St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-11-26
REIGN OF TERROR.
A Band of Robbers Travelling Through
Southern Indiana
Stealing Large Sums Of Money and Beating
Their Victims
Ispeela. TeIegrarn . the Globe /

ticulars OF the depredations OF the gang OF
midnight marsucers who have been
operating in Crawford and Orange counties
few miles southeast of here, inaugurating
a reign OF terror little known or experienced
in a civilized country like this, and which
would serve TO make an appropriate chapter
Of life on the frontier rather than one Of real
experience in southern Indiana.
FOf a long time there has been gang o
criminals in the section Of southern Indiana
composing Orange, Crawford. Pike and d.
bois counties, who have made life a burden
TO many Of our law-abiding citizens and
whose diabolical depredatiOus would make, as
they bring, as good chapter in the history
OF crime as the reader would
desire. There have not been any
railroads in the counties above mentioned
until within the past few years, and cut
throats, banditti aud counterteiters were en-
abled TO play their games to perfection with
without fear OF capture OF detection. The
country Is very well settled, but is many
years behind the times, and sometimes the
people are compelled to suffer IN
dignity at the hands Of the
rufiians who infest the bsekwoOds without
any hope Of beinging the criminals TO justice,
and / make a truthful statement.when say
that the state of lawlessness In that quarter
is such as To make the organization and
maintenance Of vigilant commissioners an
absolute and imperative necessity.
Herring uncertain rumors Of the depreda-
tions Of these modern bandits, your cores
pondent took particular pains 10 learn the
facts. The locality more particularly snnoyeC
/ by these VILLAINS includes Greenfield town
ship, in Orange county, and Patoka town
ship, Crawford county.
One evening the banditti entered the resi-
dence OF Jon ithan Flick, a well to do farmer
who lives in Orange county near the Craw-
ford comfy line, and demanded bis money.
There were four In the band and all OF them
were muffied up and disguised in such a way
as to defy identity. Mr.. FlicL
peremptorily refused 10 give up his
money, but they bulldozed and abused hin.
until be was compelled to do so. he CAV
up all the cash there was in the house-Ovv.
8, 1000, which the robbers carried OF wit
them. Shortly afterwards the same gam
frightened Mrs. Hubbs, widow In the sam,
locality, nearly to death. They threatened L
kill her and cut her in pieces
she would not reveal where her money wa
hidden, and, parslized With fear she allowe
them TO carry of $500 Of her cash.
The boldest raids made by this gang, how
ever, were in Patoka township, Crawfor,.
few days ago, the robbel
appeard in Patoks township an
commenced their high handed outragcs. II
was just at supper time. They raidrd IL
house Of Mr.. Geo Patton first, and fouu
that gentleman seated at a table. The fam
fly was overcome with terror, AID those wh,
could ger away fed TO q plale Of safety
Grabbiog Mr.. Patton TO prevent his eseap
revolvers were placed at his head, and th
leader demanded all the money be had OF
the premises. The bold bandit declared b,
knew where Mr.. Patton's money Was bidder
and swore he would kill Patton on the SD,
If he did not give it up. "We know wher
your money Is but we want YOU (,
get it for US and save US trouble, ,
said the scoundrel and heartless cutthroat (,
Patton, and, although almost dead with ter
in cold blood, MIR. Patton finally refused {,
give them any information or get the money
and told them that they could not have hi
money aud he begged them to 90 ava
and leave him and his family alone. His de-
fiance maddened the robbers, aud with oath,
and Impressions they pounced upon tn,
defeuseless farmer, grabbed him by the throd
and beat and kicked him and thre,
him on the floor. Then they again d.
manded the money aud Mr.. Patton heroicall,
refused anC defcd them. The robbers re
peated the brutal treatment several times N
Ill finally Mr.. Patton, almost dead, begge
them 10 desist. He then gave the villain
$500 and tried to put them of with that, bu
they would not listen 10 Il snt
only laughed at him for hi
palms. You have got MOI
than this" the leader said angrily, sand "
know IT, You must 90 to the barn and &c
that S400 in gold that you have hidden ava,
there in the hay lOft.'' Er. Patton said d
had given them all he had anl they couldn't
get any more. With this the ruiIans kuocke,
the farmer down again, and, half uneon
scious, dragged him to the barn, where the,
took the gold aud, counting il out befor
their victim, divided Il among them. Il
this way they plnndered Mr.. Patton OF 5000
Mr.. Pattou says he was injured SO badly tia
he has but faint idea o
what occurred from the time IL
robbers dragged him out OF the hous
until after they had gone aud he recovere,
his daZed senses. MIR. Patton is 4 well-to-d,
farmer Of considerable promineuce snd We.
respected by bis neighbors.
The same night, few hours after raicin:
Mr.. Paiton's home. their gang went to tn.
farm residence Of Mr. Alex. Brown, a.
OLD resident in the neighborhood, and af;el
treating him as bTutaiiy IS Mr.. Patton
they forced Mr.. Brown TO give up sTOO, a
the money that could be found about th,
premises. Mr.. and Mrs. Brown are quit
old and feeble. and these Infamous Thieves
took all they had, which leaves the aseC
couple in 4 destitute and unfortunate con
ditIon with winter coming on.
Il is supposed that these robbers are th,
same villains who recently raided the home
of Marshal Wright and Mrs. Easley, of Eng
lish, Crawford county. To say the least, tn,
neighborhood in which these depreciation
have occurred Is in constant stat
Of fear and agitation lest the scoundrel
should perpetrate more Of their infalnou
outrages. This outbreak of lawlessness 1
equsled only by the desperate raids of th
James gang. The authorities ar
nouplussed and puzzled and sr
fearful that the plunderin.
win continue. 1t is impossible. it seems, Il
capture the scoundrels, although Orang
county offers $500 reward for the arrest o