The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-15
Dragged from Jail, with Ropes
Around Their Necks, and Strung to
the Cross Beam Of Beef Wind1ass.
DEPUTY SHERIFF TRICKED
OPENED THE DOOR TO LET IN A MOB.
INSTEAD OF FRIENDS,
And Was Promptly Covered with a
render His Prisoners.

dot, Indian half-breed Paul Holytrack
and Philip Ireland, full-blooded Indians,
the first of whom was sentenced to death
for the murder of six members of the
Spicer family last February, and had just
been granted new trial by the Supreme
Court, and the latter two self-confessed
accessories in the murder, were taken from
the county Jail in Emmons county last
night and lynched by a mob. The lynching
had been apparently coolly planned and
was carried out without break in the pro-
gramme. Sudden and swift retribution
was meted out by the mob to the murder
ers. Williamsport, where the hanging took
place, is about forty miles from this city
and off the railroad. The news of the hang
ing was received here this afternoon when
mounted messenger arrived, his horse in
a foam from a swift ride. and announced
that the three men had been lynched. The
sheriff of the county, Peter Shier, was in
this city at the time the hanging occurred,
and it was to him that the messenger rode
in such hot haste. The men had been un-
der the custody of Deputy Sheriff Kelley,
and they were taken from under his con-
troll by the mob and hanged to a beef
windlass several hundred yards from the
Jail, where their bodies were still swing
ing when the messenger left, the coroner
not having arrived and no one else volun-
teering to cut them down.
There were about forty men concerned in
the lynching. They rode into Wiliamsport
on horseback late at night and tethered
their horses a short distance from the city
that they might secure them again as
speedily as necessary after the deed was
done. The Jail in which the prisoners were
confined is substantial stone structure,
and was in charge Of Deputy Sheriff Thos.
Kelley. Since the confinement of the pris-
oners therein so great has been the fear
they might escape in some way that one
man has watched all night within the Jail.
Last night Kelley was on watch. There
was melting of the Lodge of Woodmen in
building near the Jail, and as Kelley was
member he expected to meet some of the
brethren after the melting had adjourned.
To while away the time during the night
hours he was playing solitaire in front of
the cells in which the murderers were con-
fined.
About o'clock in the morning there was
a rap at the outer door of the JAIL Kelley
arose quickly. and turned the key in the
lock, thinking that the persons he expected
TO meet had arrived No sooner had he
opened the door than the mob crowded into
the corridors. All of them were masked and
the leaders carried ropes purchased for the
occasion. Kelley at once realized that the
mob had come after his prisoners. The
lynchers were quiet, but determined. The
leaders presented revolver at the head
of the deputy sheriff and told him they
wanted his prisoners AID demanded that he
open the cells. Kelley demurred, but saw
that resistance was useless and unlocked
the doors. Two of the prisoners were con-
fined together and the other in separate
cell. They had been reused from sleep by
the entrance of the men and sat up half
awake and trembling with terror
Holytrack and Ireland were pulled from
their beds, ropes were fastened about their
necks and they were dragged out on the
grounds, after being told to prepare for
death. Coudot was treated in like manner
The men were then dragged to a huge beef
windlass, which had bene erected to sus-
pend the carcasses of slaughtered beeves
and strung up on cross beam. Coudot
was the first man to be hanged It is re-
ported that he was asked before he was
hanged whether Black Hawk and Defender
had also been concerned in the murder for
which he was about to suffer. He replied
that they had been. The rope which had
been fastened about his neck was then
thrown over the cross beam and he was
raised off the ground and suspended in the
air. Hoytrack and Ireland were so nearly
unconscious from the effect of the dragging
that they did not realize what was about
to happen when the ropes about their necks
were tossed over the same beam. They
were unable to stand and were slowly raised
from the ground on which they lay until
their bodies swung in the air and dangled
nh
persed, mounted their horses and rode
away,