The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-19
JUDGE LYNCH AT VINCENNESI
Holly Epps, the Murderer of James Dob
son, HangedbyaGreeneC County Mob.
The Doors of the Jail Battered Down and the
Prisoner Executed in the Courthouse
4ard-Epps's Hideous Crime.

MS terrlDle crime at the HANDS or Judge Lyncn,
and his carcass hangs suspended in the court
house yard at this hour. 2 o'clock A. NJ. Rumors
that Judge Lynch would yet do his fatal work
were rife on the streets all day Sunday, but no
one paid any attention to the gossip, and it was
generally considered that the Greene county Wig
lance committee would not visit vengeance on
Holly Eppss head while confined in the Vim
cennes jail, but that he would be summarily
strung up whenever taken back to Greene
county. However, this proved not to be the
case.
At about 1850 this morning a crowd of masked
men, numbering from twenty to thirty, carrying
sledge-hammers and various other implements,
were seen marching like silent specters through
the suburbs of the city down Sixth street,
toward the Jail. Their masks were nothing
more than bandanna handerchiefs, but each face
was SO carefully covered that Identification was
impossible. They marched steadily and silently
down Seminary street, then down Seventh, and
reached the courthouse yard. Here they saw
two policemen. The leader of the gang ap-
preached those official dignitaries of the peace
and welfare of the community, and peremptorily
ordered them to go home. The policemen disap-
peared as suddenly as if by magic.
Stationingm masked ~sentinels at each corner of
the grounds the greater part of the gang entered
the Jail yard and walked stealthily up toward
the portico of the sherif's residence Not a
sound could be heard save the shutting of a
score of feet. The lynchers stood back while
the leader of the vigilance committee raped on
the door. The sound re-echoed on the still
night air, but not a murmur from within the
sheriff's residence. The leader knocked again
and again, but no sound or response issued from
within. Finally. however, with founder rap
pings and iercer calling, Sheriff Seddlemyer
was aroused. and coming to the door, called out
| from within: sWho's thereg"
1--WE want you to open the door, and let us in.
We are friends. and want to get in. We want to
see you,p answered the leader in calm and steady
tones. There was no mistaking that voice.
But what do you want to see me for9" asked
Sheriff Seddlemyer.
w want to see you. and talk to you"
II can't let you in tonight, gentlemen" de-
cidedly answered the sheriff.
but we must get in" nswer the leader.
"We propose to have the black carcass of the
niger who murdered poor old farmer Dobson
up in Greene county, and If you won't let us in
we will get in anyhow"
"You can't come in here" spoke the sheriff de-
terminedlv, sand if you try to break in you will
violate the law, and lay yourselves liable to
criminal prosecution"
From the tone of the sheriff's voice it was
plain to be seen that he was laboring under ire
mendous excitement.
tWell, here COOS then" at last decided the
leader. Boys, get ready" and at these words
bang went q great sledge-halnmer against the
pine door. With two or three blows the door
was smashed to splinters, and literally knocked
off its hinges. Entering the hallway, the lynch
ing party struck a light, rushed into the parior,
grabbed Sheriff s~eddlemyer and pushed him
into an adjoining room, slammed the door in
his face, and gruffiy ordered him to keep quiet
and stay in his room. The lynchers made for
the huge iron doors, and commenced the work
of b~etterIag them down. This was the most
difficult part of the whole performance, and
fully half an hour elapsed before they succeeded
in loosening the locks enough to admit them.
They entered the Enclosure, soon got into Epps's
cell, and grabbed the black fend by his woody
head and unceremoniously jerked him from his
bed. Epps yelled and howled like a maniac at
sight Of the men who had come to take mis- life,
bat a slap in the mouth silenced him, and as
they dragged him into the gaslight, in the hall
way of the jail, it seemed as though he had
turned white with fear.
The lynchers did not fool with him long. They
marched him out into the street, tied a rope
around his neck and jerked him along on the ice
and snow, compelling him to walk on his frozen
feet, until they reached the Courthouse grounds,
a few yards off. There they entered, and to the
nearest tree they went and threw the rope over
the strong limb and twenty pairs of hands hauled
the murderer from the ground. Epps kicked,
s%quirmed and grabbed hold of the rope above
him, but the lynchers knocked his hands away.
His groans were terrible to hear, and shocked
the spectators beyond measure. AT lbs Epps was
pulled up, and for fully fifteen minutes he strug-
gled for life. when death came to his relief. He
was strangled, and, as he hangs now in the
courthouse yard, he presents a frightful spec
tacle Of the vengeance of Judge Lynch.
The courtyard, by the time the lynching-bee
was over, was filed to overlooking with specta-
tors. Scores came from every direction. and as
soon as the vigilantes dispersed the crowd rushed
forward for bits of rope and pieces of Epps's
clothing. At 2:30 o'clock the body is still dang
ling in the air beneath the tall courthouse
tower. and the crowd grows larger and larger.
Sheriff Seddlemeyer is completely used up with
excitement ana anxiety. and is said to be i'll.
Prosecuting Attorney Axtell Sunday came down
from Greene county and had made all arrange
ments TO take Epps back IN the morning. He
was called up, and is now viewing the body as it
swings from the limb of a tree. Epps has car
i rled his case to a higher court.
The Crime for Which He Was Punished.
The crime for which justice was thus sum-
marty melted out was the murder of James
Dobson, a farmer, who. with his wife, lived near
the little town of Solesberry, in Greene county,
about fifteen miles from Bloomington. The
crime was one of the most fendish ever commit
ted in this State, and its horror is added to by
the fact that the old couple with whom he lived,
Mr.. and Mrs. Dobson, had taken a peculiar in
terest in the fellow owing to his pretensions of
piety. The old couple had no children, and
about FIVE months ago they hired Holly Epps,
a very black, very big and very brutal-looking
negro.
He did his work we'll, and was apparently a
faithful servant and worthy OF the trust they
reposed in him. He never gave cause for COM
plant. He evinced a great desire to learn to
read, and his employer volunteered to teach
him..
the fire with the negro, listening to the fellow
making an effort to read a chapter in the Bible.
1t was quite late when they retired, and there
] WAS no hint of any evil dasign on thu nart of the