The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-06-19
STRUNG TO THE BRIDGE.
coRYDoNs MURDERERs LYNcHED.
Quiet Mob of About Two Hundred Men
Makes Quick Work of the Desperadoes
To Hang Till Morning-H1story
of Their Crime.

CoRYDoN, Ind. June Is, $50 a. H.
Especial. l-Devin and Tennyson were
hung by the mob from the bridge west OF
town, few minutes ago. They refused to
say word, or make any confession.
The members of the mob were not dis
guised. They got into the Jail by cutting
down two iron doors. The captain gave
orders that they were not to be cut down
until o'clock this morning, and the mob
dispersed.
The mob was most quiet and orderly
one, numbering about two hundred men.
They covered the sheriff with Winches-
tiers and revolvers and forced him TO give
up the keys. Devin and Tennyson were
remarkably cool and collected and took
their impending fate stoically. At the
bridge they were given an opportunity
for prayer, which they declined. They
made no explanation OF their crime
CoRYDoN, June 1S.-TSpecial. The double
lynching occurred at so late an hour last night
THE SENTINEL correspondent could only send
brief dispatch. The following account is
complete; The threats that had been made
continually here since Sunday to lynch James
peven and Charles Tennyson, the would-be-
murderers and robbers of James D. Lemay and
his niece, Lucy Lemay, were carried into exc
cution this morning about 80 o'clock. An
hour before two or three men were seen riding
slowly through the town. Presently, without
any signal, men came galloping in from all
directions, and each posse reached the Jail
about the same time and blockaded the street
in front of the Jail, with their horses
heads facing the jail door, About twenty
masked men in front, dismounted and covered
the four or five guards of the Jail with revol-
vers and demanded the keys to the Jail Cries
were heard from the mob for the sheriff to de-
liver the keys, and declared they would have
the prisoners or burn the town. They sue
ceeded in finding the sheriff in a hall leading
through the sheriff's house to the corridor but
he absolutely refused TO deliver the keys.
When they ascertained that they could not get
the keys, their leader called for hammers An
iron rail was quickly brought and used for a
battering-ram, and with it tried to break
through the corridor door leading from the
outside. Failing in the attempt they hurried
in front of the Jail building and passing
through the hall to the corridor door, which
they found unlocked, they broke open
the door to the main part of the
Jail with crow-bars and sledge-hammers
They found the prisoners locked up in the cells
and they were not long in breaking open the
cell doors and bringing the doomed men out
Ropes were placed about their necks. Six
men holding each prisoner, they dragged both
TO bridge across Big Indian creek in the
western part OF town, and, tying the ropes to
the bridge, the prisoners were pitched over
board and swung into eternity. The ropes
were one inch thick and about ten feet long.
When the mob dispersed their leader left or
ders that he wanted the dead men to hang IN
til o'clock this morning but they were taken
down at seven, and an inquest held.
There were fully 200 men in the mob, the
most of whom, it is supposed, were white
Caps" They were in town about thirty min
utes. Mr. Lemay and his niece, although badly
wounded, are progressing gradually toward
complete recovery.
Last Friday night the two men who
were lvnched at an early hour this morn
ing stopped at the residence OF James d.
Lemav, a wealthy farmer who resides
near Corydon. They were well dressed,
apparently about twenty-five years of age
and represented themselves to Farmer
Lemay as stock BUYERS.
Mr.. Lemav had his wife prepare sup
per for them. and while they were eating
he armed himself with a revolver, having
had his suspicious aroused by their
actions. After they had finished their
supper they and MIR. Lemay's family
sat down on a porch and en-
gagged in conversation until about 8
o'clock, when the strangers suddenly arose,
with drawn revOlvers, and ordered the
members of the family into the house,
remarking that they meant business. Mr..
Lemay and his wife went into one room
and were followed by one of the
strangers and his niece, Miss Lucy
Lamay, and young farm hand went into
another room and were locked in by the
other stranger, who followed them. Mr..
Lemay drew his revolver, and the stranger
who confronted him began firing, empty
ing his pistol, five-shOt Colts revolver.
All OF the shots took effect, two of them
penetrating Mr.. Lemay's bowels, the 9TH
ers penetrating his hands and arms. The
other stranger fired one shot which passed
through the young lady's right breast and
lodged in her left breast. Mr.. Lemay, al
though badly wounded, opened FIRE on
the men and put them to fight. An
alarm was given, and number of neigh
bors soon arrived, some of them starting
in pursuit of the strangers, while others
went to Corydon for medical assistance.
The two would-be murderers escaped,
but were finally captured at New Albany
and taken to the Harrison county Jail at
Corydon.