The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-02
FOUR men BADLY SHOT
WOUNDED BY TWO KENTUCKlANS
WHO CROSSED FROM INDIANA,
Became Drunk, Resisted Arrest and
Precipitated the RiOt-Bo.h &
Wounded.

OXFORD, o.. Oct. 1-Blood splashed on
the streets of this usually quiet village to-
night and bullets whistIed promiscuously in
desperate shooting ARRAY and riot that
attended the visit of two beligerent Ken
tuckians, one of whom, sorely wounded.
a rope attached to bis neck was dangling
over tree limb. and he was on his knees
praying before being launched into etern-
ity. Flying bullets desperately wounded
four men. while a fifth escaped death by
narrow margin, several balls piercing his
clothes.
lynching and to the widest night that OK
ford has seen since the negro Henry Cor
bin. was lynched for the murder OF Mrs.
Horner. was caused by the attempt of
Marshal John Woodruff to arrest Louis
spivey, of Maysville. KY.
| Spivey was visiting James Richardson, OF
BiIlingsville, Ind, and, with two COM
panions, came to Oxford TO attend the street
fair in progress here. They were Joined by
Joseph Spivey. of Middletown. o., and all
began drinking.
| This afternoon Marshal Woodruff was In
formed that Louis Spivey was displaying
! pistols i'm Mrs. Pfeiffers saloon, and shortly
before o'clock he encountered his man
drinking from a whisky bottle in front OF
! Ezra Burns's livery barn. Woodruff
rested him and started to the police station.
| Instantly and without warning. Joe Spivey.
| the prisoners brother, who was standing
ten feet away, whipped out a revolver and
| shot Woodruff down.
Stunned by the sudden deed the crowd
was for moment helpless. Then there
was a rush for nearby hardware stores.
| and, seizing shotguns and revolvers. the
crowd started In pursuit. The two Spiveys
drew their pistols and started west. shoot
| ing as they ran. Deputy Marshal Jake
Manrod was shot twice at the first fire. The
| Spiveys fed west through the crowded
street, shooting as they ran.
Near oxford College f. V. letter, the
school teacher. was hit by a stray bullet
| just as he entered a house and probably
| fatally hurt. In front of Mrs. Sarah
Greers house. opposite oxford College. the
! Spiveys made a stand behind a tree and
| fired repeatedly, beating of the mob for a
moment Ex-Mayor p. p. Flanagan and II.
1 d. Cormier, each with two revolvers in
| their hands, stood at the door OF the jail
| and swore TO kill the first man who tried 10
enter. The baffied men stood back and
| Flanagan climbed to the window and ap-
| pealed TO them TO disperse.
Rev. T. ]. Porter, Mayor Muddell and
others delivered impassioned speeches. ap-
pealing for order for the sake OF oxford.
her schools and her people. The father Of
| Woodruff still urged on the mob and swore
that If il did not exact vengeance he would
| get a shotgun and Kill the men himself
| The speakers assured the mob that the men
would be given a trial tomorrow morning
| but 1t did not satisfy IT, Woodr lff's
brother Samuel. farmer. then proved him.
| self hero of the night Rising he said:
Men, am John Woodruffs brother, and
| / love him. For his sake. and for mine.
! / ask you to go home and let the law
| take its course" Cheers greeted this speech
! and in FIVE minutes the mob had dispersed.
| AT 1920 all was quiet. IL developed later
| that Sheriff Bisdorf, Prosecutor Gard and
| others had driven up from Hamilton IN
buggies and that while the speaking was in
progress they had carried the prisoners out
| by a rear door and had started for Hamil-
ton. At this hour both the men are safe in
| the county Jail.