spread through
the city, and the mob became more and
more excited. About noon the colored boy
was driven through the square and fired al.
He got two shots in the back and head, but
was not seriously hurt.
As evening approached the mob withdrew
to the woods west of the town, organized,
masked, and waited till ten o'clock, and
then marched into town, like the
Ku Klux, secretly and in good order. The
Jail was guarded by men with shotguns and
one piece of artillery: but the guards were
quickly overpowered, and Hayes, Deputy
Sheriff, thrown down, and the keys taken
away, while the mob and crowd fired guns
and revolvers, SO as to create a panic.
The four rayishers, William Chambers.
James Good, J.F Hopkins, and Ed. War
rem, were locked in one cell. Sledge ham
mers we're used to break it in, and while the
noise of the hammers sounded old Harris
was butchered in the corridor by relations
of his victim, and the pieces thrown down
"a privy vault unknown to the outside crowd
After a half hours work the bars gave
way andfour strapping negroes were led out
bound, and ropes placed round their necks
Members of the mob formed guards on eaef
side of the doomed men, and marched tx
the south side of the square. The rope.
were thrown over limbs, and the four wert
swung up at once, two on a Tree.
Chambers limb broke, and he fell to thu
ground. He was lifted up, and asked to tel
all he knew, but protested innocence. Tit
leaders said, "Let him swing" and the rop'
was thrown over the stump of the broker
limb, and he was run up. He scratched
heavily against the trunk as he went.
Not a cry escaped either one; not a plea
nor scarce a struggle.
During the firing Alex. Crunck, Sheriff
elect, wa accidentally shot in the eye, ant
viii lose it. John Crunck, his nephew
Alb. Crunck, his brother, and John Patter
son, master builder, were also shot &C
cidentally.
Before the mob adjourned from the gray,
a rumor got out that old Harris had es
capped, but little by little it came out, an,
now it is publicly announced that he wa
slaughtered.
Harris has been known as a fair char
acter, but it seems yesterday he said no on
could take his boys, and ne bought am
munition to kill any one who should tr
it. After his arrest he snid he though
the officers were roughs, robbine his house
All the others were bad cases. One ha,
recently returned from prison, and sine
then had tried to commit rape upon a re
! spectacle lady near here.