The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-28
Young Men and Women I'm College
Law-Breaking influence.
LETTER TO PRESIDENT BRYAN
HEAD OF INSTITUTION CALLED ON TO
SUPPORT ARM OF JUSTICE.
Sheriff of Monroe County Plainly Told
Some UnpaIatabfe Facts-Students
Declare Their Indignation.

UNLESS am given definite assurance by
the people Of Monroe county and Blooming
ton that they intend to suppress anarchy
with an iron hand and that the perpetrators
of the outrage upon helpless women Sun
day morning will be exposed and punished
shall propose TO the next Legislature the
removal of the State University from a
community that permits IL 20 be disgraced."
This clean-cut statement from Governor
Durbin is precisely indicative Of his In
dignation over the whitecapping that took
place at Bloomington early Sunday morn
ing when twelve masked men, said to be
reputable citizens of the university town.
visited the home Of Rebecca and Annie
Stevens. white women. and whipped them,
together with Joe Shiveley, colored, and
Shiveley's sister. The outrage took place
almost within the shadow of the State Uni
versity buildings.
GOVERNORS WRATH.
Governor Durbin has taken the position
that II is time for whitecapping TO cease
in Indiana, and although handicapped and
blocked in several cases by the apathy OF
positive sympathy OF citizens with white
cappers he has worked untiringly under
discouraging conditions to bring white
cappers under the finger OF the law. This
last outrage has set his wrath flaming, and
he declares without any evasion that
Bloomington must not suffer whitecappers
to escape punishment this time and must
not permit such brutalities in the future
or he will bend every influence of the
executive office toward having the State
University removed TO a city where its
name will not be tarnished.
This outrage" continued the Governor
yesterday, "is the most disgraceful ex-
hibition that has occurred to disgust and
anger decent citizens. 1t does not matter
what offense these women committed; that
does not enter into it at all. The plain fact
remains that they were seized in their help
lessness by big, brutal men who exposed
them to indignities and then dashed them
barbarously in the fashion of the middle
ages. This sort of thing has got TO stop
If have to use state troops to do it,
Passing the barbarity of the crime itself.
1t was done almost within the confines of
the campus of Indiana University. where
boys and girls are sent by their parents
to learn how TO be good men and women
and lawabiding citizens. 1t is not difficult
to picture the influence of such things upon
student body. How can anyone pre-
serve respect for the law unless he sees
ii obeyed and enforced? Indiana cannot
afford to have one of her most valuable
institutions in the midst of such brutal
izing surroundings.
LUKEWARM ASSISTANCE.
"A year ago an outrage was perpetrated
in that city which disgraced the COM
munity, the college and the State. MY
efforts TO apprehend the guilty persons
of the citizens living there. 1 found my
investigation blocked at every turn and
have been able TO do nothing because
local authorities give at best a lukewarm
assistance. That piece Of brutality led to
this. 1t was found then that the law could
be laughed at when group of men came
to the conclusion that they could take law
into their own hands. This is what such
things inevitably come to when ci.lzens
sit back and refuse to help enforce laws
enacted for their own protection.
II have made up my mind that unless
certain assurances are given me as TO the
punishment of the men that so cruelty
whipped these women and as 10 the pre-
vention of anarchy in the future shall ask
for legislation from the next General As
sembly that the people of Bloomington will
not like. They refuse to guard the sacred
name of the university. They have no re-
gard for their own gooc name. Well then
the State itself must look after the uni
sity's name and I have an idea that the
time is about come for the Legislature to
take hand"
This statement from the Governor IL
sufficiently illuminative, but the letter he
wrote the sheriff OF Monroe county yester-
day does not fail also TO express his plain
opinion He tells the people of .fonroe
county through the sheriff that they NAV
expect TO lose the college unless they do
their full duty in the present instance.
LETTER TO SHERIFF.
The Governors letter is as follows:
Private advices from credible sources
received by me this morning indicate that
there has been another manifestation of
mob law in your community, the second
within a brief period. and that there has
been no serious EFFORT on the part OF local
officials TO prevent IL or TO bring punish
ment TO those who havesthus inflicted dis
grace upon Monroe county and the State
II am, as Governor. intrusted with the
responsibility OF seeing that the laws OF
the State are enforced. Permit me 10 call
your attention TO the fact that there is a
growing sentiment among the people of
Indiana against the continued location OF
a State institution OF learning in a COM
munity where there Is either absence OF
a predominating public sentiment In favor
of the suppression OF violent lawlessness
or what prefer TO believe exists a chron-
&c callousness on the part OF public on
cials TO that predominating sentiment. The
spectacle OF a blood-thirsty mob wreakinr
It's lawless will on helpless women. what
ever their offense. within the very shadow
of the walls of the State University. with.
out the strong arm OF the law being inter-
posed TO prevent or punish the outrage
Is one not longer 10 be tolerated. ana I