The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-02-06
to do my duty. aud you Oughtn't to inter-

posse continued their resistance FRANK
Daley was dealt blow that lessened the
numerical strength of the guard by one.
Marshal Odin fourished his baton, but
long arm shot over his shoulder and the
baton was tossed into the air. The man
with the red beard saw q favorable oppor-
tunity TO hit the crouching negro, and so
forcible was the blow that the blood flowed
down Halls cheek By this time the
Vengeance had secured the moose end of the
rope. She threw It over the negro's head,
but the moose was too big, and Marshal Odin
got his head Included therein. The woman.
without sense or reason at this moment,
would have jerked the rope taut had not
several cooler-headed men interfered. In
slipping the moose off Odln's head, the negro
had a chance to disengage himself from it's
coils. a chance he quickly availed himself
Of George Norwood and others of the
posse again formed about the prisoner.
LIKE a FOOTBALL BATTLE.
The movements OF the mob resembled the
maneuvers Of a football team on a large
scale, pressing backward and forward, to
the right and the left, the sheriff's forces
making some headway on account of the
concerted action of the mob. In the course
of five minutes the posse had got within
the courthouse yard proper There the
crowd surged toward a huge cottonwood
tree, the branches of which suggested
gallows But the branches did not hang
low enough to make the short rope avail
able. This tree is the one which Judge Neal
claims to have planted many years ago.
From out his court room window Judge
Neal viewed the rioting and dreaded the
unholy use to which his tree was about to
be put The rope was again thrown over
Halls head, and this time 1t was drawn
taut around his neck, but so dense was the
crowd that ne could not be thrown to the
ground and dragged. A man in an oilskin
jacket called attention in @ loud voice to
a smaller tree, q maple, dozen yards
away. To this tree the people pressed. The
blood had dried on the negros face, but
apart from the blood, the several chokings
had given his skin the purple hue of grape.
Prosecuting Attorney Dutch was in the
court room when the first rush was made
for the prisoner. He did not go down
stairs, for he thought the posse would be
OF sufficient strength to bring the prisoner
safely to the court, but when the men
came so close to the courthouse walls, he
rushed down stairs and dashed into the
thickest of the fray. Some one caught the
tail of his frock coat and ripped the gar
IL
the least. and In short time he was at the
side of the struggling prisoner. He sought
to pacify the men, advising them to let the
law have its course.
What chance have we for justice?"
cried one, when that old judge puts a man
in Jail a day for hog stealing. We can't
convict anybody there
The man in the oilskin coat had climbed
to the lower limbs of the maple tree, and
was yelling for end of the rope to throw
over limb. An attempt was made to toss
the end to him, but the surging of the
crowd caused the rope 10 miss its mark. A
son of Judge Neal forced his bulky form to
where Mr.. Dutch was striving to keep the
peace. He was so tall and broad that he
lowered above the crowd and so powerful
that he aided materially In dragging the
half-conscious negsS "a the narrow door
way that leads to the courthouse stair
way. The moose had again been slipped
from Halls neck. By this time, however.
the farmers had grown more enraged, and
their passion was running at high tide; so
bold were they that 1t was only a matter
Of a moment to again put the moose around
the black neck. Five feet toward the door
had been gained by the sheriff's force. Mrs.
Taylor appeared at this juncture and was
ranting wildly and fighting for q place near
the man she wanted lynched. A few of the
merchants OF Lebanon, who had become
interested in trying to restore peace, took
it on themselves to drag her away, for it
was readily seen that she was adding much
to the vengeful spirit of the mob
HELD AT BAY BY ONE MAN.
Now the courthouse entrance was reached.
With almost q superhuman effort the ne
gro forced into the narrow passageway
by his protectors, and Immediately the
special deputies closed in behind him, Neal
bringing up the rear and blocking the
passageway with his huge body. There
stood Neal with his feet braced against
the walls, holding in check the entire mob.
Boys" the big thundered, keep
back, and I'll see that the old man does
the square thing. 1 know that he'll do it,
Apparently one was willing to engage
in a personal encounter with the giant,
whose father was presiding as judge up
stairs. The entrance to the courthouse is
on the north side Of the building, and the
farmers, seeing no way clear TO the court
room. bolted to an entrance on the west
side of the building, where they forced their
way readily enough to the room. The
scene in the court room was dramatic.
The room was almost instantly jammed
| with excited men, including the one who
| had the rope. Two strong men guarded
the gates Of the bar rail and kept the
| crowd from rushing to the bench, where
| sat Judge Stephen Neal. Mrs. Taylor had
| slipped by the guards and was standing
| in menacing attitude, within arm reach
| of the prisoner, who shivered and shook
| in his terrible fright. Judge Neal, who is
| over seventy years old, was very much
| agitated. His voice trembled as he spoke.
| Prosecuting Attorney Dutch, en- desha-
bile, and with his suspanderS very much
| in evidence through the rents in his coat,
| addressed the court in a low tone, stating
| that the prisoner was ready for arra4gn-
/ ment and desired to plead guilty to the
| charge Of criminal assault on the person OF
Mrs. Akers. Deputy Clerk James Berry
| hill brought out the affidavit which had
been prepared by Mr. Dutch and read it.
| There We're loud threats from the men
| in the rear of the room; q horde clamorire
| for the negro'S life, the Vengeance nodding
approvingly from her stand near the pris-
! oner 10 the farmers back of the bar rail.
| There was danger OF the prisoner being
wrested from the law as he was being
| given trial according TO the statutes The
sheriff, George Norwood Marshal Odin
and others lined themselves up against the
rail to prevent any onslaught After the
| affidavit was read the court asked the
| prisoner if he pleaded guilty to the charge
''Yes. SIR mumbled the negro.
'Then," continued the court, almost be
1 81 III ~