The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-09-16
DEATH CANE SWIFTLY
FIVE BURGLARS LyNcHED IN An
INDIANA TOWN.
Captured After Hot Fight. They
Are shot and strung Up by the
Farmers. Infurfated by Many
Crtmes-Punishm ent for IyneherA.


TIE people of Ripley county. lad. have
faken the law TITO their owa hands and
4 mated our 20 the perpetrators punishment
( greater than provided BY Law. Five men
who have l01E been terror 20 the cigl-
Zsns OF that county, met their death az
f the hands OF tire euraged people
When the citizens q Versailles. the
county seat arose this morning they
found the bodies of Eve men dangling
from a. many l4mbs Of an elm tree ~ the
public scuars StQat ropes not over
slx feet IN lenrth. had served 10 send the
men 10 their destiny. Their feet were
but 4 few inches from the ground while
their hands and feet had been securely
/ tied with strong ropes.
EnraEed By Robherfes
Versailles Is a town OF SOC people. II
is five miles from railroad station and
has no teiegraphic communication. For
four or FIVE Yeas the farmers Of the
county have been the victims OF a law
/ less gang. who have piled their vocation
20 the terror OF the people.
The farmers would come into town aith
bunch Of cattle or load OF farm produce
ard next morning would be found along
the roadside suffering from a wound and
minus the proceeds Of their sale Old
German farmers have been visited and
both men and women have been subject
| ed TO all the tortures that hardened
the robberies had increased aiarmingly.
The Gang Is Captured.
Last Saturday word was received by
the sheriff that the store az Wo0iey Bros,
at Correct Ind. ten miles from here.
was 10 be entered The information
was given by one Of the gangs confed-
crates who had been under suspicion.
Sheriff Henry Bushing arranged that his
informant should accompany the robbers
ana securing five deputies they went TO
the place. Sheriff Bushing concealed
himself In the cellar, while his deputies
were stationed AZ convenient distances
outside. Shor' ly after midnight the gang
reached Wooiey Bros store Clifford
Gordon and the sherif-s informant were
designated TO break into the building.
Gordon himself effected an entrance and.
Just as he stepped insiGe, the sheriff
grabbed him Both pulled pistols at the
same time and began firing. Bart And
some was with the robbers and he roo
began a fuSla3e 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 Andsome succeeded in es-
caring and came TO Osgood. where they
were arrested. Levi and jenkins were
arrested as accessories All were taken
years, was put In jail for robbing a bar
Der shop at Osgood last eek While
the citizens have not been able 10 fix the
various robberies upon these men. they
were thought 10 be part OF a gang that
committed most of them.
Punishment Melted Ont.
When 1t became known that they were
In jail Il was quietly suggested by the
farmers that Justice be summarily dealt
n a f4rf I yCQ I nj
morning when a mob seemed 10 come
from all quarters and dsmounted on the
side hill near Versailles. About 800 men
marched into town. The jail was in
charge Of William KEENAN, Sheriff Bus1-
ing's brother-in-law. Shortly after
o'clock there was a knock at the door
and when KEENAN, and others opened the
door pistols were presented at them by
three masked men and they We're asked
TO turn over the keys. This they did.
Then the mob filed into the jail
Levi. Jenkins and Shuller showed fight.
Levi was shot through the breast while
the skulls Of the two latter were crushed
with pistols. Ropes were I'm readiness.
The moose was adjusted around the neck
Of each man, their feet and hands re
pinioned and the march began. With
several men at the end OF each rope. the
FIVE prisoners were dragged a distance Il
21 feet TO the elm tree, where their
bodies were suspended. Ii is said that
Levi Jenkins and Shuller were dead be-
fore they reached the place. Death re-
suited from hanging in the cases Of Cor
don and Andsome.
None Of the Iynchers are known. They
al came from a distance.
The FIVE victims Lyle Levi aged 81;
William jenkins. aged 3. unmarried:
Henry Schutter, -. married; Bert An
drews. 80: CHf Gordon. q and were all
residents % Osgood. three miles away.
Two men were left in the JAIL Charles
Kelley. aged a. for burglary. and Arthur
McMillen for carrying concealed weapons.
The latter was let out tonight on bonds
McMiilen says three prisoners were killed
In the jail and one Of the others ALMOST
killed there
Tonight the town IS plcketed It being
feared the friends OF the lynched men will
burn the town out OF revenge.
Plans Were Wen Laid.
Versailles IS 4 place % only fifty popu-
lation. the county seat Of Ripley county,
and three miles from railway or tele-
graph ofnce.
The lynchers came from all directions
until there were about 500 At O'Clock
rocket went up. 1t was the first signal
Then there was a sky rocket sent I'D
north 81 the town. followed by another
/ frcm the other side q the town and The
narchers ~ the jail proceeded a. order
from all parts Of the county at the fail
/ The distance had been carefully arranged
on each side q the town SO that thew
were about equal and the mobilization
caused no delay. The programme rad
been So carefully prepared and carried
out that there was 30 delay at the jail
or anywhere.
viii Punish the LyncberS.
INDIANAPOLIS. SEPT 1S-Gov. Mount
| has sent the following 20 the sheriff -
Ripley county. wire me az once par
tleulars " the lyuching sn your county.
7 further direct that you proceed tmme-
/ diately With al the power that you can
command 10 bring 70 Justice aH the
parties guilty q participation iH the muir
der az the 1--WE men alleged 80 have been
iYnchcd S0ch iawiessreas Is info1era ole
ard an Jhe power % th0 state II neces-
sarv. wlll ba vigorously employed for the
arrest and punishment at AIS parties ina
pHcated."