The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-29
Identity OF the Men to BE Established
and Their Arrest and Prosecution
Will Follow Promptly.
LETTER TO GOVERNOR DURBIH(
SHERIFF THRAsHER PROTESTS
AGAINST EXECUTIVES CRITICISMS.
Says He Is Doing His Full Duty and
Brown County whitecapping.
peeIal 70 the IndIanaroIIs journal.

Special 10 the Indianapolis Journal
BLOOMINGTON. Ind, April 2S.-There IS
intense interest here throughout the city
over the recent reported "whitecappiagv
here and the public announcement OF Cow
ernor Durbin in which he says unless the
public officials make effort TO enforce the
laws that he will recommend TO the next
Legislature that the university be removed
from here. A careful investigation here by
leading citizens has proved beyond doubt
that the Stevens girl and the colored man,
Shiveley, were whipped by a drunken
crowd of rowdies who had been frequent-
ing this house and others OF questionable
nature in the same proximity.
As soon as the reports became generally
known that the people had been whipped.
the court officers instituted a court Of i'm
quiry which is making a rigid examina-
ton of all who can in any way have
knowledge of the AFFAIR This has already
proved that the men in the crowd had
been in the habit of freouenting the place.
that they were not masked and were in
toxicated. and that the trouble Saturday
night because the woman had re-
fused them admission to the place. The
people were then taken and cruelty whip
ped. That the crowd was composed OF any
respectable citizens organized mob.
is not true, and is even denied by the vic
Tins. who say that all of them they recog-
nized had been frequenters of their society.
Judge Wilson and other court officers are
sparing effort to bring the guilty men
to justice, an6 it is likely that arrests will
follow in a few days.
Sheriff Trasher has mailed a letter TO
Governor Du-bin. in answer to telegram
finding fault with his enforcement of law
and demanding that he do his duty as an
officer. In closing the letter the sherif
says: There has not been a warrant In
my hands for a whtecap but has been
served and served promptly. IL ever any
man belonging TO any whitecap band or
mob was favored in the Monroe Circuit
Court, don't and can't call IL to mind
Il am informed since receiving your mes
sage, that the trouble last Saturday night
only in a house of bad repute.
l can't say as to the truth OF this report.
All that / can say to you is that
1 am ready TO make any and all
arrests when I am furnished a war
rant and no man can say that I ever
failed to do my whole duty when called
upon. If these people who are corresponds
ing with you will furnish the officers here
with information sufficient TO procure a
warrant, 1 feel safe in saying to Your
Honor that 1 have the confidence in our
judge, the Hon. ]. b. Wilson, and In the
prosecutor, The Hon. r. G. Miller. that
they will do their whole duty as promptly
any officers in the State OF Indiana
IL Your Honor remembers the noted John
Cole case IL was promptly and vigorously
dealt with by the prosecutor. r. c. Miller.
and 1 will say TO you-and the records OF
Monr0a uvfll hear In fhfa
statement-that there has been a
whitecap favored by the officers OF the
Monroe Circuit Court" i
The following editorial in the Daily Teie-
phone of this city. the leading Republican
paper of the county. clearly expresses the
sentiment of the community:
Upon this alleged 'whitecapping' being
reported and again when Governor Durbin
sent his demand to Sheriff Thrasher the
editor of the Telephone made personal
investigation with other citizens closely
questioning the colored man who seems TO
be the cause of the trouble Now for the
facts. A colored man lives In adjoining
rooms in a house with white woman and
three daughters. In the same proximity
are alleged disreputable places. Not infre-
quently on Saturday nights rough charac-
tiers intoxicated are about these houses,
and last Saturday night between ! and
o'clock a number of such drunken men
not masked called at this particular house
knocked the door open and the colored
man and girls were taken out and cruelty
beaten. The police were called, but by that
time the men ndQ escaped Ine cOlOTe0
man was at work as usual Monday and
also the girls. The men were not masked.
are known to the people, had been callers
at the house before, made attempt 10
conceal their object, were intoxicated and
were men without character or reputation.
The facts show that the occurrence OF Sat-
urday night was a drunken row of men at q
questionable place that they had before
visited in like manner and for like pur-
pose 1t is not to be excused, but Is an
offense that must be punished. II was not
what people know 'whitecappng' II
was not organized band OF masked men
of leading citizens-but OF drunken row.
dies just such an occurrence as may hap
pen in any town or city In the State and
with which good citizens can In no possible
way be connected.
''Such reports are a great injustice to our
community, people and the university
but the Governor is not to be criticised
i'm his firm rebuke IL the facts substantiated
the reports However. the facts do not
bear out such conclusions, and the more
rigid the investigation the more our good
citizens will be satisfied. as IL is such re-
ports that have been sent out regardless
of the truth that have brought this odium
upon our community IL Is not necessary
to say that the officers and court are de-
termined that thorough investigation
shall follow"