The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-09-18
five LYNCHED.
Citizens Of indiana Shoot ana
Hang Prisoners
BODIES LEFT DANGLING ON A TREE,
The Victims of the Mob Were Accused
of DurElaries-HOw They Wero
Captured--GOv. Mount Takes
Prompt Action.

Osgood, Ind, Sept 16. - Incensed by
numerous depredations, repeated bur-
glaries and daylight robberies, the peo-
pie OF Ripley county, Ind, have taken
tLe law into their own hands, and melted
out to the perpetrators punishment
greater than provided by the law. Five
men, who have long been Il terror to this
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 un 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, aud
their feet were but few inches from
the ground, while their hands and feet
had been securely pinioned with strong
ropes.
Versailles is town of some 500 peo-
pie. 1t is one of the Oldest in the state,
and, although it is five miles from rail-
road sutton and has no telegraphic
communication with the outside world,
as have more pretentious towns of the
county, 1t is still the county seat. For
four or five years. and even longer the
farmers of the county have been the
victims of a luwless gang, who, appar-
emily lacking in fear, have piled their
vocation to the terror of the people,
means of earning living.
The Gang Captured.
During the pust week robberies had
increased alurmingly. On last Satur-
iday word was received by the sheriff
that the store of Wooley Brothers ut
Correct, Ind, ten miles from here, was
ito be entered. The information was
given by one Of the gangs confederates.
who had been under suspicion. Sheriff
Henry Bushing arranged that his in
dormant should accompany them and
securing five deputies they went to the
place and captured, after 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 iail
at Versailles.
Lynchern Quietly Assemble.
While the citizens have not been able
to fix the various robberies upon these
men. they were thought to be part OF
gang that had committed II host of
them. When it became known that
they were in Jail, it was quietly sug-
gested by the victims and sympathizcrs
that Justice" be summarily dealt
the prisoners. 1t WINS one o'clock
Wednesday morning when horsemen
seemed to come from all quarters and
d;smountcd on a hillside near YER
sailles. Little time was lost, for the
details had been pre-arrnnged. Quiet
ly about 400 men marched into town.
The Jail was in charge of William
keenan,, Sheriff Bushing's brother-iu-
law, the former being ut home on uc-
count of his injury. The front of the
Jail proper is the residence. and in that
we're Acting Jailer kenan aud Robert
barrett William Black and Wensctt.
deputies.
Shortly before three o'clock there
was u knock ut 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 Shul-
ter showed fight. and the for
mer was shot through the breast,
while the skulls of the two lat
ter were crushed with 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 mt End OF Ropes.
They were not carried. but with sew
eral men ut the end of each rope the
five prisoners were dragged dis
tnnce 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 Loswcll held an
inquest over the five bodies Wednesday
morning.
GOvERNOR's PROMPT ACTION.