Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1897-09-21
ROBBERS LYNCHED.
Taken from Jail in Indiana by a
Mob and Hanged.
The Five Victims Were Accused of
Various Crimes-H0v They Were
Secured-Gov. Mount Takes
Prompt Action.

BlarleS ana uaylglC rODDerleS, the peO-
pie of Ripley county, Ind, have taken
Tie law into their own hands, and meted
out to the perpetrators 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 the enraged populace,
and when the citizens of Versailles, the
county seat, arose Wednesday 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.
Versailles is a town OF some 500 peo-
pie. 1t is one of the oldest in the state,
and, although it is five miles from a rail-
road 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, the
farmers of the county have been the
victims of lawless gang, who, appar-
emily lacking in fear, have piled their
vocation to the terror of the people,
for they seemingly have had no visible
means of earning living.
The Gang Captured.
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, ten 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 and captured, after a severe
struggle in which the sheriff was shot
in the hand, Clifford Gordon, Henry
Shutter, William Jenkins, Lyle Levi and
Bert Andrews, and placed them in Jail
at Versailles.
Lynchers Quietly Assemble.
While the citizens have not been able
to fix the various robberies upon these
nen, they were thought to be part of
a gang that had committed a host of
them. When it became known that
they were in Jail, it was quietly sug-
gested by the victims and sympathizers
that Justice be summarily dealt
the prisoners. It was one o'clock
Wednesday morning when horsemen
seemed to come from all quarters and
dismounted on a hillside near Ver-
sailles. Little time was lost, for the
details had been pre-arranged. Quiet
~ about 400 men marched into 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. The front of the
Jail proper is the residence, and in that
were Acting Jailer Kenan and Robert
Barrett, William Black and Wensett,
deputies.
Arrived at the Jail.
Shortly before three o'clock there
was a knock at the door, and when
Kenan and the 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 Shul-
ter, were on the lower floor, while Cor
don and Andrews were in the upper
tier. Levi and Jenkins and Shut
ter showed fight, and the for
mer was shot through the breast,
while the skulls of the two lat
ter were crushed with a stool. Ropes
were in readiness, and, adjusting a
moose around the neck of each, their
feet and hands were pinioned, and then
the march began.
Dragged ut End of Ropes
They were not carried, but with sew
eral men at the end of each rope the
five prisoners were dragged a dis
lance of 200 feet to an elm tree. where
their bodies were suspended. 1t is
said Levi, Shutter and Jenkins were
dead before they reached the place.
Death resulted from hanging in the
case of Gordon and Andrews. Justice
of the Peace Charles Loswell held an
inquest over the five bodies Wednesday
morning.
Governors Prompt Action.
indianapolis, Ind, Sept. 16.-Gov.
Mount has sent the following to the
sheriff of Ripley county:
''Wire me at once the particulars of
lynching that has occurred in your coun-
ty. further direct that you proceed i'm
mediately with all the power you can
command to bring to justice all parties
guilty of participating in the murder of
the five men alleged to have been lynched.
Such lawlessness is intolerable, and all
be vigorously employed for the arrest and
punishment Of all parties implicated
"(Signed) JAMES A. MOUNT,
Governor"
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