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INDIANA AGAIN DISGRACED.Rape, Harder and I.ynet) Law In Posey County.A special to the Evansville Journal gives the following particulars of a horrible affair which disgraced the town'of Mount Vernon, Posey county, last week : The whole vicinity was greatly excited, nud Friday the place was in the hands of armed men- The cause of thetrouble occurred Monday night, when eight negroes, lawless and drunken, went to a hou?:e of ill-fame, uear the outskirts of town, and knocked for admittance. There were three girls in, and one of them asking What was wanted, was answered that a messenger with a note was waiting. She opened the door, and a young negro stood on the steps, and just behind him a gigantic fellow with a cocked revolver, who ordered the girls to open the door, and commanded his confederates to eoter. The eight entered and demanded money from the girls, who did not have any. ** The scoundrels rifled the house for plunder, during which ono girl attempted to escape by the back door. One of the scoundrels presented a revolver at her head andtold her he would kill ner if she went; that they had business with her. They theu huddled the eirls into one room, and putting out the light, inaugurated a beastly carnival, preventing the girlsmaking any outcry or calling for helo by threats of instant death. A little after midnight all departed, leaving the women fainting and sick. On the next morning, in spite of the election, there was great excitement in town, and the officers, armed with warrants, went in search of the ravishers. Jim Good, Jeff. Hopkins, Ed. Warner and Wm. Chambers were arrested Wednesday and put in jail, the arrest being made as quietas possible in order to prevent lynching. On Thursday the town was greatly excited ; but no steps were tnken while the officers were in search of those who hadescaped. Last Friday morning, at two o’clock, Deputy Sheriff O. S. Thomas, Deputy Marshal Edward Hayes, Constable William Russell and Charles Baker, went to the house of Dan. Harris, Sr., a negro sixty years old, whose son, Dan. Harris, Jr., was to be apprehended on a warrant for beiDgone of the ravish-era. They surrounded the house and Thomas knocked at the door and demanded admission. It was refused. Thomas went to the side window with Russell to parley with the parties, and as they approached a double-barreled shotgun was pushed out and discharged within three feet of them. One buckshot grazed Russell’s cheek, and eighteen buried themselves in Thomas’ face, throat and breast. The jugular vein was cut, and a shot went through his heart, while his shoulder was blown off* He staggered a few feet and said, “Boys I am shot to death,” and fell dead without a struggle. Ed. Hayes advanced to the window and was also fired at, and 011 his part emptied a shotgun Into the window at Harris; but neither was hurt much, Harris getting a few squirrel shot in his arm. The officers altogether made a raid on the house then, and after two or three hours’ struggle succeeded in getting old man Harris. But young Dan was not there. When they took old man Harris to jail about G o clock, they found a great crowd, armed with pistols and guns, hungering for the lives of the men in jail, and fur Harris in particular. Several of them attacked Harris as be was carried through, and nearly succeeded in shooting him, and but for the excitement elsewhere, which diverted them, would have done it. He was put in jail, and Jim Hayes, Jim Dunn, Baker and others locked themselves in, armed to the teeth, and delied the mob, which was howling outside, demanding entrance. Under the determined resistance of the officers, however, the enraged people gradually concluded to wait till night. One colored man.who came into the mob, began to talk freely and was shot in the back of the neck by somebody, and will be laid up for some time. Early in the morning telegrams concern-inir the crisis were sent to Evansville,The gerrymandering of Ohio was done in compliance with orders from Washington. Now, the Washington Post, the Democratic national organ, advises the“folding up of the present political map of Indiana; as the the Democratic Legislature will next winter make a new one.” So much for the sincerity of the Democratic indignation about “gerrymandering.”Indianapolis News: I11 the presentcongress Iowa has 9 Republicans and no Democrats, Indiana 9 Republicans and 4 Democrats, Ohio 12 Republicans and 8 Democrats, West Virginia3 Democrats; total in present Congress from these four States, 30 Republicans and 15 Democrats. The result of Tuesday’s election for the next Congress are, Iowa, 9 Republicans and no Democrats ; Indiana, G Republicans, 6 Democrats, and 1 National, who will be anti-Republican ; Ohio, 9 Republicans and 11 Democrats ; West Virginia, 3 Democrats, or possibly 2 Democrats and 1 National, who like the National in thi9 State, will be Democratic for Presidential purposes. So the total for the next Congress from these four States is 24 Republicans and 21 Democrats. Thus the Republicans have lost G and the Democrats have gained 6 members in Congress by Tuesday's elecTon, while the Republican gain of the State officers in Ohio i3 offset by the Democratic gain of the legislature in this State. Thus the two States of Ohio and Indiana have Democratic Legislatures; Iowa and West Virginia remain as before, respectively Republican and Democratic.where many of the leading citizens of Mount Vernon wero attending United States Court, and it became rumored that Gov. Williams bad been called on to send the Evansville Rifle and Light Guard militia. This put the mob into a perfect frenzy of excitement, and 200 men armed with guns and pistols were ordered to the depot to await the coming of the train and prevent the militia from getting off. A cannon w=*s got out of the quarters, and under charge of the remainder of the crowd was hauled to the court house, and planted in front of the building facing the street to the depot. The militia did not come, as there was no authoritative call for them, and at 2 o’clock the excitement had somewhat.subsided,although armed men were crowded in the streets and around the jail. Not a negro was to be seen into w u,Jim Good, one of the parties, was pardoned by Governor Williams three months ago, after serving two years on a five years’ sentence for rape. lie is a bad man, and all his accomplices have bad characters except old Harris, who is said to have been a very well-behaved man. At 19:20 the mob, numberingGo North, South, East or West, andyou will find coughs and colds at this season of the year. A remedy which never fails to give satisfaction is Dr. Bull’s Cough Syrup. Price 25 cents.STATE—The potato crop is lifjht in Jennings county—Liberty Mail : Hog cholera is prevailing to a fearful extent in some portions of the county.—A very handsome monument has just been erected at Logan sport over the grave of the lato Hon. 1. 1. Pratt.—The apple crop of Noble county is 30 abundant that winter apples are selling in Ligonicrat twenty cents a bushel.—The new church erected at Richmond by the Society of Friends cost S36,072.14, including the lot 011 which it is built.—John \V. Scott, a prominent young lawyer of Ligonier, loll from the window of hid office and sustained fatal injuries.—Liberty Mail, 10th: Tho brick work on Iludo’s shop was finished last Saturday, and they will soon commence placing within it their machinery.— While Dr. J. M. Smith, of Lafayette, was riding with his wife, a gun whieli he had with him was accidentally discharged, blowing his thumb off. lodging the bone and several shots in Mrs. Smith's face.—Cambridge City Tribune: When the car shops were running a bouse on Main street rented for $1,200 a year. The same house ronts for #100 a year. '‘Yes,’* remarked a green-backer, “there ha* been an overproduction.**—The wife of William Mitchell, living south of Shelbyvillc, eight miles, was nursing a babe, six weeks old, by the stove, when she was taken with a fit. She dropped tho child and fell on it. causing its death. Mrs. Mitchell's arm wai badly burned by falling against the siove.—(ircensburg Standard: Decatur countyThe coroner was then allowed to cut them down and begin his inquest.Since the excitement has somewhat abated, there is good reaRiiMo brieve that at least one of the ne^^psexwited, Jeff. Hatykiite, wrtfrnot onebf thqjnuties concerned in the rape of the white women, anji would have been ;#ble t0. prove an alibi by respectable white citizens, with whom be was In consultation con cerning the election at the time the crime was committed. Since the hanging, this testimony as to his Innocence of that crime has been established. It is also claimed that old man Harris, who has hitherto been regarded as an upright man, acted under a mistake when he killed Deputy Sheriff Thomas, the old man believing him to be one of a party who had threatened^ before night came i on, to kill him if he did not divulge where his son, one of the acciiiSed, was hiding; and that be would have submitted to have his house searched by the proper officers.Some excitement was created by a rumor that old mail Harris had escaped, or was rescued, and that bis life had not paid the forfeit of the murder of Oscar Thomas. A rumor was in circulation that he was driven away from the jail iu a close carriage. This rumor gained some credence from the fact that many of the mob saw a carriage rapidly driven away from the jail while the work of forcing the cell was going on. Persons who claim to know, however, state that they saw the old man chopped toffieces with a butcher’s cleaver, and the pieces thrown into the privy vault.There is little prospect thatany of the citizens engaged in the lynching will ever be brought to trial. Of course, many of them are known to each other, and, perhaps, to the law officers; but the sentiment of the people is so strong that their lawlessness will never be made a subject of legal investigation.Four of the negroes concerned in the rape, or at least accused of it, have fled the town, and are still at large. Should they return and be arrested, the law will probably be allowed to take its course, as the public appetite for blood seems about satisfied.ffS(itr1icYlt;lt;1(tc1ct1II
Newspaper Details
Rushville Weekly Republican
Rushville, Indiana, US
Thu, Oct 17, 1878
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
IN, USA 11 Apr 2021
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