The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-17
GRAND JURY INVESTIGATION
WITNESSES DARE NOT TESTIFY
AGAINST BAND OF REGULATORS.
Funeral of Victims at Osgood and
Threats of Friends-COroner's In
quest Only a Formality.
STAFF Correspondence of the Journal.


BILE lynching bee of Tuesday night continued
to be the all-engrosslng topic in this local
ity to-day. Momentarily the center of in
terest was in Osgood, FIVE miles away
where the five victims of mob law were
buried. In that place much ugly talk was
indulged in by friends and relatives Of the
victims, and there was fear lest some awful
retaliatory measures were contemplated
but tonight this feeling is somewhat al
layed, and it is now believed that the
friends of the dead men will not seek ven-
geance, as was at first feared. Citizens Of
this place do not anticipate that feud will
grow out of the outrage.
There is a growing belief that but for
gross official negligence the crime that has
darkened the fame of Ripley county
might have been averted. No one here was
very much surprised Wednesday morning
to learn what tragedy had been enacted
in this usually quiet hamlet while they
slept, as almost from the moment the four
prisoners were incarcerated for the affair
at Correct many men openly said that they
would not be surprised if mob were to
execute summary vengeance on the ac-
cused. Sheriff Busching declares that he
had no intimation that such a thing was
about to occur. 1t is nevertheless true that
he had taken his wife and servant girl to a.
place of safety and was himself absent He
left the jail In charge of his brother-in-law
and four special deputies. 1t is only Gus
tomary to have two. Sheriff Busching saws
that he was directed by his physician to go
away for the night, as the prisoners were
noisy and he could get no rest which he
needed because of the wound he received
last week in fight with robbers 1t was es-
sential that he have sleep, as his physician
told him his wounded hand would not heal
properly otherwise.
MIGHT HAVE BEEN PREVENTED.
1t was said to-day that If the ominous ru-
mors had been needed and the sheriff had
applied to Judge Willard New-who was
here holding court-fbr a posse of twenty
five or more men to act as special deputies
in guarding the unarmed prisoners from
rescue or lynching, the crime would have
been prevented. Perhaps majority of the
citizens of this county seem to be carried
away, temporarily, with a spirit of disre-
gard for law. Men who are ordinarily
conscientious and law-abiding cannot grasn
the enormity of the offense. and declare
that it was 'justifiable," wholly unayoid-
able" absolutely necessary" and that in
the end it will prove most "salutary."
There is feeling that the community will
no longer be in nightly danger from law
less highwaymen and housebreakers.
There are, of course, many men who de-
plore the state of mind into which so MANY
have fallen, but their words seem to have
but little weight. In such a condition of
affairs it is but natural that there should
be good deal of rebellion against any
sort of outside interference The people. as
rule, recognize that Governor Mount has
pursued the only course possible in de-
manding that immediate action be taken
to punish the men who took the law in
their own hands and ruthlessly murdered
five defenseless men, but at the same time.
it will be a very difficult thing for the
county officials to bring any one to Justice,
fact which they cannot help recognizing.
Judge New has already charged the grand
jury to make thorough investigation of
the crime. Sheriff Busching himself still
unable to do much-has ten special depu-
ties at work. All the officials admit that
they have nothing on which to work and
realize that but little help can be expected
from the public, inasmuch as public senti-
ment is against the punishment of the
lynchers. 1t is openly predicted that no
true bill will be found by the grand Jury
and, even if bills be returned, it is said, no
jury can be impaneled in Ripley county
which would convict the guilty persons of
murder. The excitement has not subsided
sufficiently for people to realize that the
lynching was nothing but wholesale muir
der, although there are few who so de-
clare it to be.
Deputy Attorney General Moores. who
was here this morning conferred with
Judge New and Sheriff Busching and left
at IL o'clock for Osgood, where he attended
the funerals of the victims of Tuesday
nights lynching. Later he went to Cincin
natl.
HANGED ON SUSPICION.
AS more facts come to light the afro
ciousness of the mob's deed becomes more
apparent. There was nothing but circum
stantial evidence, and that of the most IN
stable character to connect either Lyle
Levi or William Jenkins with any recent
crimes. These two men were hanged on
suspicion.
Without doubt the mob that did such aw-
fully effective work was thoroughly organ
lied and had careful leadership Every
thing shows that the deed was premeditated
and was not the result of sudden passion.
Some people think that the white Cap"
outrages in this section of the State were
perperated by the same mob. There is a
suspicion that the masked men came from
the west-possibly Jackson county-where
white capism has its stronghold. but this
idea is generally discredited, and most
men think the lynchers came from the lp-
per tier of townships in this county. 1t is
regarded as not unreasonable to suppose
that the same master hand which guided
the White Caps" of other counties in this
section of the State guided the lynching
party here Tuesday night
a rumor current here yesterday was that
there was to be wholesale exodus Of the