The article went on to state that danger was imminent, the civil courts powerless and asked the remedy dispensed with at the earliest day possible. The regulators had existed here for about a year, a long time in a country whose institutions have an established group of ministerial and judicial officers who have the authority to call out a posse of each county.
The purpose of the regulators was “to punish crime, regardless of any class, color or political sympathies,” but the newspaper had doubts about Lynch and his regulators following the purposes. It claimed the organization was partisan in character, and in practice; that its attentions had been closely devoted to Union men and that Rebels who committed offenses against society escaped or were exonerated, and Union men under the like circumstances were executed, whipped or ordered to leave their homes.
Lynch’s regulators, which had headquarters in Parksville, was not the only group trying to punish suspected criminals. Other groups, including the “Skeggs Men” in Marion County, created terror about the countryside. They took the law into their own hands, taking suspects out of jail and hanging them before they were convicted, according to the newspaper.
Lynch and his regulators, numbering about 50, came to Danville at midnight Feb. 5, 1867, got into the jail after saying they had a prisoner in charge, and took Jerry Trowbridge and hung him to a tree on the Centre College campus. Trowbridge was under indictment in Boyle County for killing a black man in Perryville two years previously and also was accused by Lynch of highway robbery and other offenses.
On Feb. 16, 1867, the regulators came again to the Danville jail to seize a prisoner, Thomas Carrier, who was indicted for the theft of a horse in 1862 in Boyle County. However, the case was tried a few days before but the jury failed to agree. Carrier was out of jail after posting $300 bond and was at home when the regulators came to the jail to get him. His brother, Ed Carrier, was in jail at the same time and taken by the regulators, and later returned to jail.
The regulators headed to Parksville, surrounded the house of Thomas Carrier, entered and finding him concealed, took him out and hung him in sight of his dwelling while his family was kept under guard, according to the newspaper account.
The regulators also visited the home of William Bennington, near Perryville, April 13, 1867, to punish him, but he escaped. He had been sentenced to a year in prison for grand larceny, but pardoned by the governor.
Others suspects in Taylor, Marion, Washington, were hanged by Lynch and his men before they went to trial or after they had been pardoned for their crimes.
Lynch also attempted several times to get three citizens in Mercer County, indicted on robbery, theft and murder, but they fled the county.
Names of men who were subjected to the penalties of Judge Lynch and published in the Gazette are: Union men — Thomas Beggarly, H.H. Goode, Jerry Trowbridge, Thomas Carrier, William Wilson, Lt. James Wilson, Thomas Hughes, Lewis Halligan, Cosby Elliott, Hutch Speed, Riley Crowdus, George Elliott, Thomas Gabeheart, Capt. William Shively, John Divine, J.D. Hale, (?) White and (?) Davis .
Rebels — William Rineheart, J.J. Nash and Eddie Brown.
Unknown parties — Henry Crowdus, James Crowdus and (?) Jennings.
