The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-04-23
THE WHITE GAPS.
Secret Disciplinary Organization working
Without Regard to Law.

Secret Disciplinary Organtxation Working
Without Regard Law
St. Louis Post Dispatch.
Mr.. l. Drake. the Southern travelling agent
of the Missouri Pacific Railway at Louisville.
was telling some friends to-day what he knew
aboat the White Caps" 1t is peculiar or
gan,zation and has existed for number of
years in southern Indiana. It is based largely
on the old Ku-kux plan. and one OF the drst
principles of the order is 20 allow negroes to
stay in the territory ruled by it. While, there
fore, there are thousands OF negroes around the
section of Indiana where the White Caps oper-
ate, and thousands OF them further south in
Kentucky, not negro Is to be found among
the White Caps, and not negro who knows
anything about them could be induced TO 60
where they ara.
The negroes having been driven out of their
section of country, the White Caps act now az
vigilantes, exactly as the vigilantes act In the
far West when such committees exist Their
self-constituted mission In TO discipline unruly
and worthless members of the community
Their mower is absolute because they are appar-
entity merciless. and their operations are con.
Quoted with perfect secrecy. Not word - ever
heard as who constitute the band nor ms to
when and where they will strike next man
could go and live among the people who must
must be made up OF local mon, and not word
is ever heard As 30 the identity of anyone con-
nected with item nor ms to their operations.
When man iR disciplined he says nothing for
fear of his lifs. and skips ont.
For the most part the action of the White
Caps 10 not governed az all by motives of private
When man proves himself to be worthless and
won't work; when he drinks to excess habltually
and ill-treats bis family, If be is suspected to
be bad character or TO be a thief, or if wom-
an comes under the same condemnation, the
man or the woman is sure to be visited by the
White Caps, and if one does not heed the warn
ing one will have cause TO remember that he or
she aid not.
Warning is always given. and the method OF
giving II is peculiar. When a man has come
under White Cap condemnation he will find
some morning little sprig branch cut from
a tree lying on his doorstep. The sprig is large
enough and IT is placed with care enough to let
the owner know that It put there in some
other way than by the wind. This 10 the first
warning and means go at once. If the warning
10 not needed and the man continues in his ways
he is sent a telling him that he must leave
the country at once, by order of the White Caps,
and il this second warning is not needed the
time for action has arrived
The White Caps at some time and place, no
one apparently knows when where have
ranged their plans and meet at some appointed
SPOT at a certain time masked SO as not to be
recognizable and armed and ready for business.
They go to the home of the offender. take him
out and give him a whipping, the lash being laid
with strong arms and III q way that leads the
victim to wish he had never known southern
Indiana. After the number of lashes agreed up
on have been laid on the victim is released, I'M
der promise TO leave the country. IL he still
persists he will be found some morning hanging
to the limb of tree. Killing. however, is I'M
necessary. as the whipping always accom- Pushes
the object AS matter OF fact. that the
determination Of the men in known the warning
is sufficient When q man is told to go in the
customary way he stays not on the order of his
going. but goes
While the White Caps are as work. although
it ay be known wher they will visit town
or that they have warned victim, they are
never molested and no one knows any thing
about them. 1t has come to be recognized that
it ia not safe for worthless characters TO fool
around where the White Caps Even the
law SENS to be powerless TO prevent their OPP
erations. it is impossible to secure evidence.
Either the people are restrained by connection
with the organization or by fear of il. No VIC
tira of it would dare to wait to testify in court.
as he would probably be unable to answer when
he was called. The public sentiment favors it.
Several at tempts have been made to have the
organization brought ND in court. but without
success. Until some great outrage occurs to
arouse the people against them. as in southwest
Missouri, the organization will continue