The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-05-25
VENGEANCE FOR OUTRAGE
MISS MARY BARNETT HAD BEEN
CRUELTY ASSAULTED.
Judge BoOkwaIter's Appeal to the
Mob Treated with DcrisiOn and a
Criticism OF Altgeld.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
DANvILLE. ILL.,. May 25. a. ma
mob OF two hundred infuriated farmers
just taken John Halls, jr., and William
Royce from the Jail and lynched them on
the Vermillion river bridge in this city.
The victims were disreputable young men
about town, who outraged Miss Mary Bar
nett. of Indianola, last night. The Jail
doors were battered down after two hours
work. ropes placed around the necks of
the men, who were then dragged through
the streets at the head OF the bowling mob
to the bridge and strung up. Miss Bar
nett. aged nineteen, with Miss Lillian
Draper, of this city, were assaulted on the
bridge about 7:3O o'clock last night. and
the mob decided that the bridge was the
place for the crime to be avenged.
At ten minutes to o'clock the men were
to pray. Both confessed, but Halls was
defiant and told the men to do their worst
Royce broke down and said he was sorry
for what he had done.
Halls and Royce saw the two young wom-
en- crossing the Danville bridge early last
evening and attempted to drag them into
the woods. Miss Draper broke away and
gave the alarm, but the posse that went in
search of Miss Barnett could not find her
for nearly two hours. About 10 o'clock they
discovered her lying unconscious in the
woods, where she had been beaten into
insensibility and outraged Later in the
night both Halls and Royce were arrested.
They were we'll known but disreputable
men about town. The young women are
both from good families. Miss Barnett is
in precarious condition.
There had been great excitement in the
city all day yesterday, and toward night the
crowd decided to lynch the prisoners. At
midnight the keys of the jail were de-
manded from Sheriff. Thompson, who re-
fused to give them up. The mob then
cured telegraph pcle and went to work.
After repeated efforts to break down the
outer Jail door with the pole, which pro-
duced little or no effect, the crowd mo-
mentarily desisted in its efforts. Sheriff
Thompson, his wife and Deputy Sheriff
Sloan beseeched them to disperse. F. V.
Barnett, the father of the injured girl.
said to Mrs. Thompson: Madame. you
never had a daughter outraged and her
lolooI ,lo,,opds x,apcoanoe HE rnr,lv wa
wildly applauded. BY this time a rail-
road tie was secured, and with three blows
the outer door was battered in, the be-
siegers thronged in and commenced work
on the inner doors.
At this writing. 2 a. m, the lynchers
are pounding away on the inner doors and
searching the garret. The mob is COM
posed of farmers from the southern part
of the county. where Miss Barnett lives
The crowd gathered in a livery barn within
a block of the Jail and marched in body
to the jail. The police and peace officers
are unable to control the mob. and moth
ing will save the lives Of Halls and Royce
IL they can be found.
Soon after O'Clock the police brought
Judge Bookwalter the circuit judge, to
the Jail. He made an earnest, eloquent
plea to let the law take its course and
not bring disgrace on yermillion county by
the first lynching in its history. He as
sured the men that Halls and Royce would
receive severe punishment if found guilty;
that the trial iurv would do its duty. At
first his words produced telling effect,
but the leaders. who are among the most
piled: Yes, We know the jury will con-
vict and give them severe sentence. but
Governor Altgeld will pardon them out.
He recently pardoned three rapists you
sent I'D from Champaign county for twenty
years. and he will pardon these men. If
any other man than Altgeld was Governor
we would not lynch these men. but we are
determined he will never have chance to
turn them loose" With these words the
mob resumed work on the jail doors.
$50 a, m.-The mob have finally got both
the men and taken them out to bridge
in the east end of town TO hang them.
The Jail is now deserted and everybody
gone to the bridge, and yells are heard
from the mob there. There is no doubt as
to the fate of the men.
a. ma telephone message from the
vicinity of the bridge saws the men were
swung Off at $50 o. clock
Civfi-Service Rules Extended.
II 10 pSorc CT nod