The New York herald., 1878-10-15
THE LYNCHED NEGROES.

GREAT EXCITEMENT IN MOUNT vEnHoN-THE
DISAPPEARANCE OF HARRIS MYSTERY
THE THEORIES OF ESCAPE AND MURDER.
IBy TELEGRAPH TO THE HtRALD.]
EVANSVILLE, Ind, Oct. IA, 1878.
The Mount Vernon reign OF terror Is not over yet
although violent outrage has been committed.
The mob which did such bloody work Friday main
ganzation and has virtual possession
OF the town. Several negroes have been arrested
On the charge Of being members Of organizations
for attacking and burning the town, but they were
all released to-day Several notorious negroes re.
csived orders 70 leave. and all dead walls vere
posted bills. three inches square. reading -"rramps,
leave. Vigilance" or the negro population OF $50
not more than fity remain. The men all
disappeared Friday aud Saturday INTO the
woods. and the wives and children followed In
every train and boat with all their household goods
and furniture. Tho situation that crisis where
afraid tag to each other on this topic for
fear something will be said which s tabooed. Many
OF tho mob known, but Il Is recognized danger
GUS TO hint as this
WHERE Is DAN HARRIsf
The mystery the fate OF old Dan Harris
Is stl unexplained. II Is apparent that the members
OF the mob inclined, on second thought, 10 give
out the tnat he escaped but tho night Of the
iynching tue recognized leader said that Harris
gone, but gone whore would trouble any body
again. The investigation OF the jail IN the company
Of the Sheriff to-day shows that II would be impossl
bio have disposed Of tho body II had been up
In the corridor and the absence OF blood marks dis
poses Ol that report.
The theory OF the escape as folows:-Tho jail il
nero iron cage OF Six coils, with u corridor sur
rounding three sides; the rear side closing up 10
wall side, plank leans from the window ledge
the top OF the cell cage, above which latn aud
plaster ceiling, broScn IN large holes, and from
Inc attic thus formed broken plank at
climb down protruding stones. When the
guards were Withdrawn from the cell one
lot cut minute before the mob came 10 THO door.
When no lott Harris hc was lying on his pallet sick
minutes elapsed before The mob got into tho corridor
and in that time II Is supposed that Harris made his
escape as described, weak and crippled though no
was About this time man suddenly appeared In
he strosl that OF the Jail II tor iito,
pursued by men who shot hlm.
HARRIs AwAYf
prominent gentleman VINO WAS a. that spot, but
declines the or his namc Tor prudential reasons
states that tho fugitive not Harrs but appeared
10 be ot the mob, and the whole proceeding
Q ionL Tue man ran several squares through
tho premises OF citizens Mrs. Curtis, wife Of tho
County CLERK; Mrs. siann and Mrs. Judge Edison,
all saw him, und describe man that would answer
for Harris, although the mob In sight and
posed Of q number Of young men, who did not over
tako MIN, although hc was crippled and weak from
sxcep, Of she start OF The race but this
rendered moro Important by the tact thas tho mob
hungsrod especially ior the iie Of Harris and woad
capped during the evening. Another feint OF this kind
was certainly mado and an imaginary fugitive pur-
sucd carriage toll OF armed men drove away just
alter the mob entered, and another just before tho
four prisoners were hanged. the organization Of
came with tho inteuiaon Of Killing Harris Il IS
absurd 10 suppose that no sscapoa. The theory
OF those who believe he was murdered
that these feints made to misead tho crowd
and that whom all Iha spectators had 1ocked TO. the
soiec. number Of The mob no wero wanting 70 take
Harris lite carried MIN out TO the carriage. which
driven rapidly wss. a. ~ hard gailop. as number
with horrible torture somewhere IN tho woods 1t
supposed that he was burned or SHOT II Is certain
that he has disappeared.
STORY
To ada TO the my slihcat,on maniac namod Hicks,
who confined 10 Inc cell facing Harrs' pallet, has
lucid Intervals aud has been break
ing the jail. He declares that Harris tho
pallet when inc mob entered aud tramplsd ON tho old
man, who begged them TO desist, una that thoy
crowded between him ana Harris nnd whom the mob
confined for petit larceny tells the same story
that be did not hear Rroans from Harrs Inquiries
IN all quarters OF Mount Vernon result only IN Devil.
dermsnl
LOOKING YoR THE OLD MAN.
All this forenoon mounted mcu have boen securing
the country for old Dan Harris. Tns sheriff issued
tho following card to-day:-
thoosand dollars reward will be paid for the appre
% he rh q S. bs
BE- pad delivery os
Thon follows q description or the man. The belief
that Jen Hopkins was innocent and could prove
unOI was caused Oy tue mlSunderstandlng oil attOr-
neys and Witnesses and II elected To-day that
had made confession to G. l. Prosscr. old citi-
zen and his former employer in which he had
mtted his presence in tho party that committed the
outrage on the women, and that no accom-
phce In tho murder OF Aolio McCooL There
seems no doubt Of the guilt or The four
men Iyncnod, witn tho exception OF Ed. Warner,
who was pew comcr, and about whom little Is
known. Old Harrs' claim that he thought the odi-
Gers werc mob OF enemies " sustained. Marshal
Hayes says that on the night before /. Romas was
K,lied Henry Jones and George Daniels. tho
two whito men. accom- panied by Others
wont TO Harria' house and wero driven
away, threatening 10 return next night and tako
a bloody veoRcanca This agrees with Harris' state
ment In Jail the night when the officers won't to
HAYES; tho only man whose appearance was distinc-
tive had gone TO tho back OF The house, Thomas
shot In tho front. The testimony on this polns
is sucn that any court would reduce the crime to
mansaughter on the theory that Harris thought his
enemies had returned by stealth 10 carry out their