LNrna HISTORY 
 
 Copy 1 
 
 THE REGULATORS 
 
 NORTHERN INDIANA. 
 
 PDBLISHBD BY ORDER OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE, 
 
 INDIANAPOLIS: 
 
 INDIANAPOLIS JOURNAL COMPANY, PRINTERS, 
 1^9. 
 
 
M. vA. V\otV. 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 OP 
 
 THE REGULATORS 
 
 NORTHERN INDIANA. 
 
 .3^" 
 
 PUBLISHED BY ORDER OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE. 
 
 INDIANAPOLIS : 
 
 INDIANAPOLIS JOURNAL COMPANY, PRINTERS. 
 
 1859. 
 
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 vA 
 
PREFACE 
 
 The avowed object in publishing this work is to furnish 
 a concise history of the operations and success of the honest 
 and industrious citizens of Northern Indiana, who banded 
 themselves together in companies called Regulatoks — a right 
 guaranteed to them by an act of the Legislature of our State. 
 In so doing, we have set forth all the important confessions 
 made by the different individuals arrested, and aimed to give a 
 full detail of all the principal items of importance that 
 occurred during the earnest and arduous labors of the better 
 portions of our citizens in redressing the grievances they had 
 so long borne, and in rescuing our country from the hands of 
 those vampires who were blighting and mildewing the best 
 interests of this portion of our State. Hence we earnestly 
 hope, in presenting this work to the public, it may fully meet 
 their expectations, and find a hearty welcome in the mind of 
 every lover of loyalty in our country. 
 
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HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 
 
 Northern Indiana, from its early settlement, has been 
 noted for being the resort of the most numerous gang of 
 blacklegs of almost any State in the Union; and as a rendez- 
 vous for all villains in villainy no country has stood more 
 conspicirous^J The name of some of our northern counties, 
 and more especially that of Noble, has resounded from Maine 
 to Oregon, and from Canada to Florida. Every man, who has 
 traveled through the Western States, has been startled at the 
 rehearsal of the deeds of crime and infamy committed in 
 Noble county, under the supervision of a well organized, well 
 disciplined band of counterfeiters and horse thieves. Indeed, 
 the county of Noble had become so notorious, for being the 
 citadel of all villainy, that honest men traveling from here to 
 other sections of country were ashamed to own from whence 
 they came. Immediately after the sale of the public lands 
 north of Fort Wayne, which took place about the year 1835 or 
 1836, a number of these men, (whose names will be more fully 
 brought to view in the doings of the Regulators, planted them- 
 selves upon the virgin soil of this country, effected an organi- 
 zation, and commenced their depredations. Their operations 
 seem to have been carried on under obligations of perfect 
 secrecy, and with a display of wisdom that would, in many 
 instances, reflect honor upon a nobler cause. Most of them 
 were emigrants from the State of Ohio, and probably received 
 their first lessons of instruction from the notorious Jim Brown, 
 one of the most successful counterfeiters ever known in the 
 State. 
 
6 HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 
 
 New countries seem to present the most favorable opportu- 
 nities and the greatest facilities for carrying on the blackleg 
 business of any. Retired from the gazing multitudes of popu- 
 lous cities, domiciled in the midst of the unsuspecting settlers, 
 where law is -comparatively a stranger, and where they are 
 secreted from the eye of vigilance, affording advantages which 
 the sagacity of such men is not slow to perceive. While it is 
 true that our cities and towns are seldom, if ever, entirely free 
 from the contaminating influences of such lawless wretches, 
 loitering about the groceries and other haunts of iniquity, or 
 stealthily pacing the streets at the dead hour of night, to 
 satiate their hellish desires by the commission of crime, it is 
 a notorious fact in the history of all criminal associations, that 
 the nucleus has been formed in some sequestered spot, remote 
 from the settlements of civilization, or in some den or cave of 
 the earth. Hence Noble county, in a very early day, pre- 
 sented a favorable site for the organization of a gang of felons. 
 The principal part of the county was very heavily timbered, 
 and offering great facilities for stealing from the Indians and 
 whites, with good advantages for hiding. The few Pottawatamie 
 Indians, that inhabited this country at that time, were greatly 
 annoyed by these men stealing their ponies. Many of them 
 carried on the business extensively, stealing ponies from the 
 Indians and driving them to other States to sell. The Indians 
 frequently made complaints to some of the whites, but all in 
 vain, no one had courage to come to the rescue. Law was of 
 no avail, because there was no one to execute it. While these 
 depredations were going on among the red men, the poor, 
 honest, hardworking white man, who had sought a home 
 among the hardships of frontier life for himself and family, 
 was by no means passed by. 
 
 Wm. Latta, Wm. D. Hill, and Geo. T. Ulmer, were among 
 the chief pioneers and leaders of the banditti of Northern 
 Indiana. Three more sagacious and artful accomplices are 
 seldom found. These, however, were not without their allies 
 ready at a moment's warning to go at the bidding of their 
 superiors. Sworn upon the peril of life to defend each other 
 in every emergency, even at the expense of innocent blood, 
 
HISTORY OF THE REGULATOES. 7 
 
 no deed was too atrocious, no crime too black, to satiate their 
 fiendish ambition. Robbing, murdering, stealing, gambling, 
 burning buildings, making, selling, and passing counterfeit 
 money, have been scenes of common occurrence among us for 
 the last twenty-five years. Bidding defiance to all laAv, they 
 have moved on in their nefarious work, " like the destruction 
 that wasteth at noonday." But the great evil sustained by 
 the communities was not simply the loss of goods and chattels, 
 or the burning of houses, nor was it in robbing the poor Indian 
 of his pony. No ! these were but small crimes compared with 
 the corrupt and blasting influences exerted over the young. 
 Hundreds of young men, and even some young women, have 
 been decoyed and led into debauchery and prostitution of the 
 most barbarous character. No language is adequate to express 
 the direful effects of these men over the morals of our country. 
 Young people, whose early training had been strictly moral, 
 and who in youth could boast a character unstained by the 
 pollutions of crime, may now be seen keeping the company of 
 these loathsome creatures, or clanking their chains in some 
 doleful prison house, working out the just punishment of their 
 crimes. What a change for a parent, a brother, or a sister, to 
 look upon. That countenance, that once beamed with the 
 glow of intelligence, has been changed to the look of shame 
 and remorse, and the dignity of manhood to the doom of a 
 culprit. The spontaneous language of every heart, inspired 
 with the principles of manhood, is, " Go, earthly treasures, 
 money, houses and lands — all I have ; yes, and even my own 
 life, but save my children from the penitentiary." 
 
 Alpheus Baker, who moved to this country in 1836, lost 
 three horses the morning after he arrived, supposed to have 
 been stolen by Wm. D. Hill. In consequence of this loss his 
 family was reduced to extreme want, and suffered much for the 
 comforts of life. 
 
 Wm. Mitchell and Asa Brown, who were also among the 
 pioneers of Noble county, took a very prominent stand on the 
 side of honesty, and were zealous in every effort to arrest and 
 bring to justice men who were engaged in this work. Having 
 spared no pains in securing the arrest of Smith alias Jones, 
 
8 HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 
 
 aiid Elias Turner, who had broke jail in Ohio and fled to George 
 T. Ulmer's for refuge, not long afterwards, these two men, 
 (Mitchell and Brown,) were repaid for their services by the 
 burning of their barns. This took place in 1841 or 1842. 
 
 Immediately after this a meeting was called for tlie purpose 
 of organizing a society for the mutual protection of all honest 
 citizens, and to raise funds to pursue and catch any and all 
 who should hereafter be guilty of any depredations of a like 
 character. On the appointed day men came up from every 
 part of the country. Among the number, George T. Ulmer, 
 and several others of the gang, were not the least conspicuous 
 and expressed a strong desire to see the work go on. The 
 effort proved a failure for the want of a secret plan of opera- 
 tion. Notwithstanding every effort that was made to the con- 
 trary, the blacklegs still grew in number and strength, until 
 serious apprehensions were felt by many that they would finally 
 bear rule. It may not be amiss here to note some of the prin- 
 cipal causes of their success in numerical strength. One is 
 the flattering delusion held up to the minds of the young men, 
 that making and passing counterfeit money is not only profit- 
 able but an easy way of accumulating property without labor; 
 and another, which is worse than all, is the advantages for the 
 gratification of base desires. One point worthy of notice in 
 the history of these companies, associated for the commission 
 of crime, is this : Wherever you find a rendezvous, hiding- 
 place, or citadel of these land pirates, you will invariably find 
 a number of lewd women. Thus you will see at once that 
 every allurement that men can use for the ruin of your sons, 
 to drag them down to the pit of infamy and shame, is brought 
 to bear upon them. The man of honesty, who earned his 
 bread by his own toil and endeavored to train his family up t-o 
 habits of true morality, was looked upon with contempt. The 
 principles of the Christian religion were derided and trampled 
 upon like tempest-withered leaves. And thus the work went 
 on, sweeping like the besom of destruction and blasting every- 
 thing in its course. No one was exempt from its curse ; and 
 woe to him who dared to raise the hand of opposition. Scarcely 
 a day passed but some strange fiend in human shape might be 
 
HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 9 
 
 seen sauntering about the streets in company with one or more 
 of these midnight marauders, searching for an opportunity to 
 steal. 
 
 It has been wisely said, " There is a point beyond which for- 
 bearance ceases to be a virtue." The public had been out- 
 raged ; their houses and barns pillaged and burnt ; their sons 
 decoyed into the vortex of ruin ; the virtue of their daughters 
 blasted forever; and the only alternative that now remained 
 was to challenge the enemy to mortal combat, and measure 
 swords for the victory. Public sentiment must be tested. The 
 line must be drawn. The sword of justice must be unsheathed, 
 and the motto of the chieftain of Mecca inscribed upon it in 
 characters of unmistakable import: ''Fear brings disgrace. 
 Forward lies honor. Cowardice saves no man from his fate." 
 When once the sword is drawn in defence of those natural and 
 God- given rights which are guaranteed to every man by the 
 charter of his creation, he should never sheath it or turn back 
 until God has decided between him and the foe. I am no 
 advocate of war; but when these sacred principles have been 
 disregarded and trampled upon with impunity, and when vice 
 and immorality assume the reigns of government and bid 
 defiance to the law of the land, every principle of justice calls 
 for redress. 
 
 Whenever the religious and political liberties of any people 
 have been thus disregarded by a band of outlaws, bidding 
 defiance at every step, waging war against the peace and dig- 
 nity of the country, and standing in eternal opposition to 
 every principle of morality, with a design to prostitute and 
 blast forever the character of every young man and woman 
 that comes within the range of their damning influence, it is 
 not only a right which every man holds by virtue of the Decla- 
 ration of Independence, which forms the grand basis of our 
 National Government, to defend himself and family against 
 such invasions, but it is a right which he holds also by the 
 cliarter given him by the God of the universe. I say, when- 
 ever a people, or community, feel themselves thus aggrieved 
 and imposed upon by such a gang of felons, they have a right 
 to demand redress; and if the civil authorities fail to come to 
 
10 HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 
 
 the rescue with a sufficient force to meet the wants and wishes 
 of the people, then, and not until then, it becomes the right 
 and duty of a community to speak with that stentorian voice 
 which must be heard. "All wholesome law," says a venerable 
 statesman, " has its origin in the expressed will of the gov- 
 erned," and if that sentiment be true, the will of the mass is 
 the law of the land, whether it be by legislative enactment, or 
 by the spontaneous outburst of indignation against a combined 
 force that are plotting the ruin of the country. 
 
 The crisis was a fearful one. One that called for immediate 
 action. One in which the weal or woe of the country was in- 
 volved ; and one upon which hung in awful suspense the dig- 
 nity, character and future doom of Northern Indiana. The 
 state of society was such as to render it unsafe for any pro- 
 perty to be left exposed to the ruthless hands of these vile 
 desperadoes, who were constantly on the alert, either crouch- 
 ing in ambush like the unsuspected savage to pounce upon his 
 prey in an unguarded moment, or stealthily pacing the premises 
 of some merchant, mechanic, or farmer, eagerly watching 
 every fitful opportunity that presented itself, to put forth the 
 felonious hand in deeds of the darkest dye. 
 
 Any state of society, — even that of the most untutored 
 savages, where nature reigns in triumphant grandeur, and the 
 white man's foot has never marked the soil, — is preferable to 
 this. 
 
 While the complicated foldings of the portentious clouds, 
 that thus hung suspended over our country, were daily gather- 
 ing blackness, and threatening ere long to burst upon us like 
 a mighty hurricane and sink us to the lowest depths of infamy 
 and shame, and after every effort of moral suasion had been 
 tried to the utmost, — when every honest man's patience had 
 been taxed to the end of endurance, — our State Legislature 
 came to the rescue. 
 
 In 1852, an act was passed authorizing the formation of 
 companies for the detection and apprehension of horse thieves 
 and other felons, which for the benefit of such as may not have 
 access to the Statute of our State I will here insert, that you 
 may see that we have not acted entirely without the sanction 
 
HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 11 
 
 of law, in apprehending and bringing to justice a large number 
 of these blacklegs, since the organization of the companies 
 known in this country as the Regulators : 
 
 CH-A^FTEPl 51. 
 
 AN ACT to authorize the formation of companies for the detection and appre- 
 hension of Horse Thieves and other felons, and defining their powers. 
 
 [Approved March 9, 1852.] 
 
 Section 1. Be it enacted hy tlie General Assembly of the State 
 of Indiana, That any number of persons, citizens of the State of 
 Indiana, not less than ten nor more than one hundred, may, and 
 are hereby authorized to form themselves into a company for the 
 purpose of detecting and apprehending horse thieves and other 
 felons, as hereinafter provided. 
 
 Sec. 2. Said persons desirous of forming such company, shall 
 each subscribe articles of association, in which shall be set out the 
 name said company may choose, the residence of each member, 
 the number of members, and the number of years said company 
 shall exist, which shall not exceed ten years. But such articles 
 of association, with the names of said members and their residence, 
 shall first be laid before the board of county commissioners of the 
 county in which it is proposed to organize such company; if said 
 board shall approve the objects of such association, as well as the 
 by-laws governing the same, the said association shall be deemed 
 organized and incorporated under the provisions of this act; and 
 not otherwise : Provided, nevertheless, That said board of commis- 
 sioners shall, at any meeting thereof, have the right, and they are 
 hereby empowered to strike the name of any member from such 
 association, if they deem the public good to require it, and that 
 such examination may, from time to time, be had. It shall be 
 the duty of the secretary or clerk of such association to report, 
 under oath, the name of each and every member of such associa- 
 tion, with their respective places of residence, whenever the board 
 of commissioners of the county shall require it, under the penalty 
 of forfeiting their corporate privileges and powers. Said articles 
 of association shall be filed and recorded in the ofiice of the 
 county recorder of the county in which a majority of the members 
 of said company may reside, and a certified copy of said record 
 
12 HISTORY OF THE REGUTATORS. 
 
 shall be received as evidence, in any court of this State, of the 
 existence of such company and membership of any person 
 belonging thereto. 
 
 Sec. 3. Whenever said articles of association shall be filed 
 as above provided, the said company, under the name and style 
 which they may designate, shall be a body politic and corporate, 
 and by such name may sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded 
 answer and be answered unto, in any court of competent jurisdic- 
 tion in this State, and shall have succession during any time not 
 exceeding ten years, as provided in the second section of this act; 
 may have and use a common seal, and alter the same at pleasure. 
 
 Sec. 4. Said corporation may elect or appoint all such officers 
 as they deem necessary for their organization, who shall severally 
 liold their officers and perform the duties that may be required of 
 them by such company; said officers shall serve either for or with- 
 out compensation, as said company may direct. 
 
 Sec. 5. A majority of said company shall have power to adopt 
 a constitution and by-laws for their government, and enforce 
 obedience to the same, which constitution and by-laws shall be 
 consistent with the constitution and laws of this State and of the 
 United States. 
 
 Sec. 6. Such number of members shall form a quorum to 
 transact business and sit upon their own adjournments, or call 
 meetings, under such regulations as said company may adopt. 
 
 Sec. 7. Said corporation may, at any time, add to their 
 cumbers under the limitations prescribed in this act, and may 
 expel members in such manner and for such cause as may be 
 prescribed in the constitution and by-laws of such company. 
 
 Sec. 8. Whenever a new member has been admitted or a 
 member is expelled, such fact shall be certified by the proper 
 officer of such company, and recorded in the office of the county 
 recorder where the original articles of association have been 
 recorded. 
 
 Sec. 9. Such company may receive donations in money, or 
 other property, to be applied to the purposes of their organization, 
 and assess taxes or impose fines upon their members, as may be 
 prescribed in their constitution and by-laws. 
 
 Sec. 10. Such company shall have power to call to their aid 
 the peace officers of this State, in accordance with law, in the 
 pursuit and apprehension of felons, and reclaiming stolen pro- 
 perty, and each and every one of the members of such company. 
 
HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 13 
 
 when engaged in arresting oflFenders against the criminal laws cf 
 this State, shall he entitled to all the rights and privileges of 
 constables. 
 
 Pursuant to the provisions of this act, numerous companies 
 were formed throughout the country, with one grand object in 
 view, namely, to rid the community as far as possible of all 
 who were engaged in this nefarious work. 
 
 FIRST ORGANIZATION OF REGULATORS. 
 
 In the formation of these companies, it was customary first 
 to draft a constitution and by-laws setting forth the objects cf 
 the society, the conditions of membership, the number and 
 names of officers, as also their duties respectively. Any per- 
 son making application for membership, must present a name 
 uncontaminated by the vile association of felons, make a solemn 
 pledge of secrecy, and subscribe his name to the rolls. The 
 meetings of the societies were strictly private, and all their 
 plans for operation were kept in profound secrecy until the 
 contemplated arrests were made. The company known as the 
 Lagrange County Rangers was the first organization made 
 under the act of the Statute, in Northern Indiana. The fol- 
 lowing is a copy of the constitution and by-laws of said com- 
 pany, which we insert because of its priority. Those of sub- 
 sequent date were materially altered, with many important 
 additions and amendments. 
 
 PREAMBLE. 
 
 We, the undersigned, for the purpose of promoting the 
 general good, for the protection of our property and families, 
 and for the apprehension of horse thieves and other felons, do 
 on this 20th day of September, A. D. 1856, organize ourselves 
 into a society, and agree to be governed by the following 
 articles of association : 
 
 Art. 1. This company shall be known and designated 
 under the name and title of the Lagrange County Rangers. 
 
14 HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 
 
 Art. 2. The officers of this society shall consist of a 
 President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and two 
 Directors, who shall be elected annually, on the last Saturday 
 in September. 
 
 Art. 3. The President, and in his absence the Vice Presi- 
 dent, shall preside over all meetings of the society, and shall 
 have power to call special meetings when he may deem it 
 necessary for the interests of the society. 
 
 Art. 4. The Secretary shall keep a correct record of all 
 the proceedings of the society, receive all moneys paid in, 
 and pay the same over to the Treasurer, taking his receipt 
 therefor, and make at each annual meeting a financial report. 
 
 Art. 5. The Treasurer shall, before entering upon the 
 duties of his office, file with the Secretary of the society his 
 bond for the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars, with secu- 
 rity to be approved by the President, for the due performance 
 of the duties thereof; and shall receive all monies to him paid 
 by the Secretary, giving his receipt therefor, and pay the same 
 out by order of the President. 
 
 Art. 6. It shall be the duty of the Directors to draft a 
 code of by-laws for the society, and transact such other busi- 
 ness as the society may require of them from time to time. 
 
 Art. 7. The President, Vice President, or Directors, shall 
 cause the books to be open at all times for the reception of 
 such persons as the society may direct. The initiation fee 
 shall be two dollars, which must in all cases be paid at the 
 time of admittance. 
 
 Art. 8. The Directors shall, when called on by the Presi- 
 dent or Vice President, assist in all matters connected with 
 the interests of the society, and may assess a tax at any time 
 on the members of the society : Provided however, That said 
 tax shall not exceed fifty cents on each one hundred dollars 
 valuation ; and provided, also, that the same shall be submitted 
 to a vote of the society. 
 
 Art. 9. There shall be a regular meeting of the society 
 on the last Saturday of September, December, March and 
 June, to confer and advise with each other for the general 
 good of the cause. 
 
HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 15 
 
 Art. 10. In the event of a vacancy occuring in any office, 
 the same may be filled by a special meeting, of which at least 
 six days' notice shall be given to the members by the President, 
 Vice President, or Directors; and all voting of the society for 
 the election of officers, or the reception of members, shall be 
 by ballot. 
 
 Art. 11. The number of members in this society shall not 
 exceed fifty at any one time. One negative vote shall be suf- 
 ficient to reject any applicant from becoming a member of this 
 society. 
 
 Art. 12. Every member of this society guilty of any 
 misdemeanor, shall be entitled to a fair hearing before the 
 society. 
 
 Art. 13. This society shall continue for a term of eight 
 years from its organization. 
 
 Art* 14. This constitution may be altered or amended at 
 any regular meeting, by a vote of two-thirds of all the mem- 
 bers present, and notice having been given at least one meeting 
 previous. 
 
 This society was in existence nearly one year and a half 
 before any others were formed, and was constituted under cir- 
 cumstances of the most pressing necessity, by men who pos- 
 sessed the boldness and fortitude to assert their rights, at a time 
 when danger stared them in the face. 
 
 The following minutes, embracing the preamble and resolu- 
 tions of a meeting held by this society about sixteen months 
 after its organization, is but a fair representation of the uncom- 
 promising determination with which they had entered the field 
 to engage in the contest : 
 
 ANTI-HORSE THIEF MEETING. 
 
 Wright's Corners, Jan. 9th, 1858. 
 The citizens of Southern Lagrange and Noble counties met, 
 pursuant to a call issued by the several Self-Protecting Horse 
 Companies, when John Longyear was called to the Chair, and 
 E. W. Myers appointed Secretary. 
 
16 HISTORY OF THE REGULVTORS. 
 
 On motion of Mr. Mills, a committee of five was appointed to 
 draft a preamble and resolutions, stating the object and expressing 
 the sentiments of the meeting. 
 
 The following were appointed by the Chair: Mr. Mills, C. Coch- 
 rane, Dr. J. Z. Gower, L. P. Grannis and A. Hill. 
 
 The committee then retired, being absent a short time, returned 
 and submitted the following 
 
 PREAMBLE AND RESOLUTIONS. 
 
 WJuTcas, The counties of Lagrange and Noble are infested with 
 blacklegs, burglars and petty thieves, to such a degree, that the 
 property of our citizens is very insecure; and 
 
 Whereas, The tavern kept at Wrights' Corners, by Benj. F. 
 Wilson, is believed to be the rendezvous for these infernal ban- 
 ditti, who carry on their depredations upon the unsuspecting; and 
 
 Whereas, We have reason to believe that the said B. F. Wilson 
 18 an accomplice of these villains, protecting them as far as lies 
 in his power; securing them, and aiding and abetting them; and 
 
 Whereas, There has been counterfeit money passed at the house 
 of said Wilson under circunistances which justifies the belief that 
 it was done by his knowledge and consent, and that he shared a 
 part of the booty obtained thereby; and 
 
 Whereas, We are believers in the doctrine of popular sove- 
 reignty; that the people of this country are the real sovereigns. 
 and that whenever the laws, made by those to whom they have 
 delegated their authority, are found inadequate to their protection. 
 it is right of the people to take the protection of their property 
 into their own hands, and deal with these villains according to 
 their just deserts; and 
 
 Whereas, It is notorious that the civil laws are totally inade- 
 quate to the protection of the property of our citizens against 
 the depredations of the vampires, who curse the earth with their 
 presence, living upon plunder taken from the honest, the indus- 
 trious, and often the indigent portion of the community; and 
 
 Whereas, The citizens of other States have set us an example 
 in this matter, taking the protection of their property into their 
 own hands, and whenever they take these villains, off"er them uj) 
 as a tribute to humanity; therefore 
 
 Resolved, That we will use our utmost exertions to bring these 
 villains to justice, by assisting to take them wherever they may 
 
HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 17 
 
 be found, and that, when taken, we will deal with them in siu-h a 
 manner as to us may seem just and efficient. 
 
 Jiesoh-t'd, That we will hold B. F. Wilson responsible for all 
 depredations which may be committed at his house, by such per- 
 sons as he may harbor ; by passing counterfeit money, or any other 
 overt act, and that we will deal with him in such manner as we 
 would with the real depredators. 
 
 Resolved, That in case any individual endorsing the preamble 
 and resolutions offijred by this committee, should from such en- 
 dorsement, suffer loss by fire or otherwise, that we all be, and by 
 these presents do bind ourselves to make all loss good to him — 
 such individual bearing his proportion. 
 
 Resolved, That these proceedings be published in the Lagrange 
 Slandard. 
 
 Signed by one hundred and thirty citizens. 
 
 BEGINNING OF THE EXCITEMENT. 
 
 In the latter part of the year 1857, the handwriting began 
 to be visible upon the wall. The first public demonstration 
 made by the Kegulators was a grand parade, which took place 
 on the day of the Old Settler's Meeting at Kendallville, Jan. 
 16th, 1858. Soon after the arrival of the morning train of 
 cars, and just before the organization of the meeting, about 
 three hundred men, all on horseback, moved down in majestic 
 strength through the streets of the town, bearing mottoes and 
 banners of various descriptions, one of which contained a paint- 
 ing, representing the capture of a criminal, with these words 
 written over the scene, "iVb expense to the Count//.'' After a 
 full display of their forces, marching in double file tin'ough 
 the most prominent streets of the village, they repaired to the 
 common near the Baptist Church, where several speeches were 
 made, setting forth in very bold and daring language the fixed 
 determination of all those who had enlisted in the cause of 
 reform. Many gazed upon the scene with wonder and aston- 
 ishment. This to Noble and adjacent counties was the star of 
 hope, — the omen of better days to Northern Indiana, and the 
 beacon liglit of her rising glory. While, on the other hand. 
 
18 HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 
 
 the banditti of counterfeiters were struck with terror and con- 
 sternation, under the fearful forebodings of the rising indigna- 
 tion of an outraged and insulted people, who were ready now 
 to strike for liberty or death. 
 
 FIRST ARRESTS. 
 
 On the 17th day of January, 1858, James McConnel, a 
 prominent member of the Noble County Invincibles, after 
 being provided with a posse of fifteen men, proceeded to the 
 village of Rome, and in and about said place made the follow- 
 ing arrests: Miles C. Payne, Gregory McDougle, Sol Stout, 
 Malcomb Burnam, Davis, French, Joseph Hall, Wm. Hall, 
 and E. Kesler; whereupon they were immediately escorted to 
 Ligonier, and placed in the custody of the proper officers of 
 the committee, to await investigation. 
 
 The practice of bringing every prisoner before the commit- 
 tees for private examination, for the purpose of procuring con- 
 fessions and developments, dates from the beginning of Regu- 
 lating. Hence, whenever any one was caught, upon whom 
 competent evidence of guilt could be found, he was forthwith 
 taken to some private apartment and there placed under the 
 care of a committee, whose duty it was to ask of him a free 
 and voluntary confession of all his knowledge concerning the 
 blacklegs in Northern Indiana. These confessions, however, 
 were not intended to be extorted through fear or favor, but 
 were invariably called for in a voluntary manner. In some 
 instances, where good advice and gentle means failed to accom- 
 plish the desired effect, a more rigid course of treatment was 
 resorted to. 
 
 Some of the above named persons, after examination before 
 the Regulators, were released for want of testimony. After 
 due investigation before the committees, and a proper develop- 
 ment of fiicts sufficient to warrant a substantial cause of action, 
 they were generally handed over to the authorities, to be dealt 
 with according to law. 
 
HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 19 
 
 On the night of the 2od of January, E. Kesler was brought 
 before a committee, and made the following developments : 
 
 CONFESSION OF E. KESLER. 
 
 " The first I ever stole was on the last of November, or first of 
 December, 1857. Headly, Core, and John Smith, divided the 
 goods, that were stolen from the peddler at Rome, between them. 
 Headly took some of them to Finley's, in Adams county, Indiana. 
 I held the door, while they done the robbing, and I knew they 
 were robbing him at the time. I think some of the goods are at 
 Finley's now. Headly makes his home with Finley. Finley lives 
 about nine miles from Decatur, and about the same distance from 
 Blufton. When I was there, I saw harness, trunks, and bridles, 
 up stairs. The trunks had dry goods in them. I was there abour 
 two months ago. I suppose the goods were stolen. John Deems, 
 and Shearer, stole three horses. Smith traded one of them for a 
 large bay mare, and one was left at Ulmer's for safe keeping. 
 Ulmer gave John Deems $250, and Headly $125, counterfeit 
 money. I did not see either of the horses. John Deems took 
 the iron gray to Ulmer's for Payne. I heard Payne ask Deems 
 how the horses got along; he said, 'fine.' Mr. French told me, 
 when he left, he was going to Angola. He left about two weeks 
 ago. The boys say that Meeker is the old Banker. Stout told 
 me that Smith's boys were his main men. Stout, McDougle, and 
 Core, had a hand in stealing Willis's guns." 
 
 The prisoner was then conducted to his room, and placed 
 under guards, to await the pleasure of the committee. 
 
 GREGORY McDOUGLE. 
 
 On the night of the 25th of January, 1858, Gregory Mc- 
 Dougle was brought before the Committee of the Noble County 
 Invincibles, and, after having made a full confession embracing 
 many important developments, he was conveyed to a private 
 room and there placed under guard. Whereupon a committee 
 of five men was duly appointed, to examine the witnesses and 
 report upon the evidence and the final disposition of his case. 
 
20 HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 
 
 REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE. 
 
 "We, the committee appointed by the Noble County Invincibles 
 to collect and investigate the evidence in the case of Gregory Mc- 
 Dougle, now pending before this Society, ask to make the follow- 
 ing report : 
 
 "After having made a full and fair investigation of all the 
 testimony, and having found, during said investigation, evidence 
 of an unmistakeable character, charging the said Gregory Mc- 
 Dougle with murder, do recommend, that the said McDougle be 
 hung by the neck until dead, on Tuesday, the 2Gth day of Janu- 
 ary, 1858, at 2 o'clock P. M." 
 
 The report, on motion, was received and adopted. 
 
 Immediately upon the adoption of the report, a deep and 
 profound silence pervaded the whole assembly. Each felt that 
 the eve of an awful crisis was at hand. The fearful responsi- 
 bilities of the decision of Death, upon a fellow being, without 
 the sanction of any other law except that of the natural right 
 of self-defence, were now vividly portrayed in the mind of 
 every member of the committee. No turbulent jar, or discord- 
 ant voice, Avas heard to mar the fearful deliberations of that 
 hour. Calmness and solemnity was visible upon every brow. 
 A more calm, well matured and deliberate decision, was never 
 made by any judicial umpire in the history of criminal juris- 
 prudence. The following resolution was then passed : 
 
 '■'■Resolved, That the Captains of the several Companies, in Noble 
 and adjoining counties, notify the members of their Companies, 
 respectively, to appear at Ligonier on the day of execution, at the 
 hour of 12 M., and that each Captain be requested to escort his 
 own Company into the village, in regular file and good order." 
 
 During the pendency of the case of McDougle before the 
 Noble County Invincibles, a more exciting and thrilling interest 
 was never manifested by the citizens of Noble county. Buggies 
 and wagons were constantly on the move to and fro, and not a 
 day passed, for the space of one week, but the cars were filled 
 Imost to overflowing with passengers to and from Ligoniei* 
 
HISTORY OF THE REGULATORg. 21 
 
 The case of McDougle formed the topic of conversation at 
 every corner of the streets. The movement of the Regulators 
 now made, what before had seemed but the momentary excite- 
 ment of the mass, a serious reality, upon which were suspended 
 the awful issues of life and death. They felt that their natural 
 and God-given rights had been disregarded, and that the arm 
 of the law was too weak to mete out a just retribution to the 
 guilty, under the existing state of society. Ilence they vir- 
 tually said, " The axe is now laid at the root of the tree, and 
 every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewn 
 down." 
 
 The folloAving is an account of the execution of McDougle, 
 as published by the Noble County Begister, and is substantially 
 true according to the original record : 
 
 EXECUTION OF GREGORY McDOUGLE, 
 
 At Ligonicr^ Indiana, January 2G, 1858, hy the Nolle County 
 ^'■Regulators ;''^ also, his Confession before the Committee. 
 
 The 26th of January, 1858, is a day long to be remembered 
 by the citizens of Noble and adjoining counties, as being the day 
 on which was executed Gregory McDougle, and we shall endeavor 
 to give such facts as shall make the reader acquainted with all the 
 attending circumstances. 
 
 It is a well known fact, that for years our County and Lagrange 
 have been known, hundreds of miles, as the dens of blacklegs of 
 every conceivable grade; and honest citizens, while from home, 
 have hardly dared own their place of residence, for fear of being 
 looked upon as one not safe to run at large, and as the sequel will 
 show, not without cause. Years since, while our country was new 
 and hiding places plenty, the notorious Latta, Hill, Ulmer & Co., 
 formed their nucleus near the Tamarack, as a place to which ail 
 might meet to take counsel, lay plans, manufacture counterfeit 
 money, and be safe from harm. For years their gang, in a mea- 
 sure, controlled our election and sat upon our juries, thus render- 
 ing the laws of no avail. Year after year has passed away and the 
 same state of things has continued. Our horses, buggies, harness 
 and other property, have been stolen by the wholesale ; our stores 
 broken and goods taken. Our citizens have been met by the high- 
 
22 HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 
 
 wayman, and at the pistol's muzzle robbed, and in one instance 
 stabbed; and so well were their plans laid that their detection 
 seemed impossible. 
 
 Thus, for years, have this banditti pursued their course. No 
 Dian or his property were safe while this gang remained in our 
 midst. If, by chance, one was arrested, he would be released by 
 his comrades, break jail, go on inadequate straw bail, or, if held 
 to court, be sworn clear by his confederates under the alihi dodge, 
 until our citizens lost all hopes as to the laws accomplishing the 
 desired result. 
 
 By a chain of fortuitous circumstances, a short time since, the 
 gang, their numbers and places of deposit, became known, when 
 a Committee of Vigilance was formed to bring them to justice- 
 The result was that some twenty-five were arrested, and of the 
 number fourteen are now in jail, well guarded. During the in- 
 vestigation it became known that one of the gang, a former accom- 
 plice of the notorious Townsend, one Gregory McDougle, alias 
 Gregory McGregor, Geo, McLane, Geo. Bates, was in custody of 
 the Court, — a man who, by his own confession, was born in Wal- 
 laceburg, Kent County, Canada West, in the year 1831, where he 
 commenced his career of crime by breaking the Chatham jail^ 
 where his brother was confined, robbing the jailor's wife of a 
 purse of gold ; also robbing a schoolmaster of a watch on the ice, 
 and names other affairs in Canada, — details which stamp him as 
 one of the most desperate and hardened villains that the annals of 
 crime present. 
 
 Since April last, he, with two others, have stolen no less than 
 thirty-four horses, broke two jails, robbed four stores and two tan- 
 neries, took the entire load of two peddlers, besides a large amount 
 of harness, saddles, buggies, and other property too numerous to 
 mention; who publicly boasted that no jail could hold him, and 
 that he feared neither God, man, or the devil. Further, there 
 seems to be other and deeper acts, which he did not confess, and 
 which we will briefly detail. 
 
 The Deputy U. S. Marshal of Michigan states, under oath, that 
 he has had in his possession for some time, a reward from Canada, 
 for the apprehension of this man, for the crimes of robbing, an 
 attempt to break jail, and murder. McDougle confesses to his 
 identity in the acts of robbing and attempt to break the jail at 
 Chatham, Canada, to release his brother, but denies that the mur- 
 der occurred. The Marshal, Mr. Halstcad, however, states that 
 
HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 23 
 
 lie went to Canada twice to investigate tlie matter, and that the 
 murder was committed upon the very person that McDougle con- 
 fesses of robbing, to-wit ; the jailor's wife of the prison, where 
 McDougle's brother was confined. Added to this we have the 
 testimony of a confederate, taken separate and apart from the 
 statement of the Marshal, that McDougle, in relating his exploits, 
 stated that these occurrences did take place, and that he gave the 
 blow that caused the death. 
 
 McDougle also confesses to robbing a schoolmaster on the ice, 
 but denies his murder. We have, from the same authorities and 
 others, that the schoolmaster was not only robbed, but murdered, 
 and found dead on the ice. 
 
 One other crime we will mention, and close this harrowing and 
 sickening detail. This former confederate, heretofore mentioned, 
 states that McDougle informed him, that he and another accom- 
 plice, hearing of a Scotchman that had received quite a sum of 
 money, proceeded to rob him of the treasure. With pistol to their 
 victim's breast they demanded his money. He told them that he 
 had deposited it in bank. After a search, and not believing his 
 statement, they proceeded to divest him of what clothing was 
 necessary, and procuring live coals of fire roasted him upon them. 
 They released him before death occurred, becoming satisfied that 
 their victim had told them the truth. McDougle, in his confes- 
 sion, qualifies by saying, that he held his accomplices horses, 
 while they did the act. We leave our readers to judge of the 
 executed man's complicity in these acts. 
 
 Proofs being positive, a jury of citizens, (not a jury of twelve, 
 but a jury of hundreds,) decided that justice required that he die ; 
 and on this memorable day he was executed ; not by a rabble, not 
 by a noisy mob, not by young men in the heat of passion, but by 
 men who for years have been residents of this and the adjoining 
 counties, — men that were impelled, not by a thirst for blood, not 
 to riot in the agonies of one made in the image of the God they 
 worshipped, but that stern justice demanded the offering as an 
 example to the you.ng in their midst, many of whom have already 
 taken the first steps in that road which leads to death. All felt 
 the solemnity of the hour; all would gladly have had it other- 
 wise, if justice could have been satisfied through any other chan- 
 nel; but all felt that this was the only resort. During the fore 
 part of the day he was visited by two clergymen, who endeavored 
 to point his thoughts to Him who holds the destinies of man in 
 
24 HISTORY OF THE REGUL\TORS. 
 
 His keeping, and ■who is free to forgive all, even to the most 
 guilty. 
 
 Gregory McDougle was brought before the committee on the 
 evening of the 25th of January, when he was informed, for the 
 first time, of the doom that awaited him — that he was to be exe- 
 cuted the next day at 12 o'clock. The gentleman whose duty it 
 was to break to him this painful and unwelcome intelligence, 
 addressed the prisoner in some very affecting and appropriate 
 remarks, which seemed to affect him to such a degree that he ap- 
 peared confused, and made some wandering remarks, such as, 
 "Well, gentlemen, I am in your power, deal with me as you see 
 fit — I have never been in Canada — I never had a brother there," 
 &c., &e. He said he had committed many thefts, and commenced 
 to relate them, but was told that perhaps he had better return to 
 his room, where if he had anything to relate — any confessions to 
 make, he would be waited upon by two or three persons, who 
 would commit to writing whatever he desired to communicate — 
 to which he assented. He was then asked, if he would like to 
 have a clergyman visit him in his room and confer with him on 
 spiritual matters. He replied that he would, and desired to know 
 if he could not have an opportunity of seeing his wife. He was 
 told that his wife should be sent for immediately. He was then 
 taken back to his room, and messengers dispatched at once for his 
 wife and child, who arrived next morning at 7 o'clock. 
 
 After a short exhortation and prayer by the Rev. Mr. Wolcott, 
 he made the following 
 
 CONFESSION. 
 
 "I was born in Wallaceburg, Kent County, Canada, in 1831. 
 My parents were respectable, and gave me a good opportunity for 
 an education, but I did not improve it. My father was a professor 
 of religion. I was married to Magaret Jacobs when I was nine- 
 teen years of age. I have four brothers and one sister. My 
 father died when I was nineteen, in Canada. He was engaged, 
 at the time of his death, in merchandizing, in Wallaceburg. His 
 name was Laughlin McDougle. I was engaged at the time of my 
 father's death in keeping tavern. I continued in this business 
 about two years. I commenced my career of crime about four or 
 five years since. My brother Miles was at work on the Great 
 Western Railroad, where he was arrested for robbing a house and 
 stealing a horse, and confined in the Chatham jail. I went to the 
 
HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 25 
 
 jail in company with John McGreggor, John McDougle and James 
 McDougle, to release my brother. The jail was surrounded by a 
 wall. McGreggor, John and myself climbed over the wall by the 
 aid of a ladder. (James dared not venture.) We took the ladder 
 and stove against the door, which was made of wood, and burst it 
 in ; we went into the hall and so into the jailor's bedroom ; we 
 found no one there but the old lady, who appeared frightened, 
 but he tapped her lightly on her head with his hand, and said, 
 ' Don't be frightened, mother, I'll not hurt a hair of your head, 
 I only want the keys of the prison." She immediately gave us 
 three — one to each of us — and also went to the bed, and from 
 under the pillow took a bag about fifteen inches in length and 
 handed to us, which I took and put in my pocket. There wa? 
 something heavy in the bag, but did not look to see what it was. 
 I then went to the grate doors and on the opposite side were the 
 guards, who called out 'run here boys,' upon hearing which my 
 comrades turned and fled; but I went up to the door and told the 
 guards to stand back or I would shoot them. I tried to unlock 
 the door, but found the key which I had did not fit, and that the 
 boys had gone with the one which did. I then started to pass 
 out, and the old lady followed me and demanded back her purse 
 of gold. I stood a second or two, and then handed it back, and 
 said, 'here mother, take your gold, I do not want it.' The old 
 lady's name was Payne. I then went out and joined my com- 
 rades, and traveled home on foot, a distance of twenty-six miles. 
 The officers pursued us, and got to my house before we did, but 
 we managed to keep out of their way. I then went to Chemung 
 County, N. Y., where I fell in company with one Sherman Mal- 
 lett, and, with our wives, came to Burr Oak, Michigan, and there 
 met with Wm. Latta. Bought a place opposite, and stayed there 
 several weeks repairing the place. Mallett hired a horse at a 
 livery stable and drove to Port Mitchell ; broke open a store, and 
 stole a lot of silk goods and kid gloves; he put in an overcoat 
 and started for home, but lost a piece near the tamarack; took the 
 rest to Latta's. 
 
 "About six weeks after Latta came, and proposed to John Mc- 
 Dougle, Sherman Mallett and myself, that he would furnish us 
 with some counterfeit money, if we would get some goods. We 
 went to Waterford, in Elkhart Uounty, and broke open a store 
 and stole dry goods to the amount of some .$300. We took them 
 to about three miles west of Lima and hid them in the woods. 
 
26 HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 
 
 We sold a part to Latta, and a part to Jeremiah Misner, for coun- 
 terfeit money made at Perry Randolph's. The factory at Fawn 
 River was broken open, I think, by Charles Smith and a man 
 called Red Head. The goods were taken to Wm. Hill's. I went 
 in company with Mallett, Wm. Ray, and John McDougle to De- 
 troit, and there passed about ^60 in paper on the Westminister 
 Bank, Rhode Island. I had some six or eight hundred dollars of 
 this money. I sold a part of it to Mallett's comrades in New 
 York. Mallett and I hired a span of grey horses at Romeo, 
 Michigan, and drove them to Chemung County, N. Y., and sold 
 them to Edward Howard, who lives about five miles from Havanna- 
 We then exchanged some of our counterfeit money for 20's on 
 the Black River Bank, and came back to Freedom. Mallett 
 passed two 20's on the way home. I gave mine to Latta. 
 
 " Mallett went into the factory at Fawn River on pretence of 
 looking for a site, and went all through it. Suspicion rested on 
 me. We went to Perry Randolph's, and then to Kendallville, 
 where Mallett passed one or two of his 20's. While we were 
 absent my house was searched, and the ofl&cers were waiting for 
 me when I returned, but I only stayed about two hours, and then 
 started for Jackson. My wife, then, for the first time, became 
 acquainted with my true character. I went back to Wallaceburg, 
 Canada, and stole a pair of horses from Raymond Baley, and rode 
 them seventy miles east of London, and took them into the pinery. 
 I stopped with a man by the name of Cartright, and made shingles 
 a few weeks, the horses being secreted. I finally made a sleigh, 
 stole a set of harness, and brought them to Cartright's. I started 
 for Buffalo on Christmas, 185G, and put up at the Grrankin House- 
 I sold one of the horses to a merchant, and the other to Lyons at 
 Black Rock. I then returned to Canada, and hired a horse and 
 cutter at Ingersol and came to Wallaceburg, and took my cousin 
 with me. About six miles from Wallaceburg we stole a pony from 
 a stable ; came to Tecumseh, Michigan, and there traded off the 
 pony for another horse, and came to Freedom ; went to Perry 
 Randolph's and left one horse there ; went to Bill Hill's and 
 traded both horses for a sorrel mare ; Hill knew they were stolen. 
 I then started for Wallaceburg in company with my wife and 
 cousin ; we stole a pony below Detroit, and went about twelve 
 miles, when my cousin stole a sorrel mare; we sold the pony about 
 ten miles from Port Dover; we took the other two horses to Buf- 
 falo, and sold them. I went from there to Syracuse, and worked 
 
HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 27 
 
 in the salt works several weeks. Tlion went to Chemung County, 
 N. Y. I went in company with Edward Howard to rob a man 
 they called Big Jim. Howard went into the house, wet a cloth 
 with chloroform and laid it on his breast, went out and waited a 
 few minutes, then went in and took $95 and a gold watch; I took 
 the watch and twenty dollars of the money. I went back to Syra- 
 cuse and took my wife and went to Rochester, and then went back 
 to Chemung County, and hired out to drive team for a man by 
 the name of Hutchinson. I went to his bed in the night, and 
 took $125, and a watch worth two or three dollars. Then went 
 to Rochester, stayed a few days, then went back to Chemung. 
 There met Mallett, who had just been pardoned out of prison. 
 We went to Jefferson and broke open a drug store, and took some 
 jewelry, pocket-knives, and seven or eight dollars in money ; we 
 took the goods to a man by the name of Baker, east of Penn Yan ; 
 he offered us sixty dollars, we wanted eighty dollars; he, however, 
 stole some gold rings of us. 
 
 "We went from there to Penn Yan and took the cars for Roch- 
 ester; stayed there awhile ; finally went back to Baker's and broke 
 open his wagon and stole seventy or eighty dollars worth of goods. 
 We then went to Chemung, and stole Joseph Howard's horse, 
 and went back to Baker's and stole his two mares, sleigh, double 
 harness and a set of single harness; we traded our sleigh and har- 
 ness off for a wagon to a man by the name of Reed, in Chatauque 
 County; we kept the mares. We broke open a store and stole dry 
 goods to the amount of $200; also, a jeweller's store, and took 
 two or three hundred dollars worth of watches and jewelry; we 
 took our jewelry to Canada. We hired a horse and buggy of a 
 man by the name of Fish, and drove it to Perry Randolph's and 
 sold it to Woodford. 
 
 "I next went to Pennsylvania and broke into a grocery and got 
 about a hundred dollars worth of tea and tobacco. Mallett hired 
 horses and buggy of Woodford and we went down to Ellicottville, 
 where we got in company with a man by the name of Phipps, and 
 we went some seven miles, to a man by the name of Ozen, and I 
 held the horses while they went into the house ; they hurt Ozen 
 badly by striking him with a stick ; they got twenty-four or twenty- 
 five dollars. We stopped some two or three months with Reed. 
 I tlien took my mares and hitched them to my wagon, and we 
 came to Tiffin, Ohio, and Mallett sold all to a pump peddler. I 
 then came to Burnam's to see about my mother. I got thirty 
 
Z<5 HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 
 
 dollars of Biirnam in bogus coin, and 82,000 in counterfeit of 
 Bill Hill, on the Southern Bank of Kentucky, brought from Cin- 
 cinnati. I then returned to Chatauque, N. Y., and sold some and 
 some I returned. 
 
 "On my return T became acquainted with Payne through Bur- 
 nam. We went to Wolf Lake, and took a pair of horses of movers, 
 and took them to Mr. Woodford's in Chatauque County, and sold 
 them to him. We stole another pair of brown mares, and drove 
 them back and sold them to Burnam. Payne stopped at Perrys- 
 burg and stole another and rode to Burnara's. I traded a watch 
 with Payne for his horse and $20. Next, Barney Weston, Sol. 
 Stout and myself, went to Springfield, broke into a store, got 
 about $200 worth of dry goods, and sold them to Barney Weston 
 for a wagon; I sold it to Burnam for my board. Next Payne.and 
 I went to Uniontown in July, and got ten or twelve pairs of boots, 
 two pair of long rubber boots, and one pair of men's gaiters. 
 Payne sold his to Bill Hill, and I sold mine to Kreamer. Payne 
 and I next went to Ontario and pulled some four or five hundred 
 pair of buckskin gloves from McKinley; sold some to Hill, some 
 to Ulmer, and some to Joe and Bill Hall. 
 
 "A man by the name of John Wilson stole Spencer's horses, 
 and took them about thirty five miles north of Cincinnati, and 
 sold them to an old farmer, and then pulled a pair of brown horses, 
 and brought them to Burnam's, and put them to my wagon, drove 
 them to Detroit, then shipped them to Dunkirk and drove them 
 to Thomas Reed's in Chatauque County, N. Y. I took a mare 
 and colt from Burnam's to Michigan, four miles east of Albion, 
 on the Jackson road, and traded to Wm. Hill for a horse. 
 
 " I traded a horse to ;* he is with us; I gave him 
 
 counterfeit money, and he told me he passed it; he was initiated 
 before I saw him. These men are the kind of men that are the 
 
 cause of so many horses being stolen. Also ;* I would 
 
 not be afraid of his exposing me if he knew I had a stolen horse. 
 
 " Stealing from the peddler at Rome, myself, Kcssler, Hadley, 
 Stout, Hank Core and Smitzer, hid the goods under a hay stack. 
 Myself, Core and Stout went to Springfield, and on our way back 
 Core went into a shoe shop and took two guns, one deer skin and 
 accordeon ; Core, I think, took them north. We then came to 
 
 * We leave these names blank for certain reasons. 
 
HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS, 29 
 
 McKinzie's wagon and took the box out and liid it in tlic bushes; 
 a few nights after I gave it to Forsyth to peddle out — Forsyth the 
 magic man." 
 
 On being questioned he stated, tliat " he robbed a man by the 
 name of Alexander McCoy of a watch on the ice at Wallaceburg, 
 soon after I tried to get my brother out of jail. I ran up behind 
 him and pulled his watch, when he fell down on the ice, but was 
 not hurt ; he came to my house next morning for a drink." 
 
 Upon being questioned in regard to a certain Scotchman, robbed 
 in the western part of New York, he said: "Mallett and Wm. Hoy 
 went to his house; the man was setting smoking his pipe; they 
 asked him for a drink, he got them some water, when Roy knocked 
 down; he asked what they wanted; Roy said they must have 
 his money; he said he put it in the bank; they poured out wheat 
 and flour and raked it all through in search of the money, after 
 which they put some live coals in a kettle and set him on it, but 
 he still said it was in the bank. I merely held the horses outside. 
 They took an old watch and left. A man by the name of Jones 
 pointed the place out to them by writing them a letter; Jones 
 lives near Georgetown in Canada. 
 
 " DeKalb County. — Miles Payne, John Wilson and George 
 
 Palmer, broke open the Spencerville store. R. J. deals in 
 
 counterfeit, lives in Uniontown. Pladley and Hunt robbed and 
 stabbed Myers. 
 
 "LiGONiER.— Hank Core stole Storm's buggy; it is on the Michi- 
 gan River, at True Roberts', at Lowell. Wright's goods were 
 stolen by Charles Smith and Wilkinson, and sold to Bill Hill. 
 
 " Fort Wayne. — Largchuft, ticket agent, Ott Holcomb, Bill 
 Jackson, keeper of the Mad Anthony Saloon, and Joel Cutter, all 
 deal in counterfeit money. Sam Gowers uses counterfeit and 
 secretes horses ; he gave me counterfeit money himself. 
 
 "Lagrange — Constable Louther deals in counterfeit and horses. 
 James Pitts signs the bills on Pretty I'rairie; Ad. Nimmons used 
 to. Misner signs his own. There is an old man that usually 
 stops at Perry Randolph's; he cut their plates, or docs their en- 
 graving; I think he is there now. John Goodrich secretes stolen 
 horses; he secreted two for me at diiferent times; he also deals in 
 counterfeit; has asked me for it. Holsinger's horse was taken by 
 Hunt and sold to Wm. Hall, four miles from Albion, Michigan. 
 Dan Wilson and Ben Wilson deal in counterfeit, and secreted a 
 couple of horses for Payne." 
 
30 HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 
 
 McDougle was at Burnam's in December, 1857. He saw Dr. 
 Hogan, and Hogan said that lie had sold Burnam a Christmas 
 collar, and if he let Burnam have 8400 or $500, whose business 
 was it? Dr. Hogan was at a party at Ben Wilson's. Payne was 
 there. Payne let Hogan have a quantity of counterfeit to keep 
 till after the dance. Payne had S900; Hogan knew it was coun- 
 terfeit money. 
 
 McDougle has seen Meeker there counterfeiting at different 
 times; seen him at Burnam's coloring counterfeit. James Clark, 
 a baggage master on the railroad at Fort Wayne, deals in counter- 
 feit; he is a big stout man. Jed Cothrell, who keeps the saloon, 
 deals in counterfeit; he used to get his money from Bill Hill and 
 Burnam. 
 
 Jonathan Thompson makes and peddles spurious coin; lives in 
 Kinsman, Ohio, on the road to Meadville. Ott Hoken, a starch 
 dealer, deals in counterfeit. 
 
 Wm. Thompson, used to be sheriflF of Chemung County, N. Y.J 
 John Thompson, Henry Thompson, out west, Charles Hibbard, 
 keeps tavern, all of the same place, and John Rosenkraus, think 
 he lives in Bath, N. Y., all deal in counterfeit money. 
 
 HIS APPEARANCE. 
 
 McDougle, throughout the period of his confinement, up to the 
 time of communicating to him his awful doom, seemed perfectly 
 careless and hardened, and, in fact, his bearing and manner were 
 defying. He made several derisive remarks about the proceedings 
 of the Regulators — stated that he was not to be, and could not be 
 frightened. He seemed at times to regard the persons about him, 
 and all attempts to get confessions from him, with marked con- 
 tempt. His remarks were often profane as well as insulting — 
 sometimes he would maintain a dogged silence to all inquiries 
 made of him. 
 
 After being informed of the doom that awaited him, he seemed 
 to wake up to a new and entirely different feeling. 
 
 The writer of this witnessed the parting interview with his wife 
 and child — a babe of near a year old. His wife had reached him 
 about 7 o'clock A. M. McDougle was the first to convey to her 
 the tidings of his own doom. She was completely overcome, and 
 in a short time relapsed into a swooning state, from which she 
 did not fully awaken until the time had come for his removal to 
 
HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 31 
 
 the place of execution. And oh ! the heart-rending scene of those 
 few minutes which composed that parting interview ! 
 
 McDougle was composed, but weeping freely, and lamenting his 
 fate. His wife, in view of this last interview upon earth with the 
 husband of her youth, seemed inconsolable. Her ejaculations of 
 grief and sorrow were almost unmanning. She begged to go with 
 him. He told her that it would not do. Once or twice he started 
 from the embrace of his wife, remarking that he would have to 
 go as " they were waiting for him." He urged her to train up 
 their child in the "way it should go." The babe participated in 
 the sadness of the scene ; it caught the reflex of grief on the 
 countenances of those around it, and cried sorrowfully. McDougle, 
 brushing away the tears, hushed his babe aifectionately and fond- 
 ly, and bidding a last adieu, he slowly left the room for the car- 
 riage, which awaited him in front of the hotel. He was seated 
 with a clergyman and three or four other gentlemen, and at once 
 driven to the place of execution, followed by a large cavalcade of 
 horsemen, and others in carriages and on foot. 
 
 They arrived at the place of execution at about 3 o'clock. 
 After some preliminary arrangements, the wagon containing the 
 prisoner and his coffin was driven under an oak tree from a branch 
 of which the fatal rope dangled. He seemed calm and collected — 
 indeed, he evinced throughout the whole of the terrible scene the 
 utmost calmness and self-possession. The preparations being 
 completed, the prisoner rose and addressed the crowd. 
 
 The following is an abstract of his remarks, for a report of 
 which we are indebted to our friend A. B. Miller, Esq : 
 
 REMARKS OF M'DOUGLE. 
 
 "I am happy to see such a crowd around me, and I hope all 
 young men will take a warning from me. My old father and 
 mother advised me to do good. I never committed murder. They 
 say that I killed a man and woman in Canada, and that I burnt a 
 man to make him tell where his money was. It is false. The 
 worst crime I committed was in New York; I then stole, and hurt 
 a man, which long troubled me ; but he got well. I have stolen 
 many times, and taken many horses. Mr. Braden has my confes- 
 sion, which I am willing you all should see. I am sorry to be 
 here, but it might as well be my lot as another's. I say to young- 
 men, keep from houses of ill-fame, and instead of playing cards, 
 read your Bible. The first deviation is the worst ; the progression 
 
32 HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 
 
 is easy tlien to robbery, and finally to murder. No man, I think, 
 has any hard feelings towards me, and I have hard feelings towards 
 none. The citizens of Ligonier have treated me kindly. It is 
 my unhappy portion that my doom should be a warning to all 
 young men, and I am glad to see so many here. It is said that 
 I fear neither God, man, or the devil. I do fear God. It is but 
 a few years since I commenced this course. I broke jail in Canada 
 to release my brother. I was discovered, and had to flee my 
 country, and since have fallen into bad ways. I was forced by 
 circumstances into the society of bad men, and hence have pur- 
 sued a bad course. There are quite a number of people who think 
 the Committee is mistaken in what they do. I say they are not. 
 They are justified, and I hope that they will succeed in their 
 undertaking, and root out all the thieving, coining, counterfeiting 
 and horse stealing. Many present are probably as bad as me, but 
 I hope they will all, especially the young men, take warning by 
 me. My only source is God. I trust to Him for mercy. I trust 
 in the Lord." 
 
 Note. — The confession of McDougle is given as he gave it in, 
 after the sentence of death was passed upon him. It is proper to 
 say that it is not considered full. The time was short, sixteen 
 hours, that he had to relate his misdeeds, and were he disposed to 
 give a full and honest account, the overwhelming horror of his 
 situation would tend to cause him to confuse and disconnect his 
 statements, and, also, in the multitude of his crimes, to pass over 
 many acts, some of which he adverted to in conversation with his 
 clergyman and others. There are some crimes committed by him 
 in this section of country, which are well known, which he has 
 not mentioned at all in his confession. These will be given in 
 future, accompanied with the statement of his former accomplice. 
 This sheet is compiled to satisfy the public demand, and is given 
 as the superficial view of the matter at present. 
 
 The wife of McDougle, subsequent to his execution, proved 
 to be a very important witness in many cases. She manifested, 
 however, great reluctance to having any publicity given either 
 of her name or the execution of her husband, stating as a rea- 
 son that her parents were still living, and she did not wish 
 them to know anything of her misfortunes. She said she never 
 intended to let them know where she \Yas. 
 
HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 66 
 
 Several letters have been received by the Regulators, from 
 tliffcrent parts of the country, confirmatory of the statements 
 of McDougle in reference to his own crimes, one of which we 
 give below : 
 
 RusHViLLE, N. Y., Mar. 22, 1858. 
 3fr. Pof;(maRffr : — As I have just read an account of the execu- 
 tion and confession of Gregory McDougle, at your place, on the 
 2Gth of January last, and as many have no confidence in such 
 confessions made at such times and under such circumstances, I 
 thought I would write and let you know that all those acts, except 
 the horse stealing, which he says transpired in this county, are 
 true. His statement iu reference to the store which was broken 
 in Chemung County is also true, and the Baker whom he mention.<» 
 is a man living in Penn Yan, as he says. I have showed the con- 
 fession to the sheriif of our county, and he says he is acquainted 
 with the said Baker, Joseph Howard and several other hard cases* 
 he mentions. I see by the papers you are doing a good work. 
 r write that you may know that many of the statements made in 
 said confession, in reference to liis acts in this country, are true. 
 
 F. C. Chamberlain, P. M. 
 
 MALCOMB BURNAM. 
 
 This man, as appears from a letter on file, emigrated to 
 Indiana sometime in the year 1855 or 185G, from near Bell 
 River, Michigan. He is a man about forty years old, five feet 
 nine inches high, spare face and brown hair ; has a wife and 
 four or five children, some of whom are full grown. From the 
 letter above referred to, he seems to have left the State of 
 Michigan under suspicious circumstances, and is said to have 
 brought with him a set of dies for manufacturing bogus money. 
 He was an intimate friend and companion of McDougle. At 
 the time of his arrest he was a resident of Noble County and 
 occupied the farm formerly owned by Wm. Latta, now by Dr. 
 L. Barber. After his arrest he was in due time brought before 
 the committee for examination, but was very stubborn and 
 peremptorily refused to make any confessions and constantly 
 
84 HISTOKY OF THE REGULATOES. 
 
 urged the plea of innocence. A part of the committee, owing 
 to his manifest obstinacy, were in favor of applying the rope. 
 The question was strongly discussed by men of ability on both 
 sides, and the first vote resulted in a decree to hang, but the 
 motion was reconsidered and lost by a very small majority. 
 Whether the rope was applied to his neck at any time during 
 the investigation is not reported ; but sure it is that many who 
 were arrested and brought before the Regulators can testify to 
 the prevalence of the rope system at that time. From some 
 cause, however, he was induced to make the following confes- 
 sion, which though very disconnected we give as it appears on 
 record. After naming certain persons he proceeds : 
 
 " They told me that they got their money of Bill Hill ; they 
 
 have all told me that they had passed counterfeit money ; 
 
 told me that he received a stolen horse from Bill Hill, knowing 
 the same to be stolen ; he said the horse was white, and was stolen 
 from Fayette County, Ohio, by a man by the name of John Wil- 
 son, and was afterwards taken by Bill Hill to Missouri ; he told 
 
 me that a certain black mare he owned he had received from , 
 
 which was stolen from Valparaiso last fall, (1857;) McDougle told 
 
 that the gloves he sold him were stolen from McKinley, 
 
 of Ontario, Lagrange County, Indiana; Wright's goods that were 
 stolen from Fairfield Center, in Dekalb County, were taken by 
 McCoy and Charles Smith to Hill's Corners, four miles east of 
 Lagrange, to Drake & Woodward's tavern, and were known by 
 Drake & Woodward to have been stolen; I know that said Drake 
 & Woodward bought a span of stolen horses from Charles Smith 
 and McCoy; said McCoy is about twenty-two years old, — harbors 
 blacklegs; Samuel Pulver bought coin and bills of Hill; Bill 
 and Jabob Garmire bought coney of Hill ; Samuel Pulver bought 
 $25 in bogus money of Hill, at Huntertown, about one year ago; 
 I saw him pass a part of it ; I think Joseph Bollin and Payne 
 are knowing to these facts; Pulver has told me that he passed and 
 dealt in counterfeit money ; I heard D. I. Donegan say that he 
 had passed three or four ten dollar bills of counterfeit; he says 
 he has the directions where to go to get bogus and counterfeit ; 
 it is in Ohio County, Indiana." 
 
 The committee being satisfied that they could make no very 
 
HISTORY OF THE KEGULATORS. 35 
 
 profitable use of Burnam, and finding that he was disposed to 
 make no very important developments, only on conditions of 
 liis own release, and well knowing that such revelations would 
 entirely invalidate his testimony, either against himself or any 
 one else, soon handed him over to the United States Deputy 
 Marshal Charles Seeley, to be taken to Indianapolis. He lay 
 in the jail at Indianapolis until the fall term of the United 
 States District Court, at which time he was ti'ied and sentenced 
 to the penitentiary for a term of two years. 
 
 The following is a copy of a letter received from Bell Biver, 
 near where Burnam formerly resided in Michigan, and is con- 
 firmatory of many of the statements already made ; and gives 
 also an idea of the character he bore previous to his emigration 
 to our State: 
 
 "Gentlemen: — I learn by the public prints that you have 
 succeeded in breaking up a gang of thieves and robbers who have 
 infested your county and those adjoining. I live at Bell River, 
 St. Clair County, State of Michigan. All that separates us from 
 the scene of McDougle's former exploits is the St. Clair River 
 which is about one mile wide. We have for a number of years 
 been troubled more or less by the villains committing their depre- 
 dations, and crossing back and forth over the river as it became 
 necessary to escape justice. McDougle has been from here a 
 number of years. A man by the name of Burnam left here about 
 two years ago. There was at that time an organized band on both 
 sides of the river, which we have succeeded in breaking up, and 
 some of tliera are now in States Prison. This Burnam made his 
 escape and probably took the dies, &c., with him. He is about 
 thirty-five or thirty-eight years old, five feet nine inches high, 
 spare face and brown hair." 
 
 A large quantity of material and also a set of dies were 
 found at Burnam' s house at the time he was arrested, which 
 were brought into Court as evidence against him. One piece 
 of metal was found in the yard of the residence where he was 
 taken, buried among the rubbish, which weighed fourteen 
 pounds. 
 
36 HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 
 
 MILES C. PAYNE, THE NOTORIOUS TRAITOR, 
 
 Early educated to habits of honesty and industry, under the 
 care of a mother much devoted to the great principles of 
 Christianity, and a worthy patron of that noble cause, presents 
 one of the most striking illustrations of treachery of any 
 among the infernal gang. He was one of the number arrested 
 by James !McConnel, on the 17th day of January, 1858, and 
 on being brought before the Committee of the Noble County 
 Invincibles, from some cause, perhaps an undefined conscious- 
 ness of some coming evil, he made no hesitancy in opening up 
 a full disclosure upon the whole gang, and detailing the most 
 horrible catalogue of crime ever known among the people of 
 the country. Persons upon whom not the least suspicion had 
 ever rested before, and who had hitherto been esteemed as good 
 and worthy citizens, were now implicated by unraistakeable 
 marks of guilt and shame. These developments, though never 
 reduced to writing, were of the most startling character, and 
 led to the breaking up of almost the entire company. Many, 
 whose sagacity enabled them to foresee the evil, fled from the 
 country and have not been heard from since; while others, 
 less sagacious, esteemed the commotion of the people but as 
 the momentary excitement cf a furious storm, which would 
 ere long end in calm and sunshine, and, ashamed to exhibit 
 such demonstrations of guilt, aimed to vindicate their innocence 
 by remaining at home. As his confessions were never com- 
 mitted to writing, we shall only be able to give a concise his- 
 tory of his operations while acting under the character of a 
 detective in concert with the Regulators. With no pledge 
 except that of personal safety, he entered upon the work of a 
 detective with a boldness, freedom and zeal seldom surpassed 
 even by the Regulators. 
 
 He states that he had been engaged in the blackleg business 
 oidy about two years, and that during that time he had stolen 
 about thirty-six horses, besides large quantities of goods and 
 other commodities, and during the whole time had been exten- 
 sively engaged in buying, selling and passing counterfeit 
 
HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 37 
 
 money. His field of operations extended through the States 
 of New York, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and Wis- 
 consin. In the latter part of the winter of 1857-8, he, in 
 company with Dr. J, S. Layering, proceeded to Layette, Ind., 
 where, by the advice and assistance of Mr. Chissom, the very 
 excellent Sheriff of that place, they succeeded in making 
 several important arrests. The persons arrested were in due 
 time brought before the United States District Court at Indian- 
 apolis, and, by the evidence of Payne and said Dr. Lavering, 
 sent to the Penitentiary. He mentions a large company located 
 at Black Rock, Wisconsin, to which he had access as a place of 
 refuge, and represents them as being the most numerous and 
 best organized gang in any of the States. 
 
 By his undeviating conduct and daring fortitude in ferreting 
 out, lining up, and aiding to arrest all such as were in any way 
 implicated, he had succeeded in gaining almost the entire con- 
 fidence of all the Committees. 
 
 Thus, after having proved himself one of the guiltiest of 
 the guilty, and after having in the most cowardly manner pos- 
 sible proved the most treacherous of all thieves among thieves, 
 and after having made bold- and high pretensions to reform, 
 and manifested the strongest desire to see the whole banditti 
 routed and driven from the country, he proves himself to be 
 one of the most infiimous of all blacklegs, unworthy to be 
 trusted by any, even the most vile desperadoes or pirates that 
 ever roamed on land or sea. By allowing himself, at a time 
 when no earthly consideration should have caused him to falter, 
 to be hired to turn traitor and prove recreant to the trust 
 reposed in him, and again rush heedlessly into the labyrinths 
 of crime and infamy. He left the country during the fall 
 term of the Lagrange Circuit Court, probably from induce- 
 ments which remain in the dark. He is about six feet high, 
 dark eyes and hair, strong built, and about twenty-five years 
 old. Upon his left arm may be found his name, written with 
 India ink, and on the hand of the same arm an anchor. He is 
 by trade a cooper. The eye of vigilance will pursue him, and 
 justice will sooner or later overtake the guilty. 
 
38 HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 
 
 Copy of a letter written by John, brother of Gregory Mc- 
 Dougle, to Wm. Latta of Iowa, in reference to the doings of 
 the Regulators in Indiana : 
 
 "Feb. 10th, 1858. 
 
 "Dear Friend : — I suppose you must have heard what a time 
 they have had in Indian??, — the capture of McDougle & Co. He 
 has confessed a great deal ; he exposed all the persons he knew 
 anything about; so do all the boys they have arrested. They 
 have said you were at La Cross, but some said you were at the 
 other place, and others said they had you at Ligonier, but that I 
 knew was not so. You had better be on your guard ; they intend 
 to have you, and B., and C, and T. there ; they think they have 
 got the leaders of the gang, as they term it. I saw your address 
 in P.'s letter, and I judged you might not have heard what was 
 up with them. The Prairie men have left the country. I's brother 
 is there, but it is dangerous business to write to any of them now. 
 
 I wrote two letters to you last week at Ft. , but perhaps 
 
 you did not get them. These fellows they have caught, tell who 
 have stolen the horses about this country and where they are. 
 Some have got their property and others are in pursuit. I think 
 it would be much safer for you to get oif among strangers. B. 
 had better get away also. There is a fuss with old Pap and that 
 Doctor that sent you together. They accuse old H. of intrigue, 
 &c., and say he was bribed to let W. and me out. They know 
 where I. and W. are, and will bring them in soon. 
 Truly yours. 
 
 P. S. — Write when convenient. We are all well. 
 
 BOGUS FACTORY. 
 
 Sometime in the year 1857, a plan was entered into by 
 several members of the band to establish a regular mint for 
 the manufacture of bogus money, on a more extensive scale, 
 and after the manner of a joint stock company, in which each 
 was to bear a proportionate share of the expenses and reap a 
 like share of the profits. After tlie arrest of several men who 
 had become stockholders in the contemplated scheme, the fol- 
 lowing confessions were made before the Committee, and by 
 James McConnol reduced to writing, subscribed and sworn to. 
 
HISTORY OF THE PvEGULATORS. 39 
 
 AFFIDAVIT OF SIMEON WEBSTER. 
 
 '•About tlie IStli day of June, 1857, John A. Taylor came to 
 my house and said that he had a book that contained receipts 
 which would enable any one to make gold and silver out of other 
 metals, but the law forbid making any National coin out of said 
 composition. He staid over night with me, and the next morning 
 D. H. came to my house and said to me, ' who is that fellow ?' 
 referring to Taylor; ' I don't like the looks of him.' I told him 
 that he (Taylor) had a book containing receipts for making gold 
 and silver, and as I had often had him for counsel I would take 
 him this time, and wanted him to tell what was best to be done. 
 He (H.) took the book and looked it over, and then said it was a 
 good thing and it v/^ould be best to make the composition into 
 coin. Taylor said he had been caught once and worked hard in 
 the Penitentiary and would not do anything unlawful. He and I 
 opposed making coin. They acted as if they had seen each other 
 before. The night after this conversation Taylor went home with 
 H. Then, four days after, H. and Taylor and I entered into 
 partnership, and they spent a good portion of the time with me. 
 Soon after this, Taylor started for Warsaw, but before he left he 
 wi'ote a letter to be sent to Dr. Duvol, for crucibles, materials, &c. 
 The letter was not sent. Taylor came back, took the letter and 
 about 825 in good money and started for Toledo. In about two 
 days he returned, bringing with him the crucibles, a watch and 
 some change, perhaps $2. In two or three days after H. came to 
 Taylor, in my presence, and recommended John Thomas as a good 
 person to engage in the business. For about one week Taylor 
 refused to have anything to do with Thomas, but afterward agreed 
 to take him in because he could not get rid of H, For about one 
 week H. and Thomas strongly solicited Taylor to take in A. N. 
 and Meeker, at the end of which time H. hitched to his wagon 
 and took us all to Springfield. There Meeker and N. were taken 
 into the company, and it was agreed that we should all contribute 
 equally to stock the business. Myself and Taylor were both 
 opposed to making coin. H. and I think all the rest were in 
 favor of it. Thomas took H.'s horses and was gone two days, 
 and came back with the material. Meeker paid 85, which was to 
 buy said materials. A furnace was then constructed for melting, 
 and H. furnished the team to do the hauling; Taylor built the 
 
40 HISTORY' OF THE REGULATORS. 
 
 furnaoe. Taylor and Thomas tried to melt the composition, but 
 failed. Harrison Blackman came to get some material for gal- 
 vanizing, and I think wanted to get some counterfeit money at 
 the same time. The two Smith boys, Theon and Frank, came 
 also ; I believe they both came for counterfeit. Charles H. came 
 also to get counterfeit money. John Thomas took the crucible 
 and the remainder of the material saying he was going away to 
 melt it. That that was spoiled in the first melting was throwa 
 into the marsh near by. 11. Blackman came to me sometime in 
 September last and asked me for counterfeit money ; I told him 
 T had none; he said it was so understood that I was in the busi- 
 ness; he then wanted to know of me who had any; 1 told him if 
 any one had it probably he would find it at N.'s, for he had 
 always had the name of being in the business; he afterwards told 
 me that N. had promised to get him some, and in about a week 
 after I saw him have about $30, and he said he had let Charles II. 
 have about $40. Charles told me he had converted his into gold 
 by exchanging with a man on the cars ; at the time he told me 
 this he showed me some more money and told me it was counter- 
 feit ; at another time he told me he got some counterfeit money 
 of Meeker and passed it in AVilliams Co., Ohio. N., Meeker and 
 Taylor, represented to me that the business of counterfeiting wa,'- 
 good, and that if I got into a scrape the lawyers and Judges of 
 the Courts would all unite in helping me out, and said, if the 
 lawyers and judges were not iu the business theufselves they were 
 all right on the question. H. told me that in case they succeeded 
 in making coin he would go off and buy cattle and Thomas should 
 butcher and otherwise dispose of them. H. told the rest of us 
 that we must be very cautious or people would suspect us, but as 
 for himself there would be no danger ; first, because be never 
 worked much, and second, because he was a professor of religion 
 and a preacher of the Gospel ; therefore they would not be likely 
 to think there was anything wrong with him. 11. told me that he 
 had got some money of Meeker at 25 cents on the dollar, and 
 that Taylor had got some of the same money to put off at fifty 
 cents on the dollar. Meeker told me that H. had got about $100 
 counterfeit paper of him at 25 cents on the dollar, and that he 
 still owed bini for it, and he could never get anything of him, 
 because he did not dare to sue him. II. told me that he and 
 
HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 41 
 
 Taylor let Gray have a $5 counterfeit or bad bill, and that Taylor 
 was as much to blame in the matter as he was, but would not help 
 him out of the difficulty. 
 
 Simeon Webster." 
 
 Subscril)ed and sworn to, before mc, on this 18th day of June, 
 A. D. 1858, at Albion, Noble County, Indiana. 
 
 James McConnel, Notary Fuhlic. 
 
 The following is an afFidavit made by the above named D. H., 
 and refers to the same subject. The only reason why the 
 whole nnme is not given in this as in several other cases, which 
 have and will appear in this work, is, that some of them have 
 been di.><niissed for want of the competent testimony, and others 
 are still pending in Court. And feeling no disposition to do 
 or say anything that would in the least militate against the 
 future reformation of any one who may have been charged or 
 suspicioned of being in any way connected with these land 
 pirates, Ave have therefore declined giving the full name. But 
 it seems startling and strange indeed that a man professing the 
 religion of that meek and lowly Jesus — the most sublime pa- 
 tron of human conduct on wdiich a ray of light has ever fallen; 
 the only heart in which anger and ill will never found a resting 
 place ; the only bosom that ever heaved a sigh of unaffected 
 pity; the only hand that ever was opened in acts of unosten- 
 tatious benevolence, and the only eyes that never wept tears 
 of deceit. I say it seems strange indeed that a person pro- 
 fessing to co]iy the character of that holy man, and setting 
 himself up as a teacher of those sacred principles taught in 
 the life and character of the Son of Go<l, should so far con- 
 descend from that high and honerable calling as to class him- 
 self wdth a fiendish gang of midnight assassins, and enter into 
 counsel with them against the peace and safety of his own 
 neighbors and his own country. This, hoAvever, presents but 
 one among the many striking illustrations of hypocrisy and 
 deceit carried on under the garb of sanctity. 
 
42 HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 
 
 AFFIDAVIT. 
 
 " Taylor came along about the first of July last at Webster's, in 
 Noble County, Indiana; he told Webster, and Webster told me, 
 that Taylor was a composer of metals; he said he could make 
 metals out of brass, silver and coi^per, that would sell as well as 
 gold in weight and appearance ; also one composed of platina, 
 block tin, verdigris and copper, that would pass to jewelers at the 
 price of gold, and it could be used for lawful and noble purposes, 
 or for unlawful purposes ; also that fine gold made of platina, 
 silver and copper, would pass for 24 carats fine gold. We bought 
 block tin, verdigris, copper and brass, to try the experiment, which 
 if it proved good we intended to manufacture into coin. The 
 crucibles were bought by J. A. Taylor at Toledo, for the purpose 
 of melting the metals and manufacturing coin of the United States. 
 Thomas says they used it at Blaekman's, and tried it at J. Walk- 
 er's, in Noble County, Indiana. J. A. Taylor says to me, ' this 
 receipt will make such metals as above stated;' he says he has 
 tried it at his uncle's in Peoria, 111. ; his uncle is a blacksmith ; 
 his name is Humphrey ; Taylor got his knowledge for manufac- 
 turing bogus of his uncle. The bogus manufacturing company 
 was composed of A. N., J. A. Taylor, Meeker, J. Thomas, S. 
 Webster and D. H. I got 8100 of Meeker on the Central Bank of 
 Connecticut, and let J. A. Taylor have $90 of the same; the ten 
 dollars I had left I passed as follows; one 85 bill to a Jew ped- 
 dler in this county for goods and change, and the other $6 I 
 passed to Mr. Gray for goods also ; I knew they were counterfeit 
 at the time I passed them. Taylor says that Meeker will leave 
 the money, and he will pass it and divide the spoils with me. 
 Taylor told me he had passed the money and it went off well. 
 Thomas told me that he passed one $5 counterfeit bill to D. K. 
 Daniels of Kendallville, knowing it to be bad at the time. 
 
 D. H." 
 
 Subscribed and sworn to, before me, on this 3d day of Febru- 
 ary, 1857. 
 
 Alexander McClure, J. P. 
 
HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 43 
 
 AFFIDAVIT OF JOHN THOMAS. 
 
 State of Indiana, 
 Noble County, 
 
 " Before me, James McConnel, a notary public in and for said 
 county, personally appeared John Thomas, who being duly sworn, 
 according to law, says, that on or about the 15th day of September, 
 1857, he was present at and saw one Joseph Crew, in said county 
 of Noble, buy of one Hiram Meeker S25 or $30 in counterfeit 
 money, purporting to be on the Central Bank of Middletown, 
 Conn., of the denomination of $5's, and also a quantity of coun- 
 terfeit SB's on a bank of Mass., for which said Crew paid said 
 Meeker twenty-five cents per dollar. Crew said he could pass the 
 money without any difficulty. And affiant further saith : Myself 
 John A. Taylor, 11. Meeker, A. N., D. II. and Simeon Webster, 
 entered into an engagement to make counterfeit coin, after the 
 similitude of the gold coin of the United States, of the denomi- 
 nations of $5's, $10's and 620"s, with intent to put the same into 
 circiilation ; that in pursuance of said agreement, and funds being 
 furnished by said parties, I went to Fort Wayne and bought 
 block tin, brass, copper and zinc, for the purpose of manufacturing- 
 said coin; said articles were at first secreted by II. and myself 
 behind his stable. Soon after we went to Webster's to try the 
 manufacturing process, but failed on the first attempt ; but H. and 
 Taylor were to make another effort, as H. wanted some funds to 
 buy stock with. A. N. was to have $100 of the money. We went 
 over to Springfield once, and twice to H.'s school-house, to make 
 the necessary arrangements for operating. 
 
 John Thomas." 
 
 Subscribed and sworn to, before me. on this 1st day of Feb- 
 ruary, 1858. 
 
 James McConnel, Notary Puhlic. 
 
 STATEMENT OF JOHN A. TAYLOR. 
 
 BEFORE THE COMMITTEE. 
 
 " S. B. Middleton wanted me to buy some counterfeit money — 
 Lowell $3's; I refused. H. Blaekman bought some. This said 
 
44 HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 
 
 Blackman sometimes passes under the name of Rollins. I saw 
 D. H. have counterfeit money which he got of Meeker. Avery 
 and Hawson, of Laporte county, deal in coney, and another man 
 whose sister married Iligsby. Fred. Before, of South Bend, and 
 Arch Buell, a blacksmith, deal in coney. I^Ieeker told me that he 
 furnished Avery, and all the above named boys, with coney. 
 Meeker sold me money for 25 cents on the dollar. D. H. told me 
 he could go into counterfeiting and not be suspected, because he 
 was known as a Christian, Taylor, Meeker, N., Rollins, D. H., 
 J. Flinn, Margaret Lehr, Mrs. W. and boy, and J. Thomas, were 
 all engaged in the plan concocted for the establishment of a bogus 
 factory at Webster's. Taylor has once been in the Ponitentiary." 
 
 CONFESSION OF SIMEON WEBSTER. 
 
 BEFORE THE COMMITTEE. 
 
 '• I came down with A. N. and brought one of the harness to 
 Barney Weston; he took it back from Hank Core about five or 
 six weeks ago. I went to Lake county, Ohio, to live. N. was to 
 have a buggy of Core. I have seen N. have a large roll of coun- 
 terfeit $3's— probably S300— on the Merchants' Bank of Lowell, 
 Mass. I think N. wen to the barn with me to hide his money. 
 He gave me to understand that he gave coney to Blackman ; I 
 asked him where he got it; he said, ' up to Bill Hill's.' N. came 
 to me after Blackman was arrested, and said he was afraid, and 
 was going to keep shy for a spell. I have been at Malcomb Bur- 
 nam's and seen them coloring coney. I heard John Hammon say 
 that he was going to Burnam's to get hard money. It was my 
 
 opinion that B was going to rob the tannery, but I afterward 
 
 learned that it was done by Payne. It has been about nine 
 months since I engaged in this business. Since then I have been 
 knowing to the boys robbing, stealing, and passing coney. I 
 went to Perry Randolph's with Bill Hill; he got coney there. 
 Hill gave me ^200 in coney on the Market Bank — §100 of it was 
 to pay what he owed me ; he also gave me $200 on the Canal 
 Bank of Cleveland, and $50 on the Chippeway Bank, Wis.; I took 
 the money up West and sold it. Bill Hill gave me a list of the 
 names of the boys whom I was told were all right. I heard N. 
 Bay he had bought a saddle of Core which he was afraid was 
 
HISTORY OF THE REGULATOKS. 45 
 
 Stolen. N. said lie had let Blackman have money and he was 
 afraid he would blow. I will be willing to swear that Payne 
 asked me how much leather Zimmerman had in his tannery, and 
 that he said he was going to see what could be done ; he said also 
 he was going to try to make a raise at Chappel's store, and also at 
 Spenccrville, in Dekalb county, Ind. I afterward asked him what 
 he had done with the goods ; he replied, 'they are all safe.' I 
 told the boys they ought not to steal so close around home." 
 
 CENTRAL ORGANIZATION. 
 
 While the foregoing developments were of vast importance, 
 and led to the arrest of some thirty or forty of the gang, the 
 leaders remained as yet uncaiight. To them the demonstra- 
 tion of the Regulators, on the day of the Old Settlers' Meeting 
 at Kendnllville, was in no wise congenial; and hence, conclu- 
 ding that " distance would lend enchantment to the view," and 
 that " caution was the parent of safety," they immediately fled 
 to parts unknown. Every honest citizen felt the importance 
 of having these men, Avho had been the primary cause of all 
 the evil in this country, arrested and brought to justice. And 
 as it could not be expected that any of the organizations would 
 assume the responsibility and engage in the work alone, it was 
 thought best to constitute a Central Committee, for the purpose 
 of making a concentrated effort in which all should bear an 
 equal share of the expenses attendant upon making said 
 arrests and feel an equal interest. Accordingly a call was 
 issued for a meeting atKendallville, on the 19th day of March, 
 1858, at which each company was requested to be represented. 
 At said meeting a permanent organization was eflVcted, with 
 officers, consisting of a President, Vice President, Secretary 
 and Treasurer. The Central Committee was empowered to 
 assess a tax upon the subordinate companies at any time when 
 deemed necessary to carry out the purposes for which the Cen- 
 tral Committee was constituted, viz: to secure the ringleaders 
 of the gang. 
 
46 HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 
 
 The following were the officers elected : President, Dr. L. 
 Barber; Vice President, J. P. Grannis; Recording Secretary, 
 M. H. Mott; Treasurer, Ransom Wheeler. 
 
 As it was now thought expedient that some speedy and 
 energetic effort should be made to secure the arrest of Wm. D. 
 Hill, George T. Ulmer, Perry Randolph and others, who were 
 considered the grand leaders of the whole gang in Northern 
 Indiana, a detective committee was appointed at the first cen- 
 tral meeting, to line up and ferrit out the whereabouts of these 
 men, and employ such other assistance as they might see fit, 
 in different sections of the country, to aid them in the accom- 
 plishment of this woi'k. Accordingly a rev.ard of §400 was 
 offered by the Regulators for the capture and return of one 
 John Wilson to Noble County. 
 
 Sometime in July, 1858, the veritable John Wilson, other- 
 wise called the Flying Dutchman, was brought by Marshal 
 Elliot, of Ohio, to Avilla, in Noble County, and presented to 
 the Regulators for examination. Confessions in those days 
 became fashionable among prisoners. They seemed to be 
 strongly impressed with the idea that one of two things was 
 their inevitable doom when caught by the Regulators, viz: 
 a free and full confession, or an introduction to the rope. 
 Frequently, persons who were simply brought before the com- 
 mittee as witnesses, when there were no specific charges against 
 them, would turn pale and tremble, so that it was with much 
 difficulty that they could answer questions — so strong were 
 their fears of being hung by the Regulators. 
 
 John Wilson was, on the same evening, brought before the 
 committee called the Allen Reconnoiterers, at Avilla, and, on 
 being requested to make a full and entire confession of all his 
 acts and deeds since his first acquaintance with the blacklegs 
 in this country, after asking of them the favor not to use his 
 own confessions as evidence against him in Court, and being 
 assured that no advantages of that kind would be taken, he 
 made no hesitancy in opening up a broadside upon the whole 
 fraternity. It is, however, to be lam en ted that the whole con- 
 fession was not taken down at the time. Naturally he pos- 
 sesses some redeeming traits of character. As an illustration 
 
HISTORY OF THE REGULATOKS. 47 
 
 of this, on being asked his true name he peremptorily refused 
 to give it, alleging as a reason that his parents were still living 
 and were respectable and honorable people, and he did not wish 
 to injure them, either in feelings or character, by bringing to 
 their knowledge the disgraceful acts of an undutiful son. Said 
 Wilson is about six feet high, light complexion, sandy hair, 
 bald on the front of his head, talks some broken, intellectual 
 faculties prominent, and for a thief manifested the most scru- 
 pulous tenacity for truth of any man ever arrested by the 
 Regulators. His statements are strongly corroborated by those 
 of Payne and others, which led conclusively to the belief that 
 the majority of them were true. Payne often stated that he 
 was celebrated, even among blacklegs, as a man of truth, par- 
 ticularly in narrating his exploits. And for shrewdness and 
 sagacity in stealing and robbing he is said to have been seldom 
 if ever equaled. In making his confession, he was allowed to 
 tell his own story in his own way. His history prior to his 
 initiation into the gang in this country is left in obscurity, and 
 we can only conjecture what it may have been from what we 
 already know. All things being in readiness, he was placed at 
 a table in the center of the room, and commenced his discourse 
 about 9 o'clock in the evening and talked almost incessantly 
 until about 3 o'clock in the mornino;. 
 
 CONFESSION OF JOHN WILSON, ALIAS SPENCER, 
 OR THE FLYING DUTCHMAN. 
 
 "My first acquaintance with any of the company in tliis coun- 
 try was formed at Defiance with a man by the name of Wm. Hunt; 
 he is about six feet high and quick spoken ; we both were out of 
 money. Hunt took me up the canal for a walk, and there told 
 me of an old Frenchmen who lived in Paulding county, Ohio, 
 that had ^700 in money, and said he had been at his house at one 
 time and gave him a bill to change in order to see his pile, and 
 solicited me to lay some plan to get the old man's money. We 
 then came from Defiance north to Georgetown ; after tarrying 
 there a few days he (Hunt) said he would take me up north and 
 introduce me to some of his friends; we traveled all that night 
 
48 HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 
 
 and came to ]-*atten',s; here Core informed me that he had stolen 
 Ilolsinger's mare. Hunt told me that Sol. Stout was all right 
 and could be trusted. We then came to Jim Shearer's. I saw 
 Shearer have a quantity of counterfeit money which he said he 
 got of Bill Hill. Hunt, a boy by the name of Hill, and myself, 
 started south, traveled nearly all night, and stopped at Sower's, 
 five miles north of Wayne ; Hunt got a drink of liquor and said 
 to Sower's, 'these boys are all right;' S. got $10 or $15 vspurious 
 money of Hunt. We then started towards Fort Wayne, stole a 
 few chickens on the way and roasted them in the woods for our 
 breakfasts. After leaving Fort Wayne we went to Leo, in Dekalb 
 county; saw a man there they call Dr. Chamberlain, gave him $5 
 in coney; and then traveled on to Newville, and from thence into 
 Paulding county, Ohio, for the purpose of robbing the old French- 
 man. After we got most there Hunt backed out, and said he 
 could not go with us ; I told him I did not like to come so far for 
 nothing ; so my young comrade Hill and myself, wandered around 
 in the dark until we found what from description we supposed to 
 be the place ; then we had to contrive some way to get the old 
 folks out of the house ; Hill suggested that we set the barn on 
 fire ; I objected ; then said he we will contrive to get the old man 
 out and knock him down; but I told him if I could not get his 
 money without killing the old man, or burning his buildings, I 
 would not have it ; we then concluded to set fire to a quantity of 
 cooper stufi" that lay piled up beside the road, as we came down 
 toward the house ; accordingly I placed Hill near the door of the 
 house, where he would not be seen, then proceeded to the cooper 
 stufi" myself and set it on fire; I then came whistling down the 
 road, stopped at the house and told the folks that I was a stranger 
 traveling through the country, and seeing some cooper stufi" on 
 fire just up the road I thought it would be an act of kindness to 
 inform them of it; they thanked me very kindly and at once 
 started all hands to put out the fire ; they had no more than fairly 
 got out of sight when we both entered the house and commenced 
 our search; the bureau, chests, trunks and cupboard, were all 
 diligently searched, but to no purpose ; the efi'ort proved an entire 
 failure; we passed out the back door just as the old lady came 
 through the gate returning to the house; this was in the 
 spring of 1857. I then pulled (stole) a nag three or four miles 
 from Norristown, from a preacher by the name of Walker, traded 
 her off" in Allen county, Ohio, five miles west of Lima, on the 
 
HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 411 
 
 road to Clyde, for a sorrel colt four years old, and traded the coft 
 to a man by the name of Bebee, a tavern keeper, for 80 acres of 
 land. Prior to this, however. Hunt gave me an introduction to 
 Lluifman, of Steuben county, Indiana, and a man by the name ®f 
 Romans. This Romans wanted me to break into a store belong- 
 ing to a man by the name of Barron, at Mett's Corners ; said he 
 had some money and a quantity of jewelry in a safe, and as he 
 was going away soon there would be a good site to make a pull. 
 This, however, I did not undertake, lluifman then told me of a 
 boot and shoe store, owned by a man by the name of Seargeant, 
 where he thought there would be a good chance to make a raise ; 
 [ broke in, stole ten pair of fine and two pair of coai-se boots, and 
 left them with said Huflfman to sell on commission. Huffman is 
 now in the Penitentiary. At the same time, this Huffman gave 
 me written instructions how to rob his father-in-law, E. Bebee, of 
 Morrow county, Ohio; told me he was a church member, and I 
 could rob him while the family were gone to church. My calcu- 
 lation was to rob him on Sunday ; accordingly I went to the place 
 and watched around, but the first Sunday they did not go ; I loi- 
 tered around in the neighborhood and in the woods all that week, 
 and the next Sunday the family all left; I then crept into the 
 house, (which, by the way, was very strongly fastened and led uic 
 to believe I should be successful;) I then opened the bureau 
 drawers, the chest, trunks, boxes, &c., but found nothing except a 
 bag of something like coin, which I had not yet investigated; 1 
 then proceeded to cut open the cheeses, and even tore the old 
 clock weights in pieces, but all to no purpose, and as time was 
 drawing near for the family to return from church, I thought it 
 would be safer for me to leave the premises; after leaving, I pro- 
 ceeded to investigate the contents of the bag, which on opening 1 
 found to contain about 430 coppers ; beside this 1 found sonn; 
 small change. Huffman also wanted me to steal the old man's 
 mare, but I would not do it. Charles Hiler was my jiartner at 
 that time; I showed him the bag of money I had got from Bebee, 
 and asked him if he would take that for his share ; ' yes,' said he, 
 grasping it at the same time, 'and glad of the chance, if you are 
 willing;' 'well,' said I, 'you may have it and welcome;' he took 
 it and started away, seeming much rejoiced, not knowing what 
 was in it. I then returned and told Huffman of my defeat. 
 Went then to Washington, Fayette county, Ohio ; pulled a large 
 chestnut sorrel horse from a man by the name or Cheney or 
 4 
 
■60 HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 
 
 ;Traey ; took also a saddle ; came to Fort Wayne and sold tlie liorgc 
 to Bill Vanalstine, keeper of a livery stable, for a gold watcJj 
 valued at $75 and $55 in money; I was told afterwards that h*" 
 was one of the boys ; Bill Hill was there at the time I made the 
 trade, I then started to come north again; Hill overtook me ; 
 he asked me to get into the buggy and ride with him ; I did so; 
 he asked me if that horse I sold Vanalstine was pulled; I said no; 
 said he, ' you can't fool me;' he then told me if I would fetch hini 
 gome stock he would buy it of me. I then went to Morrow county. 
 Ohio; took a bay horse near Bebee's and started for the State of 
 Virginia ; took another on the road in Piqua county, from Caleb 
 Moore; traveled on to Virginia; was pursued by Moore and son. 
 overtaken and arrested after I had got into Virginia; I gave my- 
 self up freely; they ironed me, put me on a horse, and we started 
 back; I bore all with patience and endeavored to make myself a.'- 
 companionable tx) the old gentleman as I could ; the next day I 
 complained some to the old man that the handcuffs hurt my wristf 
 and finally succeeded in coaxing him to take them off; I then 
 gave my gold watch to the son and told him to keep it until I 
 called for it; I had also in the mean time lent the old man $40 in 
 money; so that by this time I had so far succeeded in gaining the 
 old man's confidence and friendship that I concluded I could 
 venture to suggest a compromise ; so after we had put up for the 
 night I sat conversing privately with the old gentleman and stated 
 to him that he would not find me here in the morning; to n)y 
 surprise his only reply was, ' well, if you leave you must not di.'^ 
 turb the horses;' said I, never you fear that, -old man; in thi^ 
 morning, about 3 o'clock, I left. I then came to Harding county. 
 Ohio, took a grey mare from a man by the name of Wheeler, n 
 tavern keeper, six miles east of Canton ; took her to Aker's, eight 
 miles^ from Coldwater, Michigan. After that, by the advice and 
 aid of John Gooricb, Jim Shearer and others, I took a span ot 
 horses from E. Spencer in Noble county, (said Spencer was pit- 
 gent at the examination,) which were sold near Cincinnati. Then 
 I went to Champaign county, Ohio, took a span of bay horsei?. 
 run them them off to New York State, and sold them to Read in 
 Chemung county. Then came to Sidney, Ohio; had some coun 
 terfeit money with me. McDougle told me I should fetch somf 
 horses back with me, and then he would go with me to Ohio and 
 pull a lot of jewelry. I came to Palestine, bought a pair of boot> 
 and gave the man a S5 counterfeit bill, and in the afteruooa 
 
( HISTORY OP IHE REGULATOES. Si 
 
 passed another — all Wisconsin money. Saw some horses come 
 into town that I fancied; Sunday I took a walk into the country 
 and found where they were kept; on Monday hunted up a saddle, 
 pulled it and hid it; next Sunday night walked to where the 
 horses were ; found them in the barn ; dog made some fuss ; toofe 
 two horses, went and got my saddle, rode thirty-five miles j too'i 
 another saddle of a doctor ; came to Fort Wayne, then to Jim 
 Shearer's in this place ; asked what was said about Spencer's 
 
 horses ; Shearer said, ' not a d d word ;' I went then to But 
 
 nam's ; staid all night. From thence McDougle and I went to 
 Bill Hairs in a wagon ; stopped on the way at Perry Randolpirs, 
 went from Hall's to Saginaw, but could not sell there ; startoi3 
 from thence to Detroit ; traveled seventy miles in one day ; and 
 from there we went to Canadaville, Chatauque county, N. Y. ; 
 McDougle had to keep secreted there for fear of being arrested ; 
 but as we could not sell there, the horses were left to be takeu 
 care of. I then came to Maumee City, Ohio ; took a gray mare 
 that was a fast trotter. Soon after that I was taken and brought 
 to the place where I am now. If I had not been betrayed you 
 never would have caught me." 
 
 GEORGE T. ULMER AND PERRY RANDOLPIL 
 
 G. T. Ulmer emigrated to this country from Portage count^^ 
 Ohio, in the year 1835, and became one of the pioneers of 
 Noble county. He settled on a farm near where the village of 
 Kendallville now stands, and his house for many years became 
 the home and refuge of the vile. Shrewd, cunning and bold, 
 no qualifications were wanting to constitute him one of the 
 most successful accomplices in all villainy. His most intimate 
 companions and associates among the blackleg pioneers were, 
 Ike Rice, Wra. Latta, Wm. D. Hill, and Ed. Metlock. Ulmeir, 
 after having remained in this country about eight yeiars, ro- 
 turned to Ohio, joined himself to the Methodist Church, and, 
 as we learn fi-om reliable information, was a licensed exhorter 
 in said church for several years. Afterward, he again emigrated 
 to this State and settled in Lagrange county, where, at tlie 
 opening of the Regulator movement, we find him comfortably 
 
52 HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 
 
 situated in the capacity of a farmer, secretly carrying on an 
 extensive blackleging business, as usual through the assistance 
 of a large number of his allies. Immediately after the ex- 
 citement broke out, and as soon as it became manifest that a 
 speedy flight presented the only hope of safety, Ulmer, Hill 
 and Randolph, who were at that time the ringleaders of the 
 whole gang in this country, fled for refuge to parts unknown. 
 
 Perry Randolph emigrated with his father to Bath, Medina 
 county, Ohio, about the year 1832, and although his father is 
 reputed to have been a man of honest and industrious habits, 
 his son Perry gave early indications of his inclinations to and 
 genius in crime. The time of his emigration to Indiana is not 
 precisely known. 
 
 The reader will readily perceive, from the foregoing confes- 
 sions, that the house of Perry Randolph was a rendezvous and 
 trading point in all the commodities of criminal commerce, for 
 tlie whole fraternity of felons and counterfeiters, east, west, 
 north and south. It now became absolutely necessary, in order 
 to the final success of the Regulators and the full accomplish- 
 ment of the work they had undertaken, and the triumph of 
 honesty over villainy, that these men should be speedily fer- 
 reted out and brought to justice. Every eff'ort of the detective 
 committee, appointed by the Regulators to make the arrest of 
 these men, had hitherto failed. In the early part of the month 
 of June, 1858, C. P. Bradley, of Chicago, 111., was employed 
 by the Regulators to arrest and deliver to the Sherifi* of La- 
 grange county, George T. Ulmer and Perry Randolph, at |500 
 each. 
 
 Agreeably to contract, Mr. Bradley, about the 10th of June, 
 proceeded to Louisville, Ky., to commence the search. After 
 watching for several days the ferry boat, and examining the 
 hotel registers, and after having obtained several names regis- 
 tered in a suspicious manner, he became convinced that the 
 parties were east and north of Louisville. From thence he 
 proceeded to Cincinnati, about the 15th of June. Here he 
 searched the register of the Kentucky Hotel and found names 
 and handwriting that satisfied him that Randolph had been 
 there about one week before, and that he had been to Walnut 
 
HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 53 
 
 Hill, near Cincinnati, to visit Ed. Nevers, a notorious counter- 
 feiter and copper and steel plate printer, who for years has 
 baffled the police of the city, until recently a descent was 
 made upon his premises, (through information given by some 
 parties arrested at the depot of the Ohio and Mississippi Rail- 
 road, in Cincinnati, with a large quantity of counterfeit money 
 in their possession,) and all the evidences indicative of his 
 business obtained, including plates, presses, counterfeit money, 
 bank note paper, ink, &c. Leaving this place he proceeded up 
 the Ohio to Wheeling, Va. ; but obtaining no traces there, he 
 went immediately to Pittsburgh, put up at a hotel, registered 
 a fictitious name, watched all the stages that left Alleghany 
 and Pittsburgh for the interior of Pennsylvania within one 
 week ; but in the latter part of the week, just as the Butler 
 county stage was leaving the Red Lion Hotel in Pittsburgh, 
 Perry Randolph was seen to enter the coach. With Mr. Brad- 
 ley, the time for making the arrest had not yet come, so Ran- 
 dolph was permitted to pass on unmolested, for he well knew 
 that to arrest him at this point would endanger the chances for 
 finding Ulmer. So it was determined to follow up the stage 
 and trace Perry to his destination. Accordingly a trusty man, 
 unknown to Randolph, was procured and mounted on a fast 
 horse, and started by a different route to intersect the stage 
 road at a point some ten miles distant from Pittsburgh, with 
 instructions to enter the stage and pay fare through to a point 
 beyond, or as far as that stage company ran, and to watch the 
 point where Randolph should leave, and to leave the stage 
 himself at the first stopping place beyond where Randolph 
 stopped, and return in the night and reconnoiter the place and 
 see if Randolph could be discovered. The spy followed up 
 instructions to the letter and discovered that Randolph stopped 
 at the old Stone House in Butler, and that he was frequently 
 seen with an old man who was partially gray, but that no 
 person bearing the description of Ulmer could be seen. These 
 facts were communicated to Bradley. It was then determined 
 to place a strict watch upon the avenues leading in and out of 
 Butler and Brownington. This was accordingly done, and a 
 man stationed at a point twelve miles distant on the Pittsburgh 
 
54 eiBTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 
 
 road, with a good horse to post through to Pittshurgh as soon 
 as Ulmer and Randolph should be seen together. On the 7th 
 of July the carrier arrived in Pittsburgh with information that 
 uie old man who had been seen with Randolph, (White, the 
 engraver for counterfeiting,) had left the day before, and that 
 Ulmer and Randolph had gone up towards Warren, in Trum- 
 bull county, Ohio, and that one of the men who had been 
 sk'ppointed to watch the Stone House was following them up, 
 and would leave signals along the road indicating the route 
 taken by them. These signals were made by stones placed at 
 the corner of the cross roads, as agreed upon, indicating the 
 route. 
 
 On the morning of the 7th of July, accompanied by a gen- 
 tleman by the name of Robert Hague, chief of the police of 
 Pittsburgh, and Andy Moon, one of the chief's aids, they pro- 
 ceeded with a double team over the hills and dusty roads of 
 that country, and traveled a distance of forty-eight miles that 
 da}^ Next morning, the 8th, they started before daybreak 
 and found that the signals were leading them on the road to 
 West Greenville, Mercer county, Penn.; traveled all day over 
 the roughest roads imaginable, through clouds of dust and 
 under the burning rays of a July sun, and arrived within six 
 miles of West Greenville about 8 o'clock at night. Here one 
 of their horses failed, and Mr. Moon was sent on to West 
 Greenville by stage, at which place he learned that Ulmer and 
 Randolph had left at 3 o'clock P. M., that afternoon, on the 
 road for Warren, Ohio. Procuring a man with a buggy, he 
 returned to inform Mr. Bradley of the facts. After trying in 
 vain to procure a fresh team, Mr. Moon was sent back to AVest 
 Greenville to get a team and return and meet them, in order 
 that they might follow on that night. Mr. Moon not being 
 able to procure a team, Mr. Bradley and his comrade were 
 compelled to take it on foot. They arrived at West Greenville 
 about 11 o'clock in the night. Here they put up until morn- 
 ing. Early on the morning of the 9th they started for Warren, 
 Trumbull county, Ohio. Having got a description of the horse 
 and buggy in which Ulmer and Randolph had left, they had 
 but little difficulty in following them up. About fifteen miles 
 
HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 55 
 
 from West Granville they stopped at a tavern to Avater the 
 team, and from the carriage they were in — it being a covered 
 one — Ulnier was seen standing upon the steps of the hotel. 
 Mr. Bradley not being recognized by him, concluded to pass 
 on to the next farm house and ascertain if the horse and buggy 
 had gone towards Warren, (it not being in view at the place 
 where Ulraer was seen.) They had not gone far before they 
 were informed that Randolph had passed about two and a half 
 hours before in the buggy alone. Without molesting Ulmer, 
 they proceeded to Warren on the track of Randolph, but after 
 arriving in Warren they learned he had taken the road toward 
 Akron, and was still from two to three hours ahead. Here 
 again they procured a fresh team, and taking the Akron road 
 followed at the rate of ten miles an hour and overtook Mr. 
 Randolph fifteen miles west of Warren, at a small tavern three 
 miles west of Newton Falls, quietly vraiting to rest and feed 
 his horse. 
 
 On the arrival of Mr. Bradley and company, Randolph, who 
 was on the lookout for breakers, walked out the back door of 
 the tavern and went down toward the timber, but finding that 
 no one was watching, (that he could perceive,) he in a short 
 time returned to the house, when he was arrested and searched. 
 Upon his person was found about $2 in good money, and one 
 five dollar bill counterfeit on the Northern Bank of Kentucky. 
 He was immediately handcuffed and placed in the carriage. 
 (Jpon searching his carpet bag there was found two counterfeit 
 plates, one for printing ten dollar bills on the Wayne County- 
 Bank at VVooster of the State Bank of Ohio, and the other 
 for printing the red back of the same. They then returned 
 to Warren, and leaving Randolph with Mr. Moon, Mr. Bradley 
 and Mr. Hague returned to the rendezvous of George T. Ulraer, 
 and arrived at Johnson's Tavern, in Hartford Center, at 
 9 o'clock P. M,, just in time to prevent G. T. Ulmcr, alias 
 Colonel Foster, (a name he assumed,) from going to bed, and 
 in less than five minutes he was on his way to join his late 
 comrade, Mr. Randolph. They arrived at Warren about 
 12 o'clock at night, and put Mr. Ulmer and Mr Randolph ia 
 the same bed to slumber for the night. They had then boon 
 
S6 HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 
 
 constantly on thp move for about sixty-four hours in search of 
 these men, so we may reasonably conclude by this time they 
 had some inclinations to rest. 
 
 On the morning of the 10th of July they started from War- 
 ren, and arrived in Kendallville on the 11th, from which place 
 they were furnished with a team and conveyed to Lagrange, 
 ;ind there delivered into the custody of Sheriff Cummings* 
 The counterfeiting plates taken from Randolph's carpet bag 
 were taken to Warren, Trumbull county, Ohio, in which county 
 they were found, and deposited with the Mayor of that city; 
 and on the 26th day of October, 1858, at the first term of the 
 Court in that county after the arrests, Randolph and Ulmer 
 were indicted for having them in their possession, and a requi- 
 sition procured from the Governor of Ohio on the Governor of 
 Indi-ana, for their removal there for trial, provided they should 
 escape justice in Indiana. They made no resistance when 
 arrested, but readily consented to return to Lagrange county, 
 provided they could be assured of a safe delivery to the Sheriff, 
 and not to the Regulators, for whom they had great dread. 
 They both exhibited much fear at South Milford, when a num- 
 ber of the Regulators had assembled there to look at them on 
 their way to Lagrange. Ulmer passed under the name of Col. 
 Foster and had that name engraved on the cover of his spec- 
 tacle case. Randolph went under the name of J. E. Eddie. 
 
 The following is a copy of a letter found in his possession, 
 atldressed to him under the assumed name, which will show 
 the nature of his correspondence: 
 
 "Cincinnati, July 1, 1858. 
 " Mr. J. E. Eddie: 
 
 Dear Sir. — Ann received your note yesterday stating your 
 whereabouts, so I will answer it, hoping you will receive it im- 
 mediately, as I have some important business with you. Mr. L. 
 Dean wishes you to write to him, and direct to the Kentucky 
 Hotel, concerning some business that you are acquainted with. 
 Times arc dull. If you have any merchandize on hand that is 
 new please forward some by express. If not new, please send to 
 Dean and myself one thousand Ohio Sawbucks, as we are going 
 ti» start for Wisconsin as soon as we can get a lot of goods. You 
 
HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 0/ 
 
 can send them by express to me, No. 20, as you know. I passed 
 through Iowa City the day after you left, and was sorry I did not 
 meet you, for then I would have staid East for a while. Send the 
 prices along with the articles, and put them as low as possible? 
 and we will send the money to you. Please answer immediately 
 on receipt of this, and much oblige, 
 
 "Your friend, R. W." 
 
 "P. S. — Simpson has enlisted for five years, much against the 
 consent of his friends. The old man is still sick, with little pros- 
 pects of getting well. The Stutterer is engaged in Lawrenceburg ; 
 got a situation the next day after he left here." 
 
 Note.— The Ohio Sawbucks are the $20 bills with the XX's. 
 The merchandise undoubtedly refers to counterfeit money, of 
 which Ptandolph was one of the chief venders. 
 
 "Walnut Hills, June 24, 1858. 
 ^'■Dcar Sir: — I received yours yesterday, requesting me to for- 
 ward you a deed and papers, which I will do cheerfully. I shall 
 mail them to-day. We are all about as usual here, doing the best 
 we can. N. will come before the Judge the 25th, (to-morrow.) 
 The attorneys say he cannot be held, and I think so too, without 
 some underground business comes up unknown to us. 
 '• Piespectfully. &c., 
 " Write often." "T. C. M." 
 
 Perry Randolph was indicted at the fall term of the La- 
 grange Circuit Court on a charge of receiving and secreting a 
 part of the gloves stolen from McKinley of Ontario. At said 
 term of Court he filed an affidavit for a change of venue, which 
 was granted, and the case referi-ed for trial to the ensuing term 
 of the Dekalb Court, where he was tried and sentenced to the 
 Penitentiary for a term of two years. At the expiration of 
 which time other charges will be forthcoming sufficient to retain 
 him there until he shall have received a full recompense for all 
 his labors. 
 
 George T. Ulmer was indicted at the same term of the La- 
 grange Court on a charge of having secreted stolen property, 
 filed his affidavit for a change of venue, and Avas also sent to 
 
58 HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 
 
 Dekalb for trial. Upon trial he was found guilty and sentenced 
 to the Penitentiary for a term of five years. His attorneys 
 filed a motion for an arrest of judgment for some defect in the 
 indictment, -which Avas sustained by the Court, and he was held 
 to bail in the sum of $2,000 for his appearance at the next 
 term of the Lagrange Circuit Court. Having obtained security 
 on the bonds he was thereupon released, but in about five 
 minutes he was again arrested by Sheriff Cummings on another 
 charge and returned to the Lagrange County Jail, to await the 
 decision of the Spring term of that Court. 
 
 At the Spring term of said Court he was tried again on the 
 first charge, found guilty and sentenced for seven years, and 
 again obtained a new trial. He then consented to go to trial 
 on the charges in the second indictment, which was accordingly 
 KO done, and he was found guilty and again sentenced to the 
 Penitentiary for seven years, where he is now suffering the just 
 penalty of his crimes. 
 
 It is evident that every stratagem in the power or ingenuity 
 of man to invent has been resorted to, in order to rescue these 
 men from the just claims of the law. And nothing but the 
 vigilant eye and the indomitable perseverance of tliose who 
 had enlisted to conquer this infernal gang or die, could have 
 over brought them to the bar of justice. 
 
 WM, D. HILL, 
 
 As we have heretofore stated, was one of the pioneer black- 
 legs of Noble county, and has always been recognized as one 
 of the ringleaders and the chief counsellor in every act of vil- 
 lainy. Hill, Ulmer and Latta were very intimate companions, 
 and operated extensively together in this country at an early 
 day. Some time in the month of January, or February, 1857, 
 lie came very near loosing his life by an affray that took place 
 between him and one Fisher. A warrant had been issued to 
 search Hill's house to ascertain whether the goods stolen from 
 Mr. Wright, at Fairfield Center, Avcre in his possession. When 
 Fisher approached the house he met with resistance from Hill, 
 whereupon some words passed between them, and Hill 'flew in 
 
HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 59 
 
 a passion and called for his pistol. At this, Fisher, who was 
 \vell armed for the occasion, drew a revolver from his pocket 
 and shot Hill in the thigh just below the body, the ball passing 
 round the bone and lodging on the inner part of the thigh. 
 Immediately after the Regulating excitement broke out, Hill, 
 presuming that absence Avould be his only safety, was soon 
 missing. 
 
 Some time during the summer of 1858, the Regulators 
 entered into a contract with the celebrated C. P. Bradley and 
 0. E. Smith, of Chicago, 111., two of the most active and zealous 
 police officers in the Western States, to make the arrest of 
 \Vm. D. Hill. Accordingly they commenced the search, and 
 after having traveled some three or four thousand miles, and 
 spent a large amount of money, they succeeded in capturing 
 him near the Missouri and Iowa line. At the time of his arrest 
 he was living on a farm, and had about him a large amount of 
 stock, and seemed to be in a situation to enjoy life. Much 
 skill and ingenuity was manifested in making the arrest. Hill 
 had often said he would never be taken alive, but Bradley and 
 Smith manifested such indifference in his presence as to cause 
 him to dispel all fears of being taken, and he consequently 
 was captured with but little difficulty, except he fought severely 
 for about fifteen minutes. He was in due time brought to Chi- 
 cago, 111., and from thence to Noble county, Ind., and delivered 
 to Sheriff Simons, where he remained in custody until March 
 5th, 1859. His fears of the Regulators were overwhelming- 
 He expected, if brought to Noble county, to share the fate of 
 McDougle without fail. 
 
 On the morning of the Gth of March, our citizens were 
 startled with the sad intelligence of the elopement of Hill and 
 Wilson from the Noble County Jail. How or by what means 
 they made their escape is not entirely known. The following, 
 however, are some of the particulars connected with the 
 escape : 
 
 " The manner of the escape of Hill and Wilson from tlic Noble 
 County Jail was efiected very ingeniously, considering the kind 
 and small variety of tools at their command. They by some 
 means had got hold of a piece of iron which had apparently been 
 
€fQ HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 
 
 used for a common door latch, and having bent this into the 
 shape of the letter S they had fastened it into a piece of wood in 
 such a manner that it could command all the strength of the iron 
 with the wood for a lever — the wood enabling them to reach one 
 of the locks which would otherwise have been entirely inacces- 
 sible. Added to this, it appears, by a wire fastened to the end of 
 a small stick of wood, it enabled them to hold the lock in a posi- 
 tion to operate with the said latch, and then by the aid of a very 
 small piece of broken looking glass they were enabled to see the 
 lock. These tools were left behind. If they used any others 
 they were carried away, except two rather dangerous looking clubs 
 which were also left. They chose a night in which there was to 
 be an exhibition in town, and the citizens were all assembled at 
 the Church, and the night being very dark it presented one of 
 the most fitful opportunities they could have selected in which to 
 make their escape. There being some snow on the ground, they 
 were tracked for some considerable distance, the tracks showing 
 that they ran in their stocking feet. They threw a quilt out of 
 the diamond hole, to prevent a noise by the ftilling of the lock. 
 In fine, the whole proceeding was characterized by great shrewd- 
 ness and cunning." 
 
 The escape of these men was the most lamentable circum- 
 stance that transpired during the whole Regulator movement. 
 They are to be feared in any community wherever they may 
 locate, for no crime is too horrible to satiate their fiendish 
 ambition. The following article, Avhich we copy from the 
 Chicago Press and Tribune, shows the notoriety of Hill, Ulmer 
 and Randolph, as ringleading blacklegs: 
 
 THE INDIANA COUNTERFEITERS. 
 
 THE "LAST OF THE MOHICANs'' DELIVERED TO THE REGULATORS. 
 
 The readers of the Journals of the country at large, and par- 
 ticularly those of the West and Northwest, will remember the 
 sensation that was created when an outraged and indignant com- 
 munity banded together in an association which was at once a 
 terror to the daring violators of the law, and under the name of 
 
HISTORY OP THE REGULATORS. • 61 
 
 the " Indiana Regulators," routed and put to flight the lurking 
 hands of counterfeiters which had infested Noble, Lagrange and 
 other counties in Northern Indiana. Their proceedings were 
 prompt — these Regulators. They burst upon their men like 
 lightning from a summer cloud. McDougle and others were hung 
 many were brought to justice at the hands of the Courts, while 
 others who could do so fled. 
 
 It has been in search of some of these latter that the best 
 detective skill of the West has been at work since that time. 
 Cyrus P. Bradley, of this city, has been in the service of the 
 Regulators, to bring to justice some of the most noted of these 
 men, especially three of them, who were more sought after than 
 any others. 
 
 " Bill Hill" is a middle-aged, thorough-paced scoundrel, long 
 known to the police of this region, and in this city, where years 
 ago, as our older residents will remember, he figured in the forged 
 $100 Illinois Canal Scrip with Otis Allen, Trowbridge and others. 
 He was living, at the opening of the Regulator era, not far from 
 the Michigan line, a neighbor and chum of the noted Latta, and 
 was widely known to trade in that description of merchandize 
 known as a sure source of the " hard stufi"," — in fact, a regular 
 manufacturer and vender of bogus coin. 
 
 Perry Randolph and George Ulmer were not less deeply impli- 
 cated in the paper trade, and in the barn of the latter, in a bin of 
 chaif, was found, after he had taken to a timely flight, a first class 
 press, used in bank-note printing. 
 
 There was a desire among our Indiana friends, amounting in- 
 deed to a passion, to gain back to their borders these three men. 
 
 Ofiicer Bradley has worked for months at the afi"air, and on July 
 9th, arrested at Warren, Ohio, the two men, Randolph and Ulmer, 
 delivering them, two days later, safely into the hands of the Sheriff 
 of Lagrange county, Indiana. Their arrest was kept as private 
 as possible, to prevent its having a bearing upon Hill's case, after 
 whom the quest was dilligently kept up. 
 
 "Bill Hill" was arrested a few days since in Upper Missouri, 
 by officers Bradley and Charles E. Smith of this city, and brought 
 hither, being yesterday sent forward to Indiana, 
 
 Mr. Bradley has traveled over four thousand miles in search of 
 this Hill, and found him in a sequestered haunt, where after a 
 stout and dangerous tussel. Hill, who had vowed to die rather 
 than be taken, was captured and ironed. In his pockets were 
 
02 . HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 
 
 found slips cut from newspapers, briefly announcing the arrest of 
 Ulmer and Randolpli, to whicli little publicity had been given — 
 a circumstance that establishes the fact how sharply rogues af. 
 large read the newspapers. 
 
 Hill was armed, and though past middle life is a desperate and 
 dangerous fellow to deal with. He has a wife and child in Iowa, 
 but his former mistress in Indiana was sharing his Missouri 
 retreat. 
 
 These three arrests, though not exactly the last of the counter 
 feiters that infested our neighboring State, are nevertheless to bt' 
 characterized as the capture of the last of the more noted of tho 
 gang, or rather combinations of gangs. 
 
 Mr. Cummings, the Sheriff of Lagrange county, and Mr. 
 Flemraiing, the Sheriff of Allen county, for their untiring zeal 
 in aiding to ferret out and arrest all who belonged to the in- 
 fernal gang, are deserving of the entire confidence and patro- 
 nage of all good and honest citizens throughout this and 
 adjoining States. And we have no hesitancy in recommending 
 them to any and all who may have business to entrust to their 
 care, 
 
 Charles Seeley, of Goshen, United States Deputy Marshal. 
 also deserves the credit of all good citizens, for the very effi- 
 cient manner in whicli he discharged his duties as an officer. 
 
 These men will long be remembered with grateful acknowl- 
 edgements by the people of Noble and adjacent counties, for 
 their activity in the cause of rescuing the land from a banditti 
 of thieves. 
 
 Daniel W. Vorhees, Prosecuting Attorney of the United 
 States District Court for the District of Indiana, for the prompt 
 and energetic manner in which he conducted the prosecutions 
 in that Court, has proved himself a man of fine legal abilities, 
 and very honorably vindicated the rights of the people of the 
 North, as also the responsibilities of the high position he occu- 
 pies in one of the Federal Courts of the United States. 
 
 We have now ended the history of the Regulators in North- 
 ern Indiana. Many of the confessions, which are vague and 
 indefinite, and which contain matters of little or no interest to 
 the public, have been left out. In giving a history or sketch 
 
HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 63 
 
 of the blacklegs of this country and their depredations, from 
 its early settlement, we have endeavored to be confined strictly 
 to matters of fact, knowing that a large majority of such af< 
 will peruse the pages of this work are those whose minds are 
 only satisfied by the presentation of truth v,itliout coloring. 
 We have delineated only such crimes as have either come under 
 our own observation or been committed to us from testimony 
 of unquestionable veracity, and, after all the startling revela- 
 tions contained in the foregoing confessions, it is a truth beyond 
 all doubt that the half has never been told. Unquestionably, 
 there are crimes of the deepest dye, and of the most aggra- 
 vated character, that still lie concealed in the hearts of many 
 of these miscreants, and will so remain until portrayed before 
 them in vivid characters of everlasting condemnation in that day 
 that shall reveal the secrets of all hearts. But the influence of 
 these men in community, and the subtlety with which they have 
 deco^'cd so many of the young, whom we now find either 
 dragging out a life of misery and wretchedness in the Peni- 
 tentiary, or standing upon the verge of ruin, is a subject that 
 should not be slightly passed over. There are responsibilitieK 
 connected with the training of sons and daughters to enter 
 upon the drama of life which infinitely transcend all otherf-. 
 Here is implanted in the juvenile mind by the parental govern- 
 ment the germ of all government and all society. It has been 
 'quaintly said that " Society is in every case precisely what wc 
 have made it." And hence, if we would have good society, 
 good governments and loyal subjects, we should look to the 
 influences that are surrounding the young. And when the arm 
 of the law signally fails to rescue them from the power of these 
 vampires, by tacitly indulging them to roam unmolested, deva.s- 
 tating every principle of morality inculcated by the parental 
 teaching, there is a law prominently inscribed upon the title 
 page of every man's declaration of rights, an inherent law, a 
 law of his nature, which under such circumstances it becomes 
 his imperitive duty to obey for the safety and welfare of him- 
 self and family. To this as a last resort, as the only remedy 
 — as the life-boat to save society from the dashing waves of 
 the wtiirlpool of infamy and shame — Northern Indiana has* 
 
64 HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 
 
 been compelled to have recourse for the past year. That time 
 to many will long be remembered. For while the honest and 
 industrious citizens of the country have been earnestly strug- 
 gling, many times under the most perilous circumstances, to 
 rid the community of a banditti of robbers, many companions, 
 fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, have drank deep 
 from the cup of sorrow. One scene, which transpired in the 
 
 jail at , is but a fair illustration of such as have been of 
 
 common occurrence during the past year. 
 
 A young man of no mean birth, possessed of a bright and 
 promising intellect, and who but about three years before had 
 stood side by side with a fair and amiable young lady at the 
 hymenial altar and pledged his fidelity to her in the most 
 solemn manner, had suffered himself to be led into crime, and 
 was arrested and thrust into the prison on charge of having 
 passed counterfeit money. His wife, as lovely a woman to all 
 appearance as ever was wed to man, came tremblingly to the 
 jail with a babe of about eighteen months in her arms, and 
 with eyes bedewed with the tears of sorrow, and with a coun- 
 tenance that betokened a sad and almost broken heart, she 
 modestly asked the jailor if she could see her husband. " Cer- 
 tainly," said the jailor. Whereupon the man was called to 
 the inner door and allowed to pass out into the entry, where 
 he was still separated from his wife and child by a large cross- 
 barred iron door. Through the open squares between these 
 iron bars for some time a conversation Avas carried on between 
 the two companions until at last they were admonished by the 
 jailor that they could be allowed to talk no longer. What a 
 scene then met the gaze ! First that child, which was an only 
 child and the one in whom was centered all the fond hopes and 
 affections of that once happy pair, was raised by request of 
 the father and his little face kindly placed by the hands of the 
 mother to the open squares of the iron grates, for his father 
 to imprint upon his little cheek a loving kiss. But no fond 
 embraces, such as are common to companions enjoying the 
 blessedness of freedom, could there be taken. Yet, as a last 
 resort, just before parting, the husband placed his face gently 
 at the opening of the iron grates, and that love which invariably 
 
HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. G5 
 
 burns most fervent in the hour of sternest trial in the heart of 
 a loving wife was manifested, by impressing upon the lips of 
 her husband through that cold iron grate a farewell kiss. 
 Every one in the company involuntarily burst into tears. 
 Such a kiss Ave had never heard or seen before. All affectation, 
 all coquetry, and all the frivolities of youthful love, were lost 
 to sight at once. Here was manifested pure affection and love 
 that casteth out fear. 
 
 Such scenes, however heart-rending they may be, are but 
 the natural results of of a just execution of the law in any 
 land, and are by no means peculiar alone to the operations of 
 Regulators. 
 
 \Vm. D. Hill, a man whose name is known almost through- 
 out the United States, and whose name stands prominent in 
 almost every act of villainy committed in Northern Indiana, 
 has doubtless been the cause of ruining more young men than 
 any other man connected with the gang. Nearly every one 
 whose confessions are here given have attributed their early 
 training in villainy to that notorious scoundrel, and if there is 
 no earthly tribunal before which he can be arraigned where 
 justice may be meeted out to such an one, doubtless that Eye 
 from whose presence no crime hath e'er been hid will yet pur- 
 sue the wretch and send him, like Judas, to his own place. 
 Thus, after having passed through a revolutionary contest and 
 struggling for the space of one year in mortal combat to restore 
 our county to an equal dignity with those around us ; after 
 having expended about fifteen thousand dollars in time and 
 money, independent of any assistance rendered by the State, 
 for the capture of the vampires who have by their corrupting 
 influence laid waste the character and hopes of imndreds of 
 the youth of our land, and trampled them like autumn with- 
 ered leaves beneath their feet, then gazed with a contemptuous 
 smile upon the wreck they had made, — we have the gratification 
 of announcing to the world that, although we are in no wise 
 sanguine of having eradicated the last blackleg from tiic fair 
 face of Northern Indiana — while an opposing power lias been 
 atAvork, deep shrouded under the garb of honesty, with an in- 
 domitable perseverance to thwart every plan of the Regulators 
 5 
 
66 mSTOBY OF THE REGULATORS. 
 
 — and while we may have, in some instances, rendered our- 
 selves chargeable in the eyes of a few, — yet we must think 
 that every honest citizen who has felt the curse of such a state 
 of society, and who speaks the sentiments of a heart imbued 
 with the spirit of fraternal dignity and parental authority, will 
 acquiesce in saying, that the blackleg gang has received a 
 shock, and society an impetus, that will reflect honor upon the 
 rising hopes of Northern Indiana. 
 
HISTORY OF THE REGULATORS. 67 
 
 LIST OF COMPANIES. 
 
 The following is a list of all the Companies of Regulators 
 in Northern Indiana. The number of members in each we are 
 not able to give. The whole number, however, amounted to 
 about two thousand — all minute men and ready for service at 
 a minute's warning. Other companies were formed in adjoin- 
 ing States and in some instances afforded us much assistance. 
 
 NAMES OP COMPANIES AND NUMBER OP MEMBERS. 
 
 Angola Regulators 42 
 
 Albion Rangers 
 
 Allen Reconnoiterers 60 
 
 Bluffton Regulators 
 
 Cedar Creek Protectors 
 
 Dekalb County Horse Thief Detecting Society 40 
 
 Eden Police 
 
 Eel River Regulators 
 
 Fremont Rangers 20 
 
 Independent Self-Protectors 24 
 
 Jackson Prairie Horse Thief Detecting Society 75 
 
 Jefferson Regulators 30 
 
 Kekioga Guards 
 
 Lisbon Rangers 81 
 
 Lagrange Self-Protecting Association 73 
 
 Lagrange Association of Clear Spring 
 
 Leesburg Horse Company 51 
 
 Lagrange County Rangers 32 
 
 Marion Rangers 
 
 Mutual Protection Company 70 
 
 Newville Rangers 
 
 Noble County Invincibles 40 
 
 Plymouth Regulators 
 
 Port Mitchell Regulators 60 
 
 Police Guards 
 
 Perry Regulators 79 
 
 Richland Rangers 43 
 
 Self-Protectors at Flint 21 
 
 Salem Horse Thief Detecting Company 31 
 
 Springfield Spies 80' 
 
 Self-Protectors of South Milford 65 
 
 Swan Regulators 61 
 
 Self-Protectois of Springfield 64 
 
 Sparta Guards 
 
 Union Regulators 
 
 Wolf Lake Sharpers 
 
 Warsaw Horse Thief Company 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
 014 754 071 1 f^ 
 
 M. H. MOTT, 
 
 ATTORNEY AT LAW & NOTARY PUBLIC, 
 
 «®* Prompt attention given to the Collection of Claims at all 
 points in Northern Indiana and Southern Michigan. 
 
 JAMES ISTCONNELL, 
 
 Real Estate Agent & Notary PubKc, 
 
 I.IGOIVIER, JVOBI.E COVIVTY, Ui'D.