The Indianapolis journal., 1898-02-25
How the Conspiracy Was Hatched
and Efforts to Prevent Bail Dis
closed by "a Witness Denials.
suec;al - tne IndiananoIis Jo,,rnaI.

| Special to the indianapolis Journal.
| CROSS PLAINS, via courier to Osgood,
Ind Feb. 24-The anticipated sensation in
| the hearing of the charge of murder made
by Governor Mount against "Hez' Hughes
before Justice Craig came to-day in the
testimony of Charles Kelly, the eighteen
year-old boy who was in Schueter's cell the
night of the lynching. He told the story Of
| the mob's attack and declared he recog-
| nized Hughes as the one who killed Schue-
ter. He also declared that Jim Mccoy
| killed William Jenkins. Mccoy wore no
mask. he said On the cross-examination,
! Kelly impeached part of his first story, de-
nying that he had previously testified that
| Mccoy killed Jenkins and wore no mask
| Opinion Is divided on his story. lie did not
appear to be overly bright. and yet he stuck
| to portions of his story in manner that
carried doubt as to its falsity. The eva
| dence of other witnesses differed but little
from that of those heard yesterday. No one
! admits any knowledge of the lynching or
the conspiracy preceding it.
Charles Kelly brought in by officers
| of the Plainfield Reformatory shortly be-
fore noon. His appearance created SEN
| sation. Every eye was on him as ne toiu
what he saw and heard. Hugh McMuilen,
/
short time conducted the examination. The
| how testified in straightforward manner,
| hut there was an expression of apprehen-
| sion in his glance. He was frequently in
| terrupted by Hughes's attorney. who made
/ long-hand notes of his testimony. lie SAID
| that he had worked for Hughes at the poor
| farm about nine months before the lyncn-
| ing. Hughes is the superintendent of the
poor farm The defendant and his wife both
listened ntently to the testimony, which
| was to brand Hughes with the murder OF
Henry Schueter.
IF you saw Hez Hughes on the night
| Of the lynching, where was it!'' asked Mz~
Mullen.
SAW HUGHES KILL SCHUETER.
| II saw him in the Jail, as he, came in the
cell door. He said. You and Schueter come
out here and throw up your hands, threw
up my hands, but Schueter did not We
were in the same cell. stepped back. He
| called out again for US to come out and
| throw up our hands. Schueter would not
| and he hauled off and hit him over the
head with a club. He had a club and gun.
Then he tied his hands behind his back and
| put rope around his neck, end kicked him
| over on his back"
ASK him if he was alive or dead sug-
| gested Mr.. Ketcham.
"He was dead then so far as l know"
said Kelly.
The witness continued that Hughes came
back and said they did not want him and
warned him to keep quiet.
What if anything, did he have on his
face?
"A mask. 1t covered part of his face;
not ALL
Then the boy testified that Hughes asked
him where Levi and Jenkins were, and he
said 'in the next cell" Hughes went into
ii. There we're two or three others with
him.
did you see any other man you knew?'
"Yes, sir Jim Mccoy. He had no cover on
his face. They went in and killed Jenkins
and then brought him out and laid him
down with Schueter."
who killed Jenkins?"
II think Jim Mccoy killed Jenkins"
What else did you see him do?"
II seen him shoot three times in the di-
rection of Levi. They shot Levi, then
dragged him out of the cell and threw him
down by the others Then they went up
stairs ] did not see what they did up
| there"
He was interrupted when he said Kenyon
came and asked him If he knew any of
the mob by an objection which Mr.. McMuI-
len did not contest
On the cross-examination this afternoon.
conducted by Major Cravens, the wit.
| ncssess testimony was completely broken
down with regard to Jim Mccoy having
worn no mask and killing Jenkins. He
stuck to the assertion that Hughes killed.
/ Levi The effort TO confuse him was made,
but for the most part his testimony with
regard to Hughes being in the jail and kill
ing Scheuter remained unshaken. He again
told the story Of the assault of the mob.
which was heard coming from the south.
| He, Schueter, Levi and Jenkins were the
cnly prisoners on the lower floor of the jail.
KELLY is CONFUSED.
He repeated the story of Hughes COM
manding them to throw up their hands. He
| first recognized Hughes by his voice, he
said. and afterwards by his mask falling.
one of the other men had no mask. One
wore "a white mask. That was Jim Mccoy.
(sensation) He recognized Mccoy by his
voice
Did you not tell Mr.. McMullen that Nc
Coy wore no mask2'
NO. sir. l did not; said he had a white
mask.
Witness declared he had not said Mccoy
wore no mask. and was equally positive
he had not said Mccoy killed Jenkins.
Did you not tell Mr.. McMullen that Me-
Coy killed Levi2' asked Mr. Cravens
mo. sir; j said Hughes killed Levi. ana
he did
An effort TO further impeach him was
made by reading his testimony before
Squire Taswell, in which he said he did not
recognize any one. Kelly denied having
made such statement before the SQUIRE ~
the coroner's inquest lie also denied telI-