The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-09-16
! Of THEM HANGED.
~. Citizens Become lncensed at
Numerous Buralaries
\ EXECUTE THE LAW THEMSELVES
.,utette of Law Deakers Were
.x.r from Jail by Masked Cit
...us During Early Morning.

.,,..lles. Ind. September 15.-This has
,he most exciting day in the history
mis- city. The bodies Of five men, who
been lynched during last night, were
hanging to the same tree near the
mis- morning. This caused such a
sstion IN the city that 1t readily spread
c,ehot the country. and no occasion
attracted such crowds to the city.
years Southern Indiana has been af-
I'D With lawless gangs. The railways
sxple<s companies broke up the dep
.t,ons of these gangs along their lines.
latteily they have preyed upon the
sens, The citizens have taken the law
their own hands in this locality be-
hut never to such am extent as to-
The Reno brothers were lynched at
ymour. Ind. twenty years ago, and the
cher gang. thee In number were
,nC up together at Shoals, Ind, twelve
arg ego. There have been numerous
bohrgs of one at time, but the Job lot
Ave tooay breaks the record.
mat an unusual state of feeling existed
shown by the determination of the mob
bich led it to the ferocity Of first killing
rec of the men in jail and then draggan,,
living and the dead together and
ngtrg them to the same tree. 1t IS
table too. that no outrage which usu-
" erouses a mob to vengeance, such as
rdcr or rape, was charged against the
Fins. The stringent measures taken
brc the result of long and exasperating
ferings from robberies. some of which
bre accompanied by torture of the vic
hs. The excitement of the day was not
sened by the suppressed hints that
pre- objects of the peoples wrath would
made 10 suffer In the same way,
psgood, Ind, September 15.-Incensed
numerous depredations. repeated bur-
aries and daylight robberies, the people
Ripley county, Indiana, have taken the
" into their own hands and melted out
the perpetrators a. punishment greater
|an provided by law. Five men who
I'VE long been terror to the citizens
mi ~
fnds of an outraged populace, and when
% citizens of Versailles, the county seat.
pose this morning it was to find a quin-
fte of bodies dangling from as many
mos of an elm tree In the center of the
polio square. Stout ropes, not over six
MS eteiulity and their feet were but a
" inches from the ground, while the
Pnds and feet had been securely pin
ned with strong ropes.
versailles Is town of some 500 people
Is one of the oldest in the State, and
though it is five miles from a railroad
alton and has no Geographic communi
Ption with the outside world, as have
ost pretentious towns of the county, II
still the county seat. Fer four or five
mths and even longer, the farmers OF
20 county have been the victims of a
wiess gang. who. apparently lacking In
ar have piled their vocation to terror
. people, for they seemingly have hat
Visible means of earning a living.
Farmers would come into town with o
inch of cattle or load of farm products
ID next morning they would be fount
pong the roadside suffering from wount
minus the proceeds of their sale
German farmers have been visited
~ both men and women have been sub
o'ed to all the tortures that a hardened
una could suggest. Aged German worner
i've been forced to stand upon q red no
ove In an effort to compel them to dis
use the hiding pace of some treasure
the house. These depredations haw
'auhued increasingly. Arrests have beer
ade' but the guilty parties had covere,
" 'neir iawlessness and It was seldom
ae conviction followed.
cufing the past week robberies had In
eased alarmingly. Last Saturday wor,
as received by the sheriff that the stor
"ooiey Bros. at Correct, Ind, tel
4"eS from here, was to be entered. TIL
'orn'ation was given by one of tn
re confederates, who had been unde
[sp'cYon' Sheriff Henry Bushing ar
Anseu that his informant should accom-
liy them and, securing flve deputies
~ went to the place. Sheriff Bushin
-''edled himself in the cellar, while hi
Equities We're stationed at a convenien
.suance outside. Shortly after midnigh
nv gang reached Wooley Bros store
Hnoru Gordon and the sheriff's inform
~ We're designated TO break into III
['''e Gordon himself effected am en-
aHee' and Just as he stepped inside tn
(.ea'n grabbed him. Both pulled pistol
.he same time and began firing. Der
ureWs was with the robbers and he
I joined in the fuslllade, while the dep
ues came to the assistance of the sheria
Ane thirty shots were fired. The sherli
-as SHOT through the hand and Gordo