The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-11
Escape of White Woman and Negroes
Implicated in an Assassination.
DETAILS OF MRS. ORR'S SUICIDE
WOMAN WHO HAD HER HUSBAND
KILLED FOR LIFE INSURANCE..
Wanted to Start Theatrical Company
with the MOney-AIIeged Corre-
spOndence with an Ohio Mayor.

sun rose this morning grueSome sight pre-
scented itself to the citizens of this town.
-Four dead bodies of colored people were
hanging from the cross beams of Haipern's
sawmill, the result of last nights lynching
bee, and in the corridor of the county Jail
lay the body of Mrs. John T. Orr, dead
from poison administered by her own hand.
The victims were implicated in the assassi-
nation of Mrs. Orrs husband. 1t was err
roneously reported last night that five peo-
pie were lynched. The victims of the mob
were:
WILL SANDERS, the one who fired the
shot that killed Mr.. Orr.
RILLA WEAVER, the mother of San
ders, and cook in the Orr household.
DENNIS RECORD, the "hoodoo doctor
and conJurer," who tried to poison Orr with
boiled snakeheads.
MANSE CASTLE, who volunteered to do
the job and transferred it to Sanders.
Miss Rachel Morris, accused of being an
accessory, and Susie Jacobs, a black ac-
cessory, have fled and their whereabouts
are unknown. Had they been in Jail they
would have undoubtedly been lynched. Mrs
Orr, wife of the murdered man, was in the
corridor of the jail last night when the mob
entered. She had taken poison with suicidal
intention. The leaders of the mob. which
was composed of about three hundred peo-
pie, examined Mrs. Orr critically and passed
her. but many of them favored taking her
with the rest.
There is no doubt that the report that
Mrs. Orr would certainly die moved the
populace to the lynching last night. Three
previous demonstrations were made and
each time the crowd dispersed on the prom
Use of the officers to rush the trial without
Of 4 hot a
legal execution would be had during the
week. Last night only the jailer and two
deputies, r. F. Milwee and A. E. Howard.
were at the Jail, it being felt that the law
would be allowed to take its course. Mr..
Milwee made an earnest effort to prevent
the mob from taking his prisoners. going
so far as to give out the statement that he
had twenty-five guards behind him and
would certainly order them to fire should
an attempt at forcing the door be made.
The crowd parleyed a short while, and then
forced the outer door. Mr.. Milwee, seeing
further resistance would be useless un-
locked the combination doors to the cells.
The negroes were hanged from the ele-
waited tramway of the Halpern sawmill,
about one hundred yards from the rear of
the jail, where their bodies remained until
8 a. m. to-day. Great crowds viewed the
gruesome sight of a woman and three men
dangling six feet from the ground, with
tongues protruding and ropes cutting deep
into their necks. A placard was attached
to the bodies. 1t read This is the penalty
for murder and rape" The negroes indorse
the lynching and express satisfaction over
the death of Dennis Record, whose arts of
hoodoo and conjuring made him an object
of dread and fear to them. Rilla Weaver
made full confession.
The four negroes were charged with the
brutal assassination of John T. Orr,
prominent hardware merchant, and Mrs.
Orr, wife of the murdered man, was under
arrest as an accessory to the crime. Orr was
prominent in business and as a social leader.
He was the most popular man in this sec
ton and was not known to have an enemy:
lie carried life insurance to the extent OF
S., 900. Mrs. Orr seeing that she would meet
her death at the hands of the law, pre-
ferred another route and accordingly took
poison. She died late yesterday afternoon
in the Jail. Before she lapsed into uncon-
seriousness she willed all of her property
to her four-year-old daughter Neva, and
placed it in trust with the Clarendon Lodge,
knights of Pythias of which her dead hus-
band was a prominent member. Orr was
married TO the woman in 1890 While she was
attending school in Kansas. Her name was
Mabel Earnez Barker and her father lives
at WaupOn, Wis.
1t appears from letters received by Mrs.
Orr. in the name of her cook, Rilla Weaver,
through whom all the cores ondence was
conducted, that Mrs Orr and Rachel Norris
were to remain here until Mr.. Orr'S insur-
ance money was collected and then go to
New York where they were to meet two
men and form a theatrical company. Mrs.
Orr was also in correspondence with other
men. A letter came to-day as follows
Caldwell, o., Aug. 6.
Dear Lorilla-Inclosed you will find
picture of me taken Aug. 2, $685. Another
matter has been brought 20 my attention
since / wrote you last, and that is that our
Common Pleas Court conVenes Sept. and
/ hardly see how / can get away in Sep
tember Perhaps it would suit you to defer
until October. Let me hear from you in
regard to the matter However, if you cam
not defer it until October l think l can ar
range matters all right. but if ii would be
more convenient for you to defer 1T until
October / could stay with you longer, as l
would have all my court affairs attended to
for the September term. Trusting that you
will pleased with 'Opie's Real Kid Mayor
1 am still yours,
ARTHUR .. ARCHER"
This letter is accompanied by a photo
graph of the real kid mayor Endorsed
on the back, Arthur to Lorila." 1t must
be understood that Lorilla is the negro
woman who cooked for the Orrs Apparent
ly Mrs. Orr carried correspondence in
the first homes of the town, given a promi-
sideration generally accorded good people.