The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1897-09-22
MOB LAW
IN INDIANA
Five Men Taken from Jail and
Hanged
IN TRUE NORTHERN STYLE
The rIen Were Suspected of Having
Been Guilty of Numerous
RObberies.
IN TRUE NORTHERN STYLE


numerous depredations, repeated burg
laries and daylight robberies, the people
of Ripley county, Ind, have taken the
law into their own hands and melted
out to the perpetrators q punishment
greater than provided by the law. Five
men. who have long been terror to
the citizens of this county, met their
death at the hands of an enraged popu-
lace and when the citizens of Versailles,
the county seat, arose yesterday morn
ing, it was to find the bodies of five
men dangling from as many limbs of
an elm tree in the center of the public
square. 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, while their
hands and feet had been securely pin
toned with strong ropes.
Versailles is town Of some 800 peo-
pie. 1t is one of the oldest in the state,
and although it is five miles from a
railroad station and has no telegraphic
communication with the outside world,
as have more pretentious towns of the
county, it is still the county seat. For
four or five years, and even longer,
farmers of the county have been tho
victims of q lawless gang, who, appa.
rently lacking in fear, have piled their
vocation to the terror of the people, for
they seemingly have had no visible
means of earning a living. Farmers
would come into town with a bunch of
cattle or load of farming products, and
next morning they would be found
along the roadside, suffering from
wound and minus the proceeds of their
sale. Old German farmers have been
visited and both men and women have
been subjected to all the tortures that a
hardened mind could stand. Aged Ger
man women were forced to stand upon
redhot stove in an effort to compel them
to disclose the hiding place of some
treasure in the house. These dep
relations have continued increasingly.
During the past week robberies had
increased alarmingly. On last Satur-
day word was received by the sheriff
that the store of Wooley Brothers at
Correct, Ind, 10 miles from here, was
to be entered. The information was
given by one Of the gangs confederates,
who had been under suspicion. Sheriff
Henry Bushing arranged that his in
formant should accompany them and
securing five deputies they went to the
place. Sheriff Bushing concealed him
self in the cellar, while his deputies
were stationed at q convenient distance
outside. Shortly after midnight, the
gang reached Wooley Brothers store.
Clifford Gordon and the sheriff's in
formant were designated to break into
the building. Gordon himself effected
an entrance and just as he stepped in
side the sheriff grabbed him. Both
pulled pistols at the same time and be-
gan firing. Bert Andrews was with
the robbers and he, too, joined in the
fusillade, while the deputies came to
the assistance of the sheriff.
Some 80 shots were fired. The sher-
if was shot through the hand and Cor
don was shot several times. Three
pistol balls entered his body and he was
also shot in the leg. Gordon and An
drews succeeded in escaping and came
TO Osgood, where they were arrested.
The robbers had driven out Of the place
in buggy belonging to Lyle Levi, and
from information subsequently gath
cred it was learned that the robbery
had been planned at the home of Will
liam jenkins. The two latter were ar
rested as accessories. All were taken to
the Jail at Versailles. Henry Schulter,
"a years, was put in the Jail for robbing
the barber shop at Osgood last week.
Levi was 81 years of age, Gordon ~,
Andrews 80 and jenkins 81.
While the citizens have not been able
to fix the various robberies upon these
men they were thought to be part of a
gang that has committed most of them.
When il became known that they were
in Jail il was quietly suggested by the
victims and sympathizers that Justice"
be summarily dealt the prisoners. 1t
was / o'clock yesterday morning when
horsemen seemed TO come from all
quarters and dismounted on hillside
near Versailles. Little time was lost,
for the details had been prearranged.
Quietly about 400 men marched into
the town.
The Jail was in charge of William
Kenan, Sheriff Bushing's brother-in-
law, the former being at home on ac-
count of his injury. In front OF the
Jail proper is the residence, and In that
were Acting Jailer Kenan and Robert
Barnett, William Block and Len Wen
eel, deputies
Shortly before 2 o'clock there was a
knock at the door, and when Kenan
and others opened the door they were
presented with pistols by three masked
men and asked TO turn over the keys.
This they did, and then the mob filed
into the Jail. Three of the prisoners,
Levi. Jenkins and Shutter, were ON the
lower floor, while Gordon and Andrews
were in the upper tier. Levi, jenkins
and Shutter showed fight, and the
former was shot through the breast,
while the skulls of the two latter were
crushed with stool.
Ropes were In readiness, and adjust
ing moose around the neck Of each.
their feet and hands were pinioned, and
then the march began. They were not
carried, but with several men at the end
of each rope, the five prisoners were
dragged distance of 300 feet TO an elm
tree, where their bodies were suspend
ed. II is said Levi. Jenkins and Shutter
were dead before they reached the
place Death resulted from hanging In
Iho casa - Gordon and AndroyVa