The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1886-01-20
LYNCH'S LARIAT
ChOkes the Life Out Of Holly Epps, the Negro
Murderer, at VincsnnsS, Indiana.
Doors of the Jail Battered in, the Prisoner
Dragged From His Cell and Strung Up
to a Tree in the Court Yard
His Crime.

Lynch, and his worthless black carcass hangs
suspended in the Courthouse yard at this
hour, 2 O'Clock a. m. 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
Vigilance Committee would not visit ven
geance on Holly Epps' head while confined
in the Vincennes 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 IL go this morning crowd of
masked men. numbering from twenty to
thirty, carrying sledge-bammers 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
handkerchief, but each face was so carefully
covered that identification was impossible
They marched steadily and silently down
Seminary street, then down Seventh, snd
reached the Courthouse yard Here they
saw two policemen. The leader of the gang
approached those official dignitaries of the
peace and welfare of the community and per
policemen disappeared as suddenly as If by
magic.
Stationing masked sentinels at each cor
ner of the grounds the greater part of the
gang entered the jail-yard and walked stealth
lily up toward the portico of the Sheriff7s
residence. Not sound could be heard save
the shutting of a score of feet The lynch
ers stood back while the leader of the Vigi-
lance Committee raped on the door. The
sound re-echoed on the still night air. bat
| not murmur from within the Sheriff's resi-
dence. The leader knocked again and again,
but no sound or response Issued from with
| in. Finally, however, with louder rappings
and fercer calling, Sheriff Seddlemyer was
| aroused, and coming to the door called out
| from within, who's there?"
Eve want you to open the door and let us
in. Wefare friends and want to get IN. We
want to see you," answered the leader in
calm and steady tones. There was no mis-
| taking that voice.
But what do you want to see me for?"
asked Sheriff Seddlemyer.
| I'VE want to see you and talk to you.n
81 can't let you in tonight, gentlemen"
| decidedly answered the Sheriff.
But we must get in" answered the leader.
eve 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 MS in we will get in anyhow
"You can't come in here" spoke the
| Sheriff determineGly, "and if you try to
| break in you will violate the law AID lay
| yourselves liable to criminal prosecution"
From the tone of the SheritfTs voice it was
! plain to be seen that he was laboring under
| tremendous excitement.
"Well, here goes then" at last decided the
leader. Boys, get ready" and at those
words bang went great sledge-hammer
| against the pine door. With two or three
blows the door was smashed to splinters, and
| 1lx- lvr,na al-a1 Of
the hall way the lynching party struck
| light, rushed into the parlor grabbed Sheriff
| Seddlemeyer and pushed him into an adjOin-
| ing room, slammed the door in his face and
| grufily ordered him to keep quiet and stay in
his room. The lynchers made for the huge
/ iron doors and commenced the work of bat
| tering them down. This was the most diff
| cult 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' cell, and grabbed the black fiend by
his woolly 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
| his life, but a slap in the mouth
silenced him, and as they dragged him into
the gaslight in the hallway of the Jail IL
seemed as though he had turned white with
| fear
The lyncbers did not fool long with him.
/ 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, few yards off. There
| they entered, and in 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,
| sQuirmed, 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 :l5 Epps was pulled up, and
for fully fifteen minutes he struggled for life,
| when death came to his relief. He was
| strangled, and as he hangs now IN the Court
house yard he presents frightful spectacle
of the vengeance of Judge Lynch.
The courtyard by the time the lynching
bee was over was full to eyerfowing with
| spectators. Scores came from every direc-
ton, and soon as the vigilantes dispersed
the crowd rushed forward for bits OF rope and
pieces of Epps' clothing. At 2:30 o'clock the
body is still dangling in the air beneath the
tall Courthouse tower, and the crowd grows
larger and larger. Sheriff Seddlemeyef is
completely used up with excitement and
anxiety, and is said to be i'll. Prosecuting
Attorney Axtell Sunday came down sfrom
Greene County and had made all arrange
ments to take EpPs back in the morning
He was called up and is now viewing the
DOuy as III SWlngS from The nulO VI Tree.
Epps has carried his case to higher court.
Epps' crime was the killing of James Dob
son, farmer residing near Salsberry, Greene
county, twelve miles from Bloomfield, Ind,
on the night of January IL. Early the
evening Mrs. Dobson had been hearing Epps
try TO read chapter in the Bible, as re-
ward for which achievement Mr.. Dobson had
promised the negro a new suit OF clothes.
Mr.. and Mrs. Dobson occupied their own
couch in the main room of the house, and
Epps slept on pallet in the same room near
the fire. A little after midnight Mrs. Dob
son was awakened by blow, and saw Epps
standing over her. She turned to wake her
husband, but he was dead, having been killed
by blow from an ak. The negro started to
jump into the lady's bed, but she resisted
him so strongly as she fought over the life
less form Of her husband that be gave up for
a moment. Then, with another desperate
effort, Epps caught her by the hair,
dragged her from the bed over the DEAD
man, and with knife in his hand threat-
ened TO Kill her II she did not submit 20 his
passion. ali the time holding her by the hair:
A fearful struggle followed, a handful OF
hair being torn from her head by the demon.