The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-11-28

now in training for our next auditor for two
terms, and il he succeeds, at the end of his
terms will have held Office in this county
and city twenty-five years. MACK.
Sensational Revelations Regarding Famous
Jackson County Tragedies.
Seymour Special.
Seventeen years ago there occurred in Sey-
mour one of the most bloodcurdling and
mysterious murders ever committed in this
part of Indiana. There were subsequently
three other murders committed, caused di-
rectly by the first murder. For the past sew
enteen years these murders were entirely
surrounded by the deepest mystery, and not
until the present time when the testimony
of Eliza Kemp was given, was the true histn-
ry of the crime known. A history OF the
crime, briefly given, is as follows: On the
night of jar. g. 1866 Moore Woodmansee, a
wealthy merchant of Medora came to Sey-
mour, on his way to Cincinnati. He had
1000 in cash, with which he was to pur-
chase goods He registered at the RAIDER
House for the night, and was assigned to
room No. 7. He was missed from his room,
and his disappearance was for over nine
months mystery, when, in October his
body was found in White river His head
was cut off, but the examination of several
doctors who had treated Woodmansee dur
ing life gave general verdict that it was the
remains of Woodmansee. The RAIDER House
was ransacked for supplemental evidence of
the suspected murder. After removing the
carpets in room blood-stains were found on
ba Nd of
from the stairway were discovered. Gordon
Kinney, an employe of the hotel, was sus-
pected of knowing of the murder. When
the excitement caused by the finding of the
body was at its highest an unknown man
called Kinney from his door, one night, and
as he opened the door he was shot and IN
stantly killed. Soon the unfruitful efforts
to find the murderers were abandoned.
Again, in 1872 Reuben Wheeler was NOR
tally wounded. When told be had to die,
Wheeler made a confession, stating that on
the night of Woodmansee's murder two men
had taken from the RAIDER stable the horse
and spring wagon. In the morning they re-
turned. The bottom of the wagon was COW
cred with blood. 1t was afterward taken
out and new boards placed in instead. Ra-
der was arrested for the murder but ac-
quilted, and again the affair was dark mys-
terry.
On the night of the murder dance was
being held in the dinin g-rooms of the RAIDER
House. Toward the close of the dance Sam.
Long and A. W. Flynn, both gamblers and
hard cases. left. 1t was known that Flvnn
and Woodmansee had had difficulty, and
were engaged in a lawsuit. Flvnn had
threatened to kill him, and his partner Sam.
Long said that the case should never come
10 trial 1t was also proven that they had
followed him to Seymour. After the MUIR
der these men returned to Medora. Every
time during the many years. that new evil
dence or news concerning the Wood
mansee murder was reported it was followed
by a meeting of these men. Suspicion
began to point strongly toward them.
Flynn threatened to shoot one Emery, who
had talked about him; but Emery shot first,
and instantly killed Flynn. Sam Long, the
partner, Immediately disappeared and Alden
+. Rodman, suspected accOnIplice, was one
night taken by an unknown mob and hung.
Thus, from knowing of the murder of Wood
mansee, Gordon Kinney was murdered. Reu-
ben Wheeler was mortally wounded A. W.
Flynn was shot and instantly killed, and A.
e. Rodman was hung Over seventeen years
had passed away, and the mystery of one
murder had grown into the mystery of five
still unsolved. Five of the six supposed to
have been connected with this murder have
been killed, and Sam. Long, the only one re-
manning, left in 1866 and has never since
been seen or heard of. Thus, after seventeen
years OF mystery, the murder did "out"
Yesterday there arrived in Medora a town
situated nineteen miles from this city, a
woman giving her name as Eliza Kemp, who
is now engaged an agent of dress-patterns
According to her story she is the woman
who occupied room 8, next to Woodmansee's
room, in the RAIDER House, on that fatal night
She said: ION that night | was suddenly
awakened by noise in room 7. In second
was fully awake and realized that some
one in the next room was begging for his life
l then heard: Sam, kill the d. s. Of b.
Then blow, followed by heavy fall, and a
moan or two. Then one said: He is dead,
d-n him. They then agreed to take his
body cut his head off, and throw the body
in the river. | left Seymour early in the
morning, and have never told what l heard.
1 am going to Kansas in few days, or would
not now tell what do because my life has
been threatened time and again by anony-
nous letters and in ether ways"