The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-26
ANOTHER BOO" GANG
NAME UNDER WHICH CAMBRIDGE
CITY DESPERADOEs WENT.
mOnd JniI-Insurnnce Rate War
Started at Muncic.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.

Special TO the Indianapolis Journal.
CAMBRIDGE CITY, Ind, Sept 25.-This
after noon Chester Bell. aged nineteen, a COM
panion of young Knox, who was captured
yesterday was landed by Sheriff Larsh.
He is the fifth and last one of the gang
Of toughs which has been terrorizing this
town. Sheriff Larsh and Deputy Tuterow
think they have got all and are congratulate
ing themselves that they are breaking up
one Of the toughest gangs operating in east
ern Indiana. 1t was known by the name of
the boo" gang, and its members We're
William Knox, William Murphy, better
known as Bull Murphy, William Gray,
"Dingey' Knox and Chester Bell. The
Knox boys are negroes. Young Knox and
Bell are held for the robbery of store the
day of the assault on Panhandle Agent
John e. Gray father of one of the gang,
charged with planning the murderous as
sault. The youngsters have been used to
get rid of the plumber. and would turn
over the money to the others. Recently
they had in their possession a number of
gold waches, some of which were very valu-
able Two were sold in this town for
mere song. The man who purchased them,
when asked regarding his possession, said
he bought one for 81. The watch is a fine
gold one and worth at least $75. A lady's
watch bearing the monogram Il. S." on
one lid was obtained in the same manner
and the purchaser says young Knox had
twenty or thirty in his possession. Where
he got them is mystery.
The assault on Mr.. Gray, it is alleged,
was first suggested by his own son, who,
in confederation with Bull Murphy,
planned the assault. The elder of the Knox
Il
escape to Knightstown. and when ne had
secreted the money was to return and make
a bold play for his innocence. Knox, in
his confession, made since he was landed in
jail at Richmond claims that Murphy did
the smuggling and that he gave his coat and
hat for Murphy to wear as disguise. Gray
was to remain on the route in order to
cast off suspicion. The popular opinion,
however, is that Knox was the man who
made the assault, from the fact of his quick
departure and the bloodhound test. The
knife found on him had one blade turned
where it came in contact with the iron
casting in cutting the airbrake hose. Gray
told here the next morning that he was
satisfied that Knox did the work, but later,
when questioned, gave out the startling in
formation that he knew the attack was to
be made on his father but SAID ne did not
think Knox would hit him so hard.
Knox has been working in a livery stable
in this city and was discharged a month
ago. 1t has developed that ne repeatedly
furnished the gang with rigs to drive out
side of the city, make a haul and return in
the morning before the owner OF the livery
barn came around.
In the hoId-up of young Ellaberger, while
returning from the Hagerstown far recent
ly, Knox furnished the rig for the gang to
make its escape. Another case, at Mount
summit, is possibly the work of the BOO
gang. A store in that village was broken
INTO and a quantity of whisky and tobacco
taken.
Mr.. Gray is slowly improving and is con-
sidered out of danger. He dId not get
good look at his assailant, owing to the
darkness, but tt inks Knox is the man who
struck him. tt IRE was talk of a lynching
the night of the assault, and had the negro
been caught it would have been hard job
for the officers to prevent stringing him up.