Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-06-08
THE INDIANA WHITE GAPS.
\ secret Organization with Absolute
Tower ~ Dealing with Worthless
haTHcteTs

\ secret organization with Absolute
Tower ~ healing WIN Worthless
tharncters.
The sentencing 81 the Missouri Ball Knob
bers in Southeastern Missouri calls attention
10 another organization with somewhat mi
lar organic ition ia Indiana. This is made
up Of body OF men called White Caps"
who flourish IN number Of counties in south
ern Indiana. The objects Of the two ofgani-
cations Il fer somewhat. The object at the
Bald Knobbers was to drive out new settlers
who came into the country, while that Of The
White Caps il 10 see that no lsz worthless,
ihieylng people re allowed to remain in tie
country.
Mr. l.. +. Drake, the Southern travelling
agent OF The Missouri Pacific Railway at
Louisville, was telling some friends to-day
What he knew OF the "White Caps IL II a
pecul az organ cation and has * sled for
number OF years in Southern Indiana. u Is
based largely on the ku-klux plan, aud one
OF The first principles Of the order Is IL allow
40 negroes to siaJ in the territory ruled b. H.
" hlc, therefore, there are thousands OF ne.
groes around the section Of Indiana where
the While Caps operate, aud thousands OF
them further south Ia Kentucky not negro
Is To be found among the White Caps, aud
not negro ~ no knows anything about them
could le Induced 10 20 where they are
The negroes having been driven out Of their
section at couutr the White Caps act now a.
yig'lauies. cXHet,N as the Wig lantes act In the
Far West - hen such committees tx -. Their
self cons titutcd IA ssiOn is 10 discipline un-
ruiy aud worthless, members II the commits
Their over is absolute because they are APP
IairullY meICiless, and their o, crni ious are
conducted with perfect scCrccN. Not word
Is ever heard a. 10 no constitute he band,
nor as 10 When and where they viii strike
next
man could 20 and live among the people
who must constitute the "White Caps, a.
the organ zaiiOu must be made up of local
men, aud not "A word is ever heard a 10 The
identity Of any one connected with them. nor
as 10 Their operation. When a man Is disci.
pllned he SAYS nothing for fear OF las life and
skip- ont
For tie u ost part the action of the White
Caps i not governed AZ al by motives N yatc
dislike or prejudice hut for the public good.
When man proves himself TO be worthless
ard won work; when lie drinks To excess
habItuaily and ll-treats his iamly. or II be
j, susl ect, 10 bc bad character or 10 be-
ihie:, or 4 a woman comes under he came
condemna ion, the man or w,mau : sure 20
lie visited los the White Caps, aud II one does
not heed the warning one vii have cause 10
remember that he or she did not
Waning is always given aud the me bod ~
2 wing is peculiar When man La CO.
under Nhlte-Cap condemnation be- viii hnd
come morning little sprig or lrauch Gu
from a tree lY NJ on his do,rs'eo. Tue spr
Is large enough and l. Diared tn car
enough TO let he owner know that II was Ut
there Ia some Other way than rs the WIND.
hs j. The first warning and means 90 at
once. II the warn ~ Is no. hce led AMI the
man continues in his WAYS he l. srut note
telling him he must leave The country AZ once
bt order OF the W bite I aps. aud II his SEC
Oud warning i not needed he time foraciion
has arrived
! The White Caps at some time and place, no
one apparently knows when or where. have
arranged their plans aud meet al some a,-
POINTED spot Al n certain time mas krd SO ~
hot TO be recOgn zsble and armed aud ready
for business. They 20 10 the hone OF the Of
fender, take Him out aud give him a whip
ping, the lash being laid on with strong arms
and In wsy that leads the victim To wish he
had never known ;. uthern Ind ana. After
the number OF lashes agreed upon have brcn
laid on the ctim Is released under promise
10 leave the country. II he stIll le Is he
Will be found some morning hanging 10 the
limb OF tree. Killing. however is unurc,s-
sary, as the whipping ALWAYS accomplishcs he
object. As matter Of fact, now that The de-
termination OF the men isknown the warning
Is sufficient When a man is told 10 20 iu the
customary way he stays not on The order OF
his going, but goes
While the White Caps are at work H.
though II may be known when they viii visit
town or that they have warned IA victim,
/ they are never molested. and no one knows
anything about them. Ii has come 10 he
+ recognized that u j. not safe for worthless
characters 10 fool around where the White
Caps are Even he law seems to be toverle,s
TO prevent their operations rs 4 is impossible
TO secure ev deuce. E.thcr the people are re-
strained by connect ON with the organ iZatiDu
or by fear ~ IL No victim OF II would dare
wait 10 testify ~ court, as he void probably
be unable 10 answer when he was called. The
public sentiment fayOrs IT, Several attempts
have been made TO ave The orgauza ON
brought up IN court, but without success
/ Until some great outrage occurs to arouse the
people against them as in Southwest Mis-
souri, the organization Will continues 50.
Louis Post Uispdtch