The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1886-01-20
A SHERIFF'S PLUCK
Prevents the IynChing Of holy Epps by
Bloomfield, Indiana, Mob.
He Was Taken to vincennes Where Another
Attempt to Hang Him Was Frustrated
by the Jailer-A Speedy Trial
Promised.

BLOOMFIELD, Ind, via BLoOMIS6IoN, Ind, Jan.
1.-THE little town of Bloomfield, situated in
Green County, and not connected with the other
world either by telegraph or telephone, was the
scene of the widest excitement Thursday night,
three different attempts being made to lynch
Holly Epps, the negro murderer, but each were
thHarted by the bold Sheriff at the
pistols point Yesterdays dispatches
stated that Epps was in Jail, awaiting
a preliminary examination All day on the street
could be seen little knots OF cOuntrymen excited
" talking in low tone that would die into
murmur when a stranger approached, and then
the crowd dispersed. By O'Clock it was evident
from the number of hOrsemen arriving from the
vicinity OF SOlsberry what the result OF the night
would be: nor was the Sheriff to be deceived 10y
The organization that was going on about him, but
quietly had the proper papers made out for the
removal Of the prisoner 10 Vineennes for safe
keeping Everything was in readiness when the
indignant crowd discovered the plot. In an in
slant the vehicle was surrounded, awaiting the
appearance OF the wretch who had so
cruelty murdered their neighbOr and
froze1 feet faf II was the Intention 10 SEE him
As he was being carried from the JAIL but so unex-
peetsd had been the discovery OF his intended
removal that there was no time TO organize
Hardly had they collected themselves when the
Sheriff, with cooked revolver in his hand, walked
ont the murderer Immediately behind him, car
Tied by three men The one that interferes is a
dead man. " said the officer OF She law, and show
ing the weapon in his hand The negro praying
for mercy from the crowd, was tumbled into the
buggy and the horses in gallOp carried the muir
derer 10 the south. The excitement knew no
bounds The VILLAIN was gone before they knew
10. But the indignant crowd were not to be put at
bay, and started q second time for the prey.
The command was given 70 get horses and fOl-
low the prisoner at once The mob broke for the
livery stables, ana those tnat had horses soon
were in readiness, eXcitedly riding up and down
the streets, though at time there any
bOisterOus action. IN less than ten minutes the
hOrsemen were of, and as fast as they could go,
making for swift City, the nearest railroad point
In half hour they returned, more indignant
than ever, having taken the wrong road, il now
being known that the escaping Sheriff. with his
prisoner, was fast heading for NewbeTry, in an
other direction The fury OF the men was only
increased, and though daunted, they were not to
be kept from avenging the Death of DObsOn.
At this instant the Coroner arrived from an ex-
animation of the remains OF DObsOn. and for n
Pretext il was decided TO issue warrant Tor
Rps examination, TO be held in Bloomfield the
next morning. though the real object was 10 get
the negro in their own hands This was al IL
o'clock, and the excitement was intense. few
OF the leaders held consultation, and il was de
cided TO start for him third time, the idea being
country where the Sheriff father lived. It was
after y o'clock when they started, determined TO
capture him. They soon discovered that the
murderer had passed the place in the country and
was on his way to Newberry. But still
more determined than ever, they kept
up their wild nightride through the cold and
rain though it was a distance of twenty miles
Since then the negro is safe in the Vincennes
Jail.
The cooler Judgment of the town did everything
TO discourage the mob. but il was OF no avail
Word was received late that Mrs DObson'S cOnd-
ton was growing dangerous, and this added fuel
10 the flames. II now appears that she is very
badly hurt and may not recover. Her breast and
head are injured, she was so badly chOked. Unless
she dies there will likely be more trouble with
the Vigilance Committee, as court meets in Feb
Tuary, and speedy trial is promised. Epps to
the last denies injuring the woman
Later-NOrd has just reached here from Vim
cennes that a masked mob appeared at the jail
this morning. in which Holly Epps, the negro,
who killed Farmer DOdsOn. is confined, and de-
manded the keys from the Jailer. The latter
fused 10 give them up, and the mob then at
tempted % batter down the jail door so that they
might obtain Epps and had hang him. The door,
however, withstOOd the blows directed against it
and the mob dispersed. 1t is stated that they will
return tonight with largely increased members
and make q second attempt to get at the muir
derer. The sheriff in the meanwhile will en-
deavOr to move Epps 10 Evansville, Ind, where
be viii be safer than al Nincennes.