The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-08

faced type, which were posted all over the
county. They read as follows:
Headquarters Southern Indiana Vigilance
Committee.
ITO the People of the United States:
'Salus Popuh Supreme Lex
Whereas, 1t became necessary for this
organization to mete out summary punish
ment OF the leaders of the thieves robbers,
murdererj and desperadoes, who, for many
years, detied law ard order, and threatened
the lives and property of honest citizens Of
this portion Of Indiana. and, as the late
fearful tragedy al New Albany testihes that
justice is slow, but sure, we promulgate
this, our pronunciamento. for the purpose
Of .justifying TO the world, and particularly
to Nhe people of the State of Indiana, any
future action which we may take.
We deeply deplore the necessity which
called our organization into existence; but
the laws of the State are so defective that,
as they now stand on the statute book,
they all favor criminals going unWhipped
Of justice. A retrospective view VIII show
that, in this respect we speak only the
truth, having first Topped off the branches,
and finally uproOted the tree of evil which
was in our midst in defiance of US and our
laws. we beg to be allowed to rest here and
be not forced again to take the law into
our own hands. We are very loath 10 shed
Blood again. and win not do so unless COM
PEELED in defense of our laws.
A Warning
I'VE are all aware that at the present
time a combination of the few remaining
thieves, their friends and sympathiZers has
been formed against US. and have threat
ened all kinds Of vengeance against persons
whom they suppose to belong to this or
ganization
They threaten assassination in every
form. and that they will commit arson in
such ways as will defy legal detection. The
carrying out in whole, or In part, OF each
or any OF these designs is the only thing
that will again cause us TO rise In our own
defense. The following named persons are
Solemnly warned that their designs and
opinions are known and that they cannot,
unknown to us, make a move towards re-
talation. (Here are given fifteen nameS)
If the above-named individuals desire TO
remain in our midst, to pursue honest call
ings and otherwise conduct themselves as
IaW-abldlng citizens, we viii protect them
always. IL. however. they commence their
devilish designs against us, our property or
any good citizen of this district, we Will
rise up once more. DO not trifie with us,
for if you do we viii follow you to the bit
ter end and give you a short shift ana
hempen collar. AS to this our action in the
past will be guarantee for our conduct in
the future. We trust this Will have a good
effect. We repeat, we are lOath again to
take life, and hope we shall never be ne
cessitated to take the law into our own
hands.
by ORDER OF THE COMMITTEE.
Dec. q, 1868"
The posting of the proclamation caused
the sympathizers to change their mode of
living, and those who remained near Sey-
mour became law-abiding citizens.
other lynchings which have taken place
in Jackson county were those of an I'M
known coored man, who was hanged on
White creek for an offense committed
against a white woman.
Two men, named Brooks and Tally. were
hanged in the courthouse yard at Browns
town in 1866 for the murder of an old lady
ramed Cutter.
In 1876 Alden Rodman was hanged to
trestle on the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad
at Ewing. He was a worthless character
and had threatened the lives of the best
citizens of the village, which threat resulted
in his being lynched.
May 10, 1893, Lou Trenck was taken from
the Brownstown Jail and hanged for the
murder of Henry Feadler of Seymour.
Early on the same morning John Turley
was hanged by the same mob, which went
to Bedford, for the murder of Louis Price,
a conductor. Those last two lynchings were
supposed to have been committed by the
vigilance committee. The mob captured
train and went to the two places to do the
work.
During all of these years southern Indiana
was also noted for existence of it's White
Cap organization. Nearly every county had
its organization and men ana women We're
ruthessly taken from their homes in
Bartholomew, Washington, Scott and other
counties and given a severe whipping for
slight offenses. The people are clamoring
for the passage of a law that will in some
measure protect life from the hands of
lynchers. Besides the law demanded by the
Governor it is proposed that any sheriff in
the State shall lose his office if he permit
mob to take a prisoner out of the Jail over
which he has control. The unanimous agi-
tation against mob law is already having
it's effect on the officers. Last week DR..
Ephraim E. Gray murdered Lizzie Skinner
at Bloomfield in Greene county. The muir
der was committed in the morning and
there was strong talk of lynching him in
broad daylight, but the sheriff took his
prisoner to the Reformatory at Jefferson
vile, where he is not in any danger.