The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-07-10
History of the Murder for Which He Was
Hanged and His Father and Brothers
Lynched-Effort for Communication.
Something About the Jackson County
Desperadoes and the Vigilantes.
The Determined and Deadly Work of Judge
Lynch Nearly Twenty Years Ago-Twelye
Men Hanged in as Many Months.
THE ARCHER HANGING.

THE ARCHER HANGING.
The Last of the Orange County Desperadoes
Executed Yesterday at Shoals.
Special to the Indianapolis journal
SHOALS, Ind, July 9.-Sam Archer, the last
of the notorious band of desperadoes, was exc
cuted at 1:l6 P. NJ to-day in the presence of
about 600 peace officers His Department. for the
last few days, and on the eallows, has been the
source of much remark He spent his last night
almost as usual, receiving friends and visitors
until late hour. A most touching scene was
the parting between him and his heart broken
mother. sisters and brother.
He retired at 2 o'clock, sleeping soundly until
this morning, when he arose, addressed his at
tendants with genial good morning, and par
took of light breakfast at o'clock. The
death warrant was read to him immediately be-
fore II o'clock, when the rites of baptism of the
Catholic Church were administered. After l P.
NJ. he was told that his time had come, when his
arms were bound securely behind him, and the
march to the gallows, situated Immediately
southeast OF his cell, was begun. The procession
passed through the rear door Of the corridor
and was headed by Fathers Fitzpatrick and
Slaven; following them were the sheriff and
prisoner who needed no assistance whatever.
He was stationed on tie trap, and the moose
placed about his neck. His limbs were bound
securely and the black cap adjusted. In q
twinkling the lever was pulled, and his body
hung suspended. No writhing signs of pain
were noticeable. He died from strangulation
without uttering a word. He was pronounced
dead at the end of the eighth minute of his
suspension, but was left swinging until 2:08
when the body was cut down, placed in the cof-
fin prepared for it, and turned over to his
friends The body was removed to the home Of
his mother. The remains will be buried to-
morrow.
Sam Archer was convicted of murder in the
first degree last January, being charged with
completely in the brutal murder of Samuel A.
Bunch on the 11th Of July, 1882 After the per-
petration of the deed he avoided the authorities
very successfully until his whereabouts was re-
vealed by the coward of the gang. John ID.
Lynch, who was then arrested and lodged in Jail
here The abstract of the crime, as related by
Lynch in his confession. is as follows:
On the Sd of July. 1882, Sam Marley and Matt
Archer got into difficulty, resulting in the
fatal shooting of Archer by Marley. This en-
ragged the older Archers. as they were called,
very much, and they determined to punish
Marley at the first opportunity, and to ac-
complish this end they organized
themselves into gang of six members, viz:
Tom, Mart, John and Sam Archer, John d.
Lynch and Dave Crane. Mart was chosen cap
tain and adviser. The work of ferreting out
the hiding place of Marley began. Bunch's
house was guarded constantly, as suspicion
rested on him as the one who was aiding Marley
to escape. This espionage did not reveal the
desired information, and the Archers resolved to
kill Bunch if he refused to reveal Marley;s hid
ing-place. They met on the afternoon
Of July IL, 1882, near the home OF their
victim. and sent Dave Crane to decoy
him into the woods, where they would
meet him. This was easily done by tell
ing him that the hogs were devouring
his corn in a distant field. All worked well as
per arrangements, the victim was seized with
out warning and securely bound to await the
action of their council He lay in this condition
until dusk, when the whole party formed in line
with the captive and began their march to Salt
petre cave, in Orange county This long and
lonesome march was pursued through the dense
thickets, and, guided only by the dim light OF
one lantern, the whole distance of nine miles
was not covered until midnight, when the
now blood stained cave was reached This
is merely an opening the rocks, large enough
to admit the body of man, which
leads in its winding way to larger apartment,
Its location is near the head of dark ravine and
is scarcely ever trodden by man. They made
short halt before entering, which time was spent
in examining and loading their weapons, after
Il,
teranean cavern, and proceeding to its most re-
mote apartment There the prisoner was seated
and ordered by the spokesman to tell the where
abouts Of Marley or he should die The prison
er answered, in low and faltering tones: II
know not where Marley is" This again
enraged the whole band, when the cap
tain remarked, 1--WE will settle him.
and ordered all weapons in readiness
and at the word all must fire with deadly aim at
the bound captive, who was seated Immediately
in al ho ua ccyivo md civ
teen shots rang out clear and strong, which indi-
Gated that the bloody deed was completed This,
however, did not satisfy the blood-thirsty cap
tain. He advanced near their bleeding victim,
placed his revolver near his head ard fired spar-
tering the rocky walls with blood and brains.
This satisfied the gang that one man, at least,
was disposed OF, and they now entertained hopes
that Marley could be captured. After the killing
they dispersed.
Meanwhile search was being made for
Bunch by his friends, which, of course,
proved frultless. Lost river was thoroughly
dragged and other information concerning him
sought for until the murderers became alarmed
lest the cave might be visited and the secret re-
vealed On the 18th of the same month the cave
was visited by the gang, who had filled them
selves with gunpowder and whiskey to Withstand
the terrible stencil Of the remains. A box was
provided and the remains of Samuel Bunch were
rolled into it and carried through the small
opening and deposited On a large brush heap
some distance from the cave, where the whole
was thoroughly saturated with oil and
the torch applied. This rude cremation was
kept up for several days and nights. each one in
turn standing guard and adding sufficient fuel to
keep it blazing After this work was ended, a
tree was felled over the blackened spot to hide
the crime.
Little information concerning the fate of the
missing man could be learned until the deserted
wife of John Archer, who had taken refuge in
the county poor asylum, gave sufficient evi-
dence concerning the deed to cause the arrest of
the older Archers for murder. They re-
manned .in the Jail only a short time
until a mob threatened them, when they
were hastened off to Daviess county for
safety. The prisoners remained there brt
short time when they expressed desire
to return to Shoals, which was granted The
excitement over the appearance of the mob had
somewhat abated, when the lynchers made