The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1897-09-23
FIVEPRISONERS LYNCHED
Mob Of Indiana Farmers Take Re-
venge For Robberies.
GUNS kWED THE JAilERS'
The Men Were Held In Versailles,
Ind, For Robbery-The Farmers Had
Been the Victims of the Thieves For
Long Time-Jail Raided Easily
The Men Beaten, Shot and Hanged.

The Men Beaten, Shot and Hanged.
VERSAILLES, Ind. (SpeciaD.-Incensedb by
numerous depredations, burglaries and
daylight robberies, the people Of Ripley
County have taken the law into their own
hands. Five men who have long been a
terror to the citizens OF this county were
iynched here Wednesday night. This is the
county seat and town OF eight hundred
people. 1t is one of the oldest towns
In the State, but it Is Ave miles
from railroad station, and has
no telegraph Office. For four or
i've years the farmers OF the county have
been the victims Of a lawless gang whose
depredations have continued increasingly.
Arrests have been made, but the guilty men
have covered up their lawlessness, and 1t
/, was seldom that conviction followed. On
Saturday last word was received by the
Sheriff that the store OF Wooley Brothers,
at Correct, Ind, ten miles from here,
was to be entered. The information was
given by one Of the gang who had been un-
der suspicion. Sheriff Henry Bushing,
with his informant and five deputies, went
to the place. Shortly after midnight the
gang reached the store. Clifford G. Cor
don and the SherifY's informant were desig-
mated to break into the building. Gordon
effected an entrance, and just as he stepped
inside the Sheriff grabbed him. Both pulled
pistols and began firing. Bert Andrews,
who was with the robbers, joined In the
fusillade, while the deputies came to :he
assistance ofthe Sheriff.
The Sheriff was shot through the hand
and Gordon was shot several times. Three
pistol balls entered his body, and he was
also wounded in the leg. Gordon and An
drews succeeded In escaping and came to
Osgood, where they were arrested. The
robbers had driven out to the place In
buggy belonging to Lyle Levi. and It was
learned that the robbery had been planned
at the home Of William jenkins, Levi and
Jenkins were arrested as accessories. All
Shutter was put in the jail for robbing the
barber shop at Osgood last week.
While the citizens were not able to hx the
various robberies upon these men, they
were thought to belong to the gang that
has committed most Of them. When 1t be-
came known that they were In jail, 1t was
quietly suggested by the victims and sym.
I pathizers that 'justice" be summarily dealt
out to the prisoners. At l o'clock a. m.
horsemen seemed to come from all quarters
and dismounted on a hillside near YER
8 saflles, and soon about four hundred men
marched into the town.
Shortly before2 O'Clock there was knock
at the door, and when the jailer opened the
door he was face to face with pistols held
by three masked men, who asked him to
turn overj the keys. This he did, and
then the mob fled into the jail.
Three of the prisoners-Levi, jenkins
and Shulter-were on the lower floor, while
Gordon and Andrew 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 others
were crushed with stool. Ropes were
In readiness, and adjusting moose
around the neck Of each and pin
Joining their feet and hands was
the work Of few minutes. With
several men at the end OF each rope, the
fve prisoners were dragged two hundred
feet to an elm tree, where their bodies
were suspended. It is said that Levi,
Jenkins and Shutter were dead before they
reached the place. Levi was ffty-seven
years old. Andrews thirty-four, jenkins
twenty-seven, Shutter twenty-four and
: Gordon twenty-five.