The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-03-10


ring was heard. coming from the outer
gate. Mr.. ODonnell walked TO the door of
the JAIL and called out: who Is
therep
"Hugh Williams, of White Haven"
came the reply. II have a prisoner
'All right" said ODonuell. This IL
the place. and am always ready to receive
them"
gate and unlocked il. Two or three men
rushed in immediately. ODonnell did not
notice them closely rs they showed through
the gates. but moment later. when he
turned TO inquire which was the prisoner.
he saw that he had been trapped. The
men were masked.
What does this meani' queried the
Waterman as he reached for his pistol.
No You DON'T" exclaimed the masked
men loudly. as they seized the arms of Mr..
O'Donneli and forced him against the wall
surrounding the jail. The three men who
seized Mr.. ODonnell had spoken loudly as
they grasped him. and their voices had
scarcely died away when there was
five men, all wearing black masks. rushed
through the gate and confronted the
astOunded Waterman.
A NEEDLESS QUESTION.
"What do you wantp asked Mt. O'Don-
nell.
I'VE want the keys to the cells in which
those negroes are confined" came sternly
from the leader of the masked strangers.
IL have not got the keys" replied Mr..
ODonnell.
"We will see If You have not" said the
leader and In a minute two men were 60
ing through the watchmsn's clothes bent
on securing the keys But they were not in
his possession.
There was hurried consultation among
the leaders, a wait Of q minute and soon
rnn ire Wit nh ha w 70 h.
mans hands were bound. Two men were
then called forward through the gate and
were put over ODonnell as guard, the
other two hurrying into the jail office. All
this was going on while jaIlor Williams
slept peacefully up stairs. unconscious of
what was going on below. Soon came the
CRY: "AlI right boys" here they are. 'and
inla moment. after making sure that O'Don-
nell was safely pinioned, the men filed
silently and swiftly past him into the jail.
and In q minute were in the cell-room of
the negro department. Now began
search.
There were twenty seven negroes there.
all under arrest for completely In Saturday
nights affair." IL was no easy task for
these men to distinguish the much-wanted
negroes from the other blacks there lpcar-
cerated. in the dark of the night On they
went from cell to cell. the thoroughly
alarmed inmates coming to the cell doors
and uDwlttingly aiding the mob in its
search. Alice Mitchell heard the noise. and
from her cell on the upper tier peered down
on the strange and silent crowd. Not q
word was spoken the men proceeded
quickly and cautiously along the rows OF
cells. Suddenly the click of q key going
into lock was heard; the men stopped for
an instant; there was q little scutte. a hand
was clapped over negrO's mouth until be
was beuno, and Moss. the mail carrier, was
in the possession of the mob. IL. Clay King,
under sentence of death for the murder of
David Poston. heard the scutfie and sub
the opposite upper tier for IN instant, but
quickly retired. Soon Mcdowell was
found. and then Stuart, and the party was
ready TO start.
The captives were then dragged. pushed
and hustled out of the jail in a hurry. Out
into the yard and past ODonnell. still
securely bound. they went and in a minute
were upon the street. No halt was made,
and quickly they reached the corner.
Turning into Auction street they started
toward the Mississippi river, stopping.
however. as they reached the tracks of the
Chesapeake ~ Ohio railroad. A few words
In an undertone was taken as an order.
and the men started north along the
tracks. The night was pitehy dark. but
no tagging was allowed. The prisoners IN
front. securely bound. were kept moving
at a hot pace. In few min utes the sub
urbs of the city were reached. and in an
open field near Wolf river the negroes met
their doom. For the first time they were
allowed to speak. As the gags were re-
moved Moss said:
IF you're going to kill us. turn our faces
to the west"
SHOT TO DEATH.
Scarcely had he uttered the words when
the crack of q revolver was heard and q
ball crashed through his cheek. This was
the signal for the work. A terrible volley
was poured in upon the shiverinG negroes.
who instantly fell dead in their tracks.
Mcdowell fell face downward by himself,
but Moss and Stuart fell over each other.
and when the bodies were found this morn
Ing. lay close together.
The bodies presented q horrible sight.
McDowelPs Jaw was entirely shot away,
and back of his right ear there WAS a hole
large enough to admit a mans list. His
as If. in defense. he had grabbed the muz-
zle OF q shot-Run. Stuart was shot in the
mouth and twice in the back Of the head.
His body was riddled with buckshot. Moss
had one ear shot OFT and several bullet
holes in his forehead. The mob turned
ABOUT after 1t had completed it's terrible
work and came toward town. At the first
crossing it scattered and disappeared as
silently as 1t had arrived on the scene.
Not q trace of 1t could be found this morn
ing.
The bodies of the dead negroes were
brought to Walsh's under king establish
ment about $50 o'clock this morning. Ia
less tnan nfteen minutes the place was
surrounded by about two hundred Regroes.
All were afraid TO talk, however on ac-
count of the near proximity of the mites.
but on the edges of the crowd were beard
many threats and curses. One negro aptIy
expressed tine feelings of the majority OF
his race by saying:
If these niggers stand this, ives done
up. suah."
The inquest was held this morning at 10
o'clock and the bodies then sent to their
late homes at "the Curve.o The following
verdict by the coroner's jury w as rend cred:
I'VE find that the deceased were taken
from the Shelby county jail by q masked
mob of men. the men overpowerec and
taken to an old field and shot to death by
parties unknown to the jury
( Sheriff McLenden this morning said:
Yesterday afternoon and again last night
/ was out to the Curve neighborhood with
some of my deputies seeking what / could
find out and looking for some negroes i'm
plicated in the trouble. L did not get home
until 1880 last night"
I, Had you heard no rumors of trouble be.
| ing expected" asked the reporter.
Not word. i was at the Jail late last
night, but never gave thought to any.
thing like this. 1t never entered my mind.
| If 1t had this thing would not have hap
pened. My oath of Office eompels me to
| protect prisoners under my charge and
| have always done IT."
"Are you going TO take any steps toward
arresting the ing-leaders of the mobP"
IL suppose Yes, of course; my oath
| of Office demands il. l will take posse