The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-16
THEY HAD SUFFERED LONG.
FIVE LAWLESS MEN LYNCHED IN
AN INDIANA TOWN.

mined to Rid the Earth OF the
Men Who Had Made Their Section
of Country Unsafe For HabitatiOD.
A Gang That Tortured Men and
Women For the Purpose of Rob-
bery-Justice Had Been Tardy.
Versailles, Ind, Sept. 15.-This has been
the most exciting day in the history of
this city. The bodies of five men, who
had been lynched during last night, were
found hanging together to the same tree
near the Jail this morning.
For years Southern Indiana has been
afflicted with lawless gangs. The rail-
ways and express companies broke up the
depredations of these gangs along their
lines and iatterly they have preyed upon
the citizens. The citizens have taken the
law into their own hands in this locality
before, but never to such an extent as to-
day. The Reno brothers were lynched
together at Seymour, Ind, twenty years
ago, and the Meyer gang, three in number
were strung up together at Shoals, Ind,
twelve years ago. There have been num-
rous lynchings of one 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 drag
ging the living and dead together and
hanging them to the same tree. 1t is not
able, too, that no outrage that usually
| rouses a mob's vengeance-no murder
was charged against the victims-but their
death was desired because of long and
exasperating suffering from robberies,
some of which were accompanied by tor
ture of victims. The excitement of the
day was not lessened by the suppressed
| hints that more objects of the peoples
wrath would be made to suffer in the same
way.
The five victims were all residents of
| Osgood, three miles away. Two men
were left in jail. Charles Kelly, aged IA,
| for burglary, and Arthur Mcmillan, for
| carrying concealed weapons The latter
| was let out tonight on bond The for
mer was taken to a room at the hotel.
Mcmillan says three of the prisoners
| were killed in the jail, and one of the
| others almost killed there. The mob came
very near taking Mcmillan out
| Tonight the jail is as quiet as the
| humblest residence. The only occupants
are the deputy jailer and his guard. They
faced the mob last night and were quick
! " disarmed and locked in a cell, while the
work of slaughter was done.
But while the jail Is so slightly guarded
| it does not follow that the excited little
! town is asleep without patrol Marshal
| J. E. Tyler, with twenty-five deputies, is
| alert against any possible surprise, and
| every road running into town is picketed
! with men. This precaution is not taken
| in anticipation of a second visit by the
regulators. The danger apprehended is
| from another quarter-the friends of the
| lynched men.
The coroner's inquest began to-day and
| will be completed tomorrow. 1t was con-
| Quoted on lines of strict formality, and
| the verdict will be that the five men came
| to their death at the hands of mob, the
member of which are unknown.
Louisville, KY, Sept. ia special to
the Evening Post from Osgood, Ind, says:
| Incensed by numerous depredations, re-
| peated burglaries and daylight robberes,
| the people of Ripley county, Indiana, have
! taken the law into their own hands and
meted out to the perpetrators a punish
ment greater than provided for by the
law Five men, who have long been a
! terror to the citizens of this county, met
! their death at their hands to-day. Stout
ropes, not over six feet in length, had
served to send each to his eternity and
their feet were but a few inches from
| the ground.
! Versailles is a town of 800 people. 1t is
one of the Oldest in the state, and al
| though it is five miles from a railroad
| station, and has no telegraphc communi-
cation with the outside world, 1t is still
the county seat. For four or FIVE years,
and even longer the farmers Of the coun-
ty have been the victims of lawless
gang.
| T7orpoare would cor1a into town with a
bunch of cattle or load of farming pro-
ducts and next morning they would be
| found along the roadside suffering from a
wound and minus the proceeds of their
1 sale. Old German farmers have been Wis
| tied and both men and women have been
| subjected to tortures. Aged German wo-
men have been forced to stand upon
! red hot stove in an effort TO compel them
! to disclose the hiding place of some treas
| ure in the house. These depredations have
continued increasingly. Arrests have been
made but the guilty parties had covered
up their lawlessness, and it was seldom
! that conviction followed
During the past week robberies had in
creased alarmingly on last Saturday
! word was received by the sheriff that the
| store of Woolley Bros. at Correct, Ind,
ten miles from mere, was TO be entered.
| The information was given by one of
! the gangs confederates who had been un-
/
ranged that his informant should accom-
| pany them, and securing five deputies
they went to the place. Sheriff Bushing
! concealed himself in the cellar, while his
| deputies We're stationed at a convenient
| distance outside. Shortly after midnight
| the gang reached Woolley Bros. store.
! Clifford Gordon and the sherins infor
! mant were designated to break into the
| building. Gordon himself effected an en-
| trance 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
! iolned In the fuslade, while the deputies
] came to the assistance of the sheriff.
The sheriff was shot through the hand
| and Gordon was shot several times. Three
| pistol balls entered his body and he was
| also shot in the leg. Gordon and Andrews
| succeeded in escaping and came to Os-
| good, where they were arrested. The rob-
| bers had driven out TO the place In bug
| gy belonging to Lyle Levi and from in
| formation subsequently gathered, it was
| learned that the robbery had been plan
| ned at the home of William Jennings
| The two latter were arrested as accessor-
| les All were taken TO the iail at YER