The Indianapolis journal., 1903-12-13
MOB MAY TRY TO LYNCH
THE ASSASSIN OF MISS
ELIZABETH GILLESPIE
Five Hundred Country People
Ready to Avenge Her Death
When Murderer Is Known.
JUDGE DOWNEY ALERT
Will Assist Good Citizens in
Averting Mob Violence and
Convicting the Guilty.
NEW THEORY ADVANCED
Woman Alleged to Have Incited
the Murder-Oficials Now
Think There Was a Plot.
NEW THEORY ADVANCED

Special 10 the Indianapolis Journal.
RISING SUN, Ind, Dec. 12.-Unless the
authorities are alert lynching may follow
arrest of the person charged with the muir
der of Miss Elizabeth Gillespie 1t devel-
oped here to-day that the people living in
the country near the city are much worked
up over the tragedy, and it is believed an
organization is being formed for the pur-
pose of wreaking summary justice on the
person or persons who may be indicted for
the murder. One prominent farmer said
to-day that whenever ii becomes known to
a certainty who the assassin is five hundred
men will respond without moments delay
and avenge Miss Gillespie's death This is
the feeling that is being developed. The
cannot remain alive in this section. Yet
there are hundreds of good citizens who
abhor mob rule and say the law shall take
its course in this case. Judge Downey is
alert, and has said to many that the entire
machinery of the court will be exerted to
the utmost to vindicate the law and bring
the murderer to speedy trial and justice.
A WOMAN IN THE CASE.
The efforts of sensational correspondents
to introduce hypnotism into the tragedy is
regarded here as ludicrous. The killing Of
Elizabeth Gillespie was plain case OF
assassination for revenge. 1t is stated,
however, that a woman connected with the
Gillespie family, who was said to be Bit
ter enemy of Elizabeth, did exercise some
kind of influence over certain persons and
one especial whose name is constantly
mentioned as the guilty party. To what
extent the evidence points in this direction
is not known positively. 1t is known, how
ever, that this woman for some time past
has been on very friendly terms with GER
tain members of the Gillespie family, and
|. it has been remarked that she exerted
a wonderful influence over them, but not
of a hypnotic nature. The theory of the
officials now Is that plot was formed to
put Elizabeth Gillespie out Of the way,
and that, instead of one person being in
dicted it is expected others may be called
upon to answer as accessories before the
fact.
Little by little the tangled clew Is be-
ing unraveled. and it Is understood to-
day that one of the shrewdest c. the
Pinkerton detective force is here quietly
at work unknown to more than one or
two persons. 1t is said by one who Is
in a position to know that the evidence
that this detective has unearthed is suf-
fcent to convict but that, as ordered by
the Judge of the Circuit Court, the author
tiles are determined to have a chain Of
evidence that will carry conviction to any
court or jury before whom the criminals
may be charged. 1t was also stated to-day
that private detectives employed by the
Gillespie family had arrived to work
on a new theory One of them interviewed
Mrs. johnson, the mother of William john
son, a baker. who. in the presence of her
| daughter Laura and others, said that a
| certain woman recently told her that she
| proposed to throw vitriol in the eyes Of
| Elizabeth. Mrs. Johnson named the woman
| and gave details of the alleged conver-
| sation.
DEAD SISTER IGNORED.
| DR.. William Gillespie, who was again be-
| fore the grand jury to-day. issued a caro-
| to the public, which appeared in the local
paper this morning, in which he said the
| family relations between Elizabeth and
| himself and his brother James and his sis
| ter, Mrs Belle Seward, were strained, but
not on account of property matters, and
CONTINUED ON PAGE g. COL. p