The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-02-27
THE GOVERNORS ATTITUDE.
He Was Ready to Use the Militia to
Prevent Mob Violence.

The sheriff of Vigo county, yesterday
afternoon. called Governor Durbin by tele-
phone and attempted to explain the details
of the lynching at Terre Haute, but was
told by the Governor that he would have to
make a written report to him, giving the
most minute account of the whole affair
til the lynching of the negro occurred.
After this Governor Durbin said there
would be no further action taken in the
matter by him until this report was made.
He said the details that the sheriff gave
him over the telephone were very inco-
herent but from what he could under
stand it all happened so quickly that the
sheriff was powerless and was taken wholly
by surprise. He said, further, that the
sheriff said that one of his deputies had
bullet holes through his clothing, and this
showed that there had been some fight
made against the mob.
Even after the sheriff has made his report
to the Governor this official will be unable
10 take any action in the matter until the
prosecuting attorney of Vigo county and
the other officials say they can do nothing
further in trying TO ascertain who the
guilty parties are. The Governor may then
take up the case and he and the attorney
general can do whatever they think is prop
er. The Governor says the local authorities
nave dDSOlule CONTROL Oh the ana
may call on as many men and arm and
equip them as they may deem necessary.
But in this case, he says, it seems that ev-
erything was done so Unexpectedly that
there was no time TO organize men other
than the forty deputies the sheriff already
had and who were easily overpowered by
the mob of one thousand enraged citizens
Governor Durbin said that the sheriff
further told him that the prisoner was ar
rested about 10 o'clock in the morning and
that IL was his intention 10 have started
with him to this city at o'clock, but the
work of the mob was too quick.
The first intimation the Governor had of
any preparation 10 lynch the negro was
through an unofficial telegram from Terre
Haute, dated 1l:5S a. M, and signed by j.
A Tindall, saying There is mob at the
Jail here. For the laws sake do your
duty" After receiving this the Governor
Immediately communicated with the chief
of police of Terre Haute, asking him If the
message was true; If he was confronted by
case for him TO use all of the authority at
his command to uphold the law and MAIN
tain peace. He also told the sheriff that if
the situation warranted it to call on the
State for all the assistance required. Short
" after this the Governor sent telegram
to Capt ]: f. Thomas. commanding Com
pany b, of the First Regiment, located at
Terre Haute. In this message he told him
to fully arm his company and place it in
readiness for immediate action in response
to a call from the sheriff. Before these or
ders could be carried out by Captain Thorn
as the mob had hanged the negro
IL was just an hour and five minutes from
the time Governor Durbin first received
word OF the trouble until it was all over.
At the time Colonel Wilson received word
that the mob had lynched the negro the
Governor was at his residence for lunch.