The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-08-16
THE WHITE CAP TRIALS
One Found Guilty, Runs Awny-MT
and Mrs. CSHee's Testimony.

One Found Guilty. Runs AWay-Mr.
and Mrs. CSHec's Testimony.
JASPER, Aug. Disqualification H.
Brown. who was recently found guilty
OF whits-capping, has evidently run away.
His punishment was fixed at two years
in the penitsntiary
There were three cases against him,
and his bond was $500 in each, with John
G. Pollard and Frank thinner as his
sureties. The bonds were forfeited. and
the sureties will have them to pay. He
swns 200 acres OF land in Hall township,
sand considerable other property, so if it
is not encountered otherwise too much
they may be able to save themselves
from loss. He was seen recently making
his way westward-probably for Illinois.
John H. Brown was the late republican
postmaster at Rosamond and was not re-
moved for over a year after the indict-
ments were found against him, and then
charges OF ofIensiveness had to be filed
before Clsveland's postmaster-g general
would remove him. He was out, how
ever, in time to have a democratic sue
cessor appointed before his term in the
penitentiary would begin.
Sheriff Taylor sent a deputy up to
Browns neighborhood to find his where
abouts, and also telegraphed his descrip-
ton to numerous places, but so far has
no trace of him.
Coffee and his wife each testified to
their being taken from bed on the night
OF Aug. 81, 1891, tied to trees, and un-
mercifully whipped, and fully identified
the defendant. Thomas Highfield, as cap
tain OF the gang that whipped them,
swearing that they knew him because
his mask only covered part of his face
ana by his voice, also, as he gave or
H.
turn, calling on them by numbers. Mrs
Coffee testified that Highfeld caught
her night dress and raised IL over her
head, so that the brutes might see her
naked and apply their switches TO her
bare back. She also identified some of
this large beech switches which were
picked up afterwards under the tree
where they had been used in the whip
ping, and also testified that the whip
ping drew the blood from both her hus-
band and her, and that the sores did not
heal for months.
The testimony of Coffee and wife was
corroborated in many details by other
witnesses, and it appeared that the only
reason for the whipping was their de-
nunciation OF white caps, and an offer
Of $40 il they would attempt to whip
him.
JASPER, Aug. 12.-Special-The IA
nous white cap cases have been on trial
for the past two weeks and only two of
the defendants, John Brown and Thomas
Highfield, have been tried.
John Brown received a sentence of two
years after one OF the hardest-fought
legal battles ever had in the state. Pros
ecuting Attorney Cox is making every
effort in his power and is strongly and
ably assisted by Milburn and Sweeney.
]. +. Herman, Lee Fisher and F. l..
Beebe, while the defendants are repre-
scented by as good counsel as can be
procured in this section in the persons
of Taylor & Hunter, Bretz, McFall &
Bretz and j. l.. Soutard and John II.
weathers Of Leavenworth. Every ques-
ton and technicality are taken advant-
age of, but are uqickly disposed of by
the Hon. Thomas Duncan of Princeton,
the able young attorney who had been
appointed special judge to try the cases.
He is making legions of friends on &C
count Of his impartial rulings.
The ury in the Highheld case, after
being out twenty hours. has just re-
turned verdict of not guilty.
John Brown, the defendant above
named, having gotten wind of the de-
cision. has skipped for parts unknown.