The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-16

Reno brothers were lynched together at
Seymour, Ind, twenty years ago, and the
Archer gang, three in number, were strung
UP together at Shoals, Ind, twelve years
ago. There have been numerous lynchings
Of one and two at time, but the Job lot'
OF five to-day breaks the record. That an
unusual state of feeling existed is shown by
the determination Of the mob which led it
to the ferocity Of first killing three of the
men in the Jail and then dragging the living
and dead together and hanging them to the
same tree. In many cases members of this
gang had tortured and manned their vic
TINS in their efforts to make them reveal
the hiding place of treasure. Most of them
were in the county Jail awaiting trial for
having attempted to burglarize the general
store of Woolley Bros, at Correct p. o.,
on last Saturday night, two of whom,
Gordon and Andrews, were captured at the
time after a running fight and after each
had been severely wounded. The other
prisoners were detained on the charge of
having assisted and aided in the attempted
burglary, and whose guilt seemed evident.
So strong had the public feeling been
aroused against the prisoners, and so often
had they escaped the penalties Of the law,
il seemed now that the time had come for
action.
Kenan was awakened by the ringing of the
bell at the Jail residence. On opening the
door he was met by three masked men,
who showed pistols near his face and de-
manded the keys of the cells and
ordered him to accompany them to where
they could be found. At this moment
Deputy Jailer Black appeared on the scene
and he also was held In restraint till the
keys were secured.
MOB ENTERS THE JAIL
The jailer and his deputy were then
the outer doors of the Jail unlocked and
thrown open and the organized mob Of 25O
men on horseback had complete control.
The work was done with courage and de-
termination. There was no noise or con-
fusion and only few people in this town
knew what was goinig on In the lower
cellrooms were confined Levi Schueter and
Jenkins and there the visitors proceeded
first. Lewis cell was first reached. He was
awake, and was ordered to throw up his
hands He refused and at the command of
10 oF he Il111la
fired into his body and he fell to the floor
pierced to the heart.
In the next cell was Schueter, lying on
his cot He was ordered to get up and
dress, but he refused and begged for his life
A blow on the head from a heavy stick,
crushing his skull, silenced him and he
rolled to the floor corpse.
Tne taste of blood increased the fury of
the mob. William Jenkins was in the next
CELL only few feet from his wife, in an
other part of the Jail. The committee rushed
in his cell, overpowered him and beat him
over the head until his cries ceased and his
body lay limp on the floor. The three
corpses were then thrown out In the corrl-
dor together.
The committee then went upstairs, where
the wounded burglars. Clifford Gordon and
Bert Andrews, were confined. Gordon had
bullet in each shoulder, twenty-seven
buckshot in one leg and fifteen in the other.
Neither he nor Andrews were able to make
much resistance. Their hands were tied be-
hind them, ropes placed around their necks
and they were dragged headlong down the
stairway, where their companions lay.
Ropes being placed around the necks of all,
the order was given: Pull on the ropes,
boys, and hurry up.
The command was obeyed and the bleed
ing bodies were dragged out and along the
streets with a shout. Each man holding a
rope mounted horse and moved at fast
pace. The path is marked with blood and
bandages from the wounded burglars were
picked up to-day along the way.
DRAGGED TO THE OLD ELM
Two blocks north of the Jail on the bluff
near the famous "Gordons leap" was
lOuiiu dll Olu SlllA tree. Inc ropes were
thrown over its toughened limbs and the
five men were quickly strung up. During
the work the mob guarded every street
leading to the Jail and none was permitted
to approach. The mob then retreated in the
same orderly manner in which it had as
sembled and soon disappeared from the
town. From the old elm hung the lifeless
forms of the five men, naked and CHASTITY,
until morning. The scene was appalling
The bodies were cut down before sunrise
and covered under the shade of the tree.
Later a coroner's inquest was held and the
corpses turned over to relatives who had
arrived to take them to Osgood for burial.
Excitement is at a high pitch here. The
lynching will be generally approved by the
better class of people if it will result in
the breaking up of the Osgood gang The
talk of further lynching seems to be the
result of the excitement as there are no
signs of the returning mob tonight. Thou
sands have visited the scene to-day and
hardly twig of the old elm remains the
branches having been carried away by the
curious throng.
Sheriff Busching, who is still suffering
from the wound received in the feht AT