Goshen (IN) Times, August 23, 1888, p. 1.
ATTORNEY GENERAL MICHENER INVESTIGATES THE WHITECAPS
He Finds That Many Outrages Have Been Committed of Which No Report Was Made
Vigorous Action Against Offenders Favored
Indianapolis, Indiana, August 20-Attorney General Michener has returned from
an investigation under instruction from the Governor into the whitecap
outrages in the counties of Harrison, Crawford and Perry. He was absent
three days and conferred with court officials and numerous citizens
regarding the status of affairs in the counties names. He will submit his
report to the governor this week and will take strong grounds against the
whitecap organization as well as against the public sentiment that made such
outrages possible.
In a conference with Judge Zenor of the circuit in which those counties lie,
it was learned that fourteen indictments had been found in Crawford County,
but so far no one has suffered conviction. Two parties were acquitted
before a jury on account of insufficiency of evidence. Eleven indictments
were dismissed at the suggestion of the prosecuting attorney who declared
that the evidence against the parties was insufficient, and one is still
under indictment but is serving a term in the penitentiary for another
offense.
Judge Zenor gave it as his opinion that the condition of public sentiment
was gradually improving and that the people of his circuit were becoming
more and more earnest in their demand for the enforcement of the law. Some
appear to think there is really no such organization as the whitecaps and
that the outrages are the consequence of individual spite. The better
opinion, however, is that the bands are regularly organized, are bound
together by oaths, hold regular meetings and formally adopt a course of
action. The better class of people criticize the local newspapers severely
and claim that these are to a large extent responsible for the crimes that
have been committed in Southern Indiana. Instead of criticizing the action
of these lawless bands and condemning their deeds of violence, the
newspapers have really been made parties to the crimes by publishing notices
warning citizens to leave and also by publishing accounts of outrages
without appearing to condemn them.
The Attorney General will report strongly against the outrages that have
been committed and will recommend that the Governor adopt measures at once
for suppressing the whitecap organization. He regards the people of a large
portion of Harrison, Crawford and Perry counties as being terrorized, the
juries to a certain extent being under this influence. He will severely
criticize the action of the local papers which he believes have been
instrumental in bringing about the disgraceful condition of affairs in those
counties. His observations have convinced him that the whitecaps are
regularly organized and that the outrages committed by them are the result
of private enmities rather than of any desire to rid the section of unworthy
citizens.
In an interview, Mr. Michener spoke freely of the impressions made by his
visit and said, "I have not the slightest doubt that there is such an
organization, and a powerful one at that. In Harrison County it is thought
the outrages are of a more spontaneous nature. Where a citizen has not
acted properly, a party of neighbors gather and whip him. In Crawford
County, however, there seems to be a strong central organization with a well
maintained system of communication between numerous branches. In this way
they manage to have a man punished by strangers who have come from another
neighborhood for the purpose.
"Until recently, the better class of people rather looked upon the
performances of the vigilantes as irregular but upon the whole salutary and
seemed to think only those persons were punished who really deserved such
treatment, but of late there has been some glaring cruelty and such
continual reports of whitecap operations that a strong sentiment is
springing up in favor of ferreting out the leaders in the outrages and
bringing them to punishment. I think the officers of the law have at all
times been anxious to do their duty, but there has been a reluctance on the
part of grand juries to find indictments.
"Not half the story of whitecap outrages has been told. I held many
confidential conversations with citizens of the regions where the outrages
have been most numerous, and under my pledge not to reveal their identity,
they talked very freely of the matter. I find that many whippings and other
punishments have been inflicted that have never been published, the parties
who suffered fearing to tell of them. Then the chastisements are usually
for very trivial offenses and are severe out of all proportion to the
infraction of order committed by the victims.
"The position of the press of that region has been most deplorable. The
papers have not had a single word of condemnation to say. In many instances
they have given direct support to the regulators and have published their
mysterious notices and warnings for them. Much of the blame for the extent
to which the outrageous proceedings have been carried is doubtless due to
this position of the papers."
It is said the whitecaps have issued a circular threatening with bloodshed
to resist any interference with their organization by the state.