The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1897-09-17
i've BURGLARS
Lyncllel by An Enraged Mob at
Versailles, Ind.
They We're Taken From the Jail and
Hanged From the Limb Of a Tree.
Kcbberiss and Durelaries Had Become Un-
endurabic The Gang 49, DctrnYed By
One of fts Own Members nr 4un-
dred Masked Men Did thSJob

| irrcnhru ~ numerous dcprcdatlOnb,
repeated burglaries and daylight rob
berries, the people Of Ripley county,
Ind, have taken the law into their own
hands, and meted out 70 the perpetra-
tors q punishment greater than provid-
ed BY the law. Five men,. who have
long b,'en terror - the citizens Of
this county, met their death at the
hands Of an enraged popuIaec and
when the citizens Of Versailles, the
county seat, arose "Wednesday, it was
! to find the bodies Of five mcn dangling
! from as many limbs of an ciIn tree in
the center Of the public square.
Stout ropes. not over six feet in
length, had served 70 SEMI each TO his
eternity, and their feet were but few
inches from the ground. while their
hands and feet bad been securely PIN
toned with strong ropes.
Versailles X a town OF some eight
hundred people. II Is one Of the oldest
in the state. and although it is Eve
miles from a railroad station and has
no telegrlphic communication with
the outside world, as have more pre-
tentious towns of the county, it
Is still the county scat. For four
or i've 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 20 the terror OF the people, for
they seemingly have had no visible
means Of earning a living. Farmers
would como into town with a bunch Of
cattle or loed Of fsrlsing products
and next morning they would be found
along the roadside suffering from a
wound and minus the proceeds of their
sale. Old fnrmers have been visited and
both men and women have been SUI
jected 20 ell the torlures that I{.f-
dened mind could stand. Aged Gcrman
women have been forced 20 stand upon
n redhot stove in an effort 10 compel
them 20 disclose the hiding place Of
some treasure in liz house. Thcse
iepredatians have c0lsinucd unecas-
ingly AAesfs Easc been made but
the guilty parties hal covered mp their
iawlessness and 1t was seldom that con.
rietion followed.
During the rast week robbcries had
increased alarmingiy. On hast Saturday
word was received by the Sheriff that
the store OF .woolcy Bros ~ Correct,
Ind, ten miles from here. was to be
entered. The information MAS given
- one Of the gangs confeAcras..s who
had been under suspicion sheriff
Henry Bushin1 arranged that his In,
iormant 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 convenient distance outside.
shortly after midnight the gang
reached Wooley Drothcrs' store. elf
ford Gordon and the sheriff informant
were designated 10 break into the
building. Gordon himself effected an
entrance, and just as he stepped inside
the sheriff grabbed him. Both pulled
pistols at the sams 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 50
shots were fired. the sheriff was shot
thretgh 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.
eeeded in escaping and came 70 Os-
good. where they were arrested. The
robbers had driven ont to the place in q
buggy belonging to Lyia Levi, and
from information subsequently gath
cred & was learned that the robbery
NJ - sslanRed. ~ the tcne Of Wm
Jenkins The two latter were arreslei
as accessories. All were taken to ths
Jail at Versailles Henry schuIter
aged - years. was put in the Jail 70,
robbing the harbershop at 0sgood lasl
week Levi was 81 years OF age. Cor.
don %. Andrews 30 and Jcnlings q.
While the citizens have not been abls
10 fix the various robberies upon fhest
men they were thought to Be part Of
the gang that has eommitlri most ol
them. When il became 8wn thai
they were in fail it was quietly sns.
gested By the victims and sympathizcr.
that Justice be summariIy dealt tho
| prisoners Il was o'clock y7ednes,
day moridng when horscmen seemed r.
come from all quarters and disinounted
on a hillside near Versailles. Little
time was lost, for the details had been
prearrangcd Quietly about 80 men
marched into the town
The jail was in charge Of wm- he.
nan. Sheriff Bushing' 5 brother-in-law,
the former being Al home on account
Of his injury. In front Of the iail
proper Is the residence and in that were
Acting Tailor Kenan. and Robert Bar.
nett, William Block and Len Wenzel.
deputies
shortly before so'elock 2 them was a
knock al the door. and when Renau
and others opened the door they wen
|.prcsented with pistols By three masked
r;en and asked 70 turn over the1xeys.
This they did and then the mob ficd
into the Jail Three Of the pris.
oncrs. Levi. Jenkins and shnl.
Ter were on the lower floor, while
Gordon and Andrews pert in the u9-
| per tier. Levi. Jenkins and SlulteI
showed 6glst. and the former was SIG.
through the breast. while the skulls o.
the Two latter were cruslhl Nth n
stool Ropes were in readiness and
adjusting a moose around the neck Of
each. their feet and hands Werc pinion,
cd and then the march hcsan
They were not carricd but with ser.
eral mcn a the end Of each rope. M
llvc prisoners were dragged dIslanc,
Of 200 rnris 70 N elm trce. where lhci,
nAi|e' rere sospcnled II Is said Iesl,
Jenkins and Shutter rcrc dead bcior.
~ - n. n'ncc Death rcsn|i.,
l.. 4. 4.