The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-09-17
five MEN
LYNCHED,
Three Shot and Beaten to Death
Before They Were Hanged.
A MOB OF FARMERS BROKE INTO
AN INDIANA JAIL AND ADOPTED
DESPERATE MEASURES TO PUT
AN END TO A REIGN OF TERROR
BY ROBBERS WHO TORTURED
PEOPLE FOR THEIR MONEY.

Osgood, Ind, Sept. 16-Five men. who
nave long been Il terror to the citizens of
TINS county, were lynched last night, and
when the citizens of Versailles, the coun-
ty seat, arose this morning they found
the bodies of five men dangling from as
many limbs OF an elm tree in the centre
of the public square.
:. For four or tive.years the farmers Of
the county have been the victims O: n
ftwicSs gang who lived an outlaw exist
ence, robbing indiscriminately and some
times committing graver crimes. Far
mers won come 20 town with a bunch of
cattle or load of farming PRODUCTS, and
next morning they would he found
rooren and beaten by the roadside.
Ola farmers have been visited and 10th
men ana women have been tortured 70
make them give up their savings. Aged
women have been forced upon II red hot
stove IN an chort to compel them to dis
close the hiding place of some treasure in
the house
These Expectations have continued un-
ceasiDyly. Arrests have been mnde. but.
the guilty PARTIES have covered up their
lawlessness. and it was seldom that con
viction followed
During the past week robberies have
increased alarmingly. On last Saturday
store OF Wooley Brothers, ut Correct,
Ind, ten miles frcrl here, was to he en-
tered. The information was given by one
OF the gangs confederates, who had been
under SUSPICION
Sheriff Henry Bushing arranged that
his informant should .accompanys them.
and, securing FIVE deputies they went to
the place. Sheriff Bush:ng concealed
himself in the cellar while the deputies
nctn ft,,,,
outside.
Shortly after midnight the robbers
reached Wooley Brothers store. Clifford
Gordon and the sheriiT's informant, who
was with the gang, were designated 10
break into the building. Gordon himself
erected an entrance, and just as he
stepped inside the sheriff grabbed him.
Both pulled pistols at the same time
and began firing. Bert Andrews was
with the robbers, and he, too, joined in
the fusilade. while the deputies came to
the assistance of the sheriff.
Some thirty shots were fired: the
sheriff was shot through tho hand and
Gordon was shot several times. Three
pistol balls entered his body, and ne WAS
also shot in the leg.
Gordon and Andrews succeeded in es
Gaping and came TO Osgood, where they
were arrested. The robbers had driven
OUT to the Place in Il buggy belonging to
Lyle Levi, and from Information su Use
quently gathered it was learned that the
robbery had been planned at the home of
William Jenkins. The two latter were
arrested as accessories.
All were taken to the Jail Mt Versailles.
Henry Shutter. 2i years old. was nut in
the jail for robbing the barber shop at
OsSood last week. Levi was 81 wears of
age, Gordon %, Andrews 30 and Jenkins
While the citizens have not been able
to fix the various robberies upon these
men, they were thought to he part of ii
gang that has committed most of them.
When it became known that they were
in Jail it vas quietly suggested ty the
victims sympathiZers that -"justicen be
summary dealt the prisoners
1t was ! o'clock this morning when
horsemen seemed to come from all quar-
tiers and dismounted ON IL hillside near
Versailles. Little time was lost, for the
details had been prearranGed Quietly
about 4Op men marched into the town.
The Jail was in charge of William Ike
nan. Sheriff Bushing's brother in-law,
The former being at home en- account of
his injury. In front~of the Jail proper is
the residence, and in that were Acting
Taller kenan and Robert Barnett, Will
mann 1plOCh 'tutl lbtN w enIel, deputies,
Shortly before , O'Clock there was u
knock mt the door, and when Kenan and
others opened the door they were pre-
scented to pistols held by three masked
men, and asked to turn over the KEYS.
This they did, and then the mob fled
into the Jail. Three of the prisoners,
Levi, jenkins and Shutter. were Oh the
lower floor, while Gordon and Andrews
were in the upper tier.
Levi and Jenki rs and Shutter showed
fight, and the former was shot through
the breast, while the skulls of the two
latter were crushed with stool. Ropes
we're in READINGS IS, and adjusting moose
around the neck of each. their feet and
hands were pinioned and then the march
began.
They were not carried, ut with several
men at the end of each rope the five pris-
oners were dragged distance of 200 feet
to an elm tree where their bodies were
suspended 1t is said Levi, jenkins and
Schulter were dead before they reached
the place.
The hanging of three or four more
members of the gang is being talked of
Governor Mount has wired the sheriff
for particulars and directed him to arrest
the lynchers, but the sheriff can do moth
ing.