The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-09-22
FIVE MEN LYNCHED
VENGEANCE WREAkED ON ROBBERS
IN INDIANA.

Tho Men Dragged Ont Of JAN and stIurg
Up Tcgsth by I'll cir Fellow Citiz ms on
tho Sam , Tre. in no Town of Versailles
We esday was the most exciting
day in The history of Versailles, 1ndi
ara. Tbs bodies of five men who had
been lynched the night before were
found hanging toeether on the same
tree near the all Wednesday morning.
For years southern Indiana has been
afflicted with lawless gangs. The
railways and express companies
broke uo the depredations OF these
gangs along their lines and latterly
they have preyed upon the citizens.
The citizens have taken the
law into their own hands in this
locality before, but never to such
an extent as today. The Reno broth
ers were ynched together at Seymour,
Ind, 20 years ago, and the Meyer
gang. three in number. wern strung
up together al Shoals, Ind IL years
ago. There have been numerous
lynchings of one at time, but the
lob lot" Of FIVE today breaks the
record. That an unusual state OF
feeling existed is shown by the deter
mination Of the mob, which Jed it to
the ferocity Of first killing three men
in the jill and then dragging the liv-
ing anu dead together and hanging
them 10 the same tree. 1t is notable,
too, that M outrage that usually
rouSes mob's vengeaL CO. no murder,
was charged against the victims. but
their death was decreed because OF
long and exasperating suffering from
robbery, some of which wero accom-
panied by torture OF the victims The
excitement OF the day WAS not lessen
ed by tho suppressed hints that more
objects of the peoples wrath would
be MADE to suffer in the same way.
Stout ropes, not over six feet in
length, had served to send each to his
eternity, AID their feet were but few
inches from the ground Versailles is
town Of 300 people. It is one OF the
oldest in the State, and although it is
FIVE miles from railroad station al d
has DO teleeraphic Communication
with the ou side world, il Is still the
county seat. Fer four or five years
and even longer, the farmers of the
county have been the victims of a
lawltss gang. Farmers would come
into town with bunch of cattle or
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 German farmers have been visit
ed, and both men and women have
been subj .cted to tortures. Aged
German women have been forced to
stand upon red hot stove in an + fffort
to compel them to disclose the hiding
place OF some treasure in the house.
These depredations have continued
increasingly. Arrests have been
made, but the guilty parties had GOV
cred up their lawlessness and it was
seldom that conviction followed.
A few weeks before the lynchiug
robberies had increased alarmingly.
On Saturday preceding the terrible
butchery word was received by the
sheriff that a store about ten miles
from Versailles was to be entered
The information was given by one Of
the gangs confederates, who had been
under suspicion. Sheriff Henry
Busbing arranged that his informant
should accompany them, and securing
FIVE deputies they went to the place.
Sheriff Bushing conceald himself in
the cellar, while bis deputies were
stationed at convenient distance out
side. Shortly after midnight the gang
reached the store. Clifford Gordon
and the sheriff's informant were desig.
mated to break into the building.
Goroon himself effected an entrance,
and just as he stepped inside the sher
if grabt ed him. Both pulled pistols at
the same time aud began firing. Bert
Andrews was with the robbers and he,
too, i,ined in the u5ilade, while the
deputies came to the assistance OF the
sheriff.
The sheriff was shot through the
hand and Gordon was shot several
times. Three pistol balls entered his
body and he was shot in the leg. Cor
don and Andrews succeeded in escap'
ing and went to Osgocd. where they
were arrested. The robbers had driv'
en- out to the place in buggy belong.
ing to Lyle Levy, and from informa-
lion subsequently gathered, it was
learned that the robbery had been
planned at the home of William Jen'
kins. The two latter were arrested as
accessories. All were taken to the
Jail at Versailles. Henry Schulter,
aged "a years, was put in the
all for roboing the barbershop at Os
good last week. L,vi was 81 years OF
sge, Gordon %, Andre VS. 80, and Jen-
kins 81. 1t was l o'clock Wednesday
morning when horsemen seemed to
come from all quarters and dismount-
ed on hillside near Versailles. Little
time was lost, for the details had been
prearranged. Quietly about 400 men
marched into the town. The all was
in charge OF William Kenan, Sheriff
Rushing's brother in.law, the former
heing at home on account of his in
ilry. In front of the ] all proper is
Iae residence and in thai were Acting
Jailer Kean and Robert Barnett, Viii.
liam Block and Len Wenzsl, deputies.
Shortly before Q o'clock there was
knock at the door, and when Kenan
and others opened it, they were pre-:
sented with pistols by three masked
men and asked to turn over the key.
This they did and then the mob filed
into the Ill. Three Of the prisoners,
'Jevi Jrnkins and Shelter. were on