Democratic Sentinel, Volume 6, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 October 1882 — A MOB’S FURY. [ARTICLE]

A MOB’S FURY.

Summary Justice Administered to an Indiana Wife Murderer. A Hot Fight with the Authorities— One of the Lynchers Killed. After a desperate resistance by the Sheriff and his deputies and the officers of the city, Hume Redman, who murdered his wife at Mount Vernon, Ind, was taken from the Evansville jail by a mob, and in the battle that ensued was shot dead. David Murphy, a relative of the murdered woman, was also killed. Dispatches from Evansville furnish the following particulars of the lynching: The first intimation of the disturbance which resulted in Redman’s death was received by Night Turnkey Hatmacher at the jail at 2:10 this morning. At that hour a communication was received by him through the telephone from Ullmer’s brewery that a masked mob had parsed up the street. The turnkey immediately notified Newitt, who hastened to the jail. Hatmacher, after notifying Newitt, went to the Sheriff’s residence to give the alarm. Sheriff Kerth and Deputies Mauntel and Martin and Tom Kerth, Jr., were on the alert, prepared to defend the jail and the prisoner. Newitt soon arrived and went into the Clerk’s office to telephone for assistance. He heard the clattering of the horses’ hoofs coming up the howldered streets, and hurried back into the jail. Sheriff Kerth was at the front door of the Court House when the mob arrived The mob dismounted, picketed their animals, left a guard to cover their retreat and captured all the citizens who happened to he attracted to the scene, while a portion of the mob ma >e a dive for the jail Kerth fired at them, but they did not falter. They took him a prisoner, and were into the jail yard in a jiffy. Two blows were sufficient to break in the outside wooden door, and the mob was in the jail halL Newitt, Martin and Tom Kerth, Jr., opened up a brisk fire, which was responded to by the mob, who poured a fuffiade through the door. Chisels and sledge-hammers were coon brought and willing hands went to work, and in a twinkling the jail door was open. Newitt ran hack to Redman’s cell and sa’d to him: “I have done all I could for you; they will get you. ” And he replied: “Give me a revolver and I will kill some of them. ” When the jail door was opened the mob rushed through the corridor to Redman’s cell, and in a minute it was opened and Redman in their handa- They tied his hands with a strong rope and led him out. The officers all this time were trying to escape from jail and get assistance so as to capture the mob, or some of them. Newitt managed to get into the Sheriff’s residence and run up-stairs to the front window, which he opened, and blew his whistle. Then the mob followed him and threw him downstairs. When be got up the mob were bringing Redman out of the front door. They were ordered to halt, when their leader replied: “We are from Posey county and came after Redman, and we are going to have him. ”

An alarm of fire having been given out in the city, the chemical engine came rapidly up the’ street, and, strikin'.! the buggy into which the mnb had placed Redman, overturned it. This threw the mob into some di-order, when one of the leaders said: “Put him on horseback.” This order was countermanded, and orders were given to kill him on the spot. One of the band seized a sledge-hammer and dealt Redman a powerful blow on the head, felling him to the gr rnnd. At this point Chief of Police Pritchell arrived on the scene. One of the mob ran up to him and said: “Go away from here, Pritchell; we don’t want to kill you,” at the same time snapping a revolver in his face, hut liis hand was knocked up in the air before the weapon was discharged By this time several officers were on the ground, who, without the orders of their superiors, opened fire on the rapidly-retreating mon. The mob fired as they retreated. They were well armed A regular pitched battle was fought on Third street. Bullets whistled in every direction. Chief Pritchell .and Detective Newitt, who led the fight against them, made an effort to capture some of them, but the firing was so hot they were compelled to lie Hat on the ground to escape death. The result of the battle was that Redman was killed where he was stricken down with the sledge-hammer. Over two dozen balls entered his body. It was at that place that David Murphy, a brother-in-law of the murdered woman, met his death. The moo was so intent on killing Redman that they fired helter-skelter through their own ranks. It was then that Murphy found his death. The officers arrested several t f the mob. A dispatch from Mount Vernon says that David Murphy, one of the mob who was killed in Evansville, was buried in that city. Five hundred people attended his funeraL After the funeral a fund of SIOO was ra sed for a monument. A large sum was also subscribed for the benefit of his three orphan children. Great indignation was expressed by Posey county people on account of his death. _