The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1897-09-17
FIVE BURGLARS
Were Taken From the Versailles Jail
and Hanged From the Limb of Tree.
Robberies and Burglaries Had Become Un-
endurable-The Gang Was Betrayed by
One of Its Own Members-Four Hun
dred Masked Men Did the Job.

repeated burglaries and daylight rob-
berries, the people of Ripley county,
Ind, have taken the law into their own
hands, and melted out to the perpetra-
tors a punishment greater than provid
ed by the law. Five men, who have
long been a terror to the citizens of
this county, met their death at the
hands of an 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
Stout ropes, not over six feet in
length, had served to send each to his
eternity.
Versailles is town of some eight
hundred people. 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 pre-
tentiOus 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 a 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 a living. Farmers
would come into town with bunch of
cattle or a 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 farmers have been visited and
both men and women have been sub
jected to all the fortunes that a har-
dened mind could stand. Aged German
women have been forced to stand upon
a redhOt stove in an effort to compel
them to disclose the hiding place of
some treasure in the house These
depredations have continued unceas-
ingly. Arrests have been made but
the guilty parties had covered up their
lawlessness and it was seldom that con-
viction followed
During the past week robberies had
increased alarmingly. On last Saturday
word was received by the sheriff that
the store of Wooley Bros at Correct,
Ind, ten miles from here, was to be
entered. The information was given
y one of the gangs confederates who
ad been under suspicion. Sheriff
Henry Bushing arranged that his in
'ormant should accompany them, and
securing five deputies they went to the
place. Sheriff Bushing concealed him
self in the cellar, statiOning his dep
uties at a convenient distance outside.
Shortly after midnight the gang
reached Wooley Brothers store. Cliff
ford Gordon and the sheriff informant
were designated to break into the
building. Gordon himself effected an
entrance, and just as he stepped inside
the sheriff grabbed him. Both pulled
pistols at the same time and began fir
ing. Bert Andrews was with the rob-
bers and he too joined in the fusilade
while the deputies came to the
assistance of the sheriff Some 30
shots were fired, the sheriff was shot
through the hand and Gordon was shot
several times. Three pistol balls en-
tered his body and he was also shot in
the leg. Gordon and Andrews sue
ceeded in escaping and came to Os-
good, where they were arrested. The
robbers had driven out to the place in. a
buggy belonging to Lyle Levi, and
from information subsequently gath
cred it was learned that the robbery
had been planned at the home of VIM
Jenkins. The two latter were arrested
as accessories. All were taken to the
Jail at Versailles. Henry Schulter,
aged "a years, was put in the jail for
robbing the barbershop at Osgood last
week. Levi was 81 years of age, Cor
don %, Andrews 30 and Jennings %.
None of the citizens seem to deplore
the action of the mob, but on the con-
trary, the hanging of three or four
more members of the gang Wednesday
night is talked of, and it may be done.
No troops have been asked for and the
citizens say they are not wanted.
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
county. further direct that you pro-
coed Immediately with all the power
you can command to bring to justice
all parties guilty of participating in
Cuo nurO0r Oh the nVc men alleged TO
have been lynched.. Such lawlessness
is intOlerable and all the power of the
state, if necessary, will be vigorously
employed for the arrest and punish
ment of all parties implicated.
(Signed) JAMES A. MOUNT,
Governor
OsGooD, Ind, Sept. lot is now an
assured fact that the mob which wreal-
ed such terrible vengeance on the YER
sailles prisoners, was organized under
military instruction, and was directed
by veterans of the late war 1t moved
like a procession of regulars down up
on Versailles after the two rockets
were shot on the brow of the town
hill, and was commanded in military
style.
From reliable source information
came Wednesday night that the gigan-
tic and terrible organization holds it.
self intact, and will never be thorough
ly disbanded until about 30 or more of