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Archiver > INMONROE > 2001-05 > 0990796426


From: Randi Richardson <>
Subject: [INMONROE] WHITECAPPING: McFarland--Adams, Snoddy, Shields, Chambers, Hatton, Grubb
Date: Fri, 25 May 2001 08:13:46 -0500


Bloomington (IN) Weekly Courier, Jan 26, 1912.

MCFARLAND TESTIFIES IN WHITECAP TRIAL
Recites Story of His Whipping To The Jury

With a court room crowded with spectators the state case against Tobe
Snoddy for the alleged whitecapping of Harvey McFarland was resumed
today. McFarland was cross examined until about ten o'clock then other
witnesses took the stand, among them being Dr. W. S. Simmons of Clear
Creek, Mr. Voliva and farmers who reside in the neighborhood where the
whipping is alleged to have taken place.

Harvey McFarland occupied the stand the greater part of yesterday
afternoon, giving a dramatic recital of the business relations he had with
Tobe Snoddy before the whipping and details of the attacks on the night the
flogging occurred. McFarland said he resides in what is known as the
Harmony neighborhood and that he moved to this county from the north part
of the state. He became acquainted with Snoddy about eight years ago and
after loaning him $150, took a mortgage on about 90 acres of land. He
claimed Snoddy did not pay the interest for two years. Other business
relations he had with Snoddy later was when he sold him some fruit trees
and afterwards bought three mules of him. Witness said Snoddy and Joe
Shields had come to his house when Shields wanted to borrow $25 from
him. McFarland and his sister bought the Tobe Snoddy farm at a school fund
sale to protect the mortgage they held on it.

Several days before the whipping took place, witness said Tobe Snoddy had
made three or four trips to his house attempting to get the land
back. McFarland said he told him he could have it by paying $2,200 but
Snoddy held on until McFarland dropped the price down to $1,800. Snoddy,
he said, failed to raise the money. Witness said he decided to go to the
land in question about May 1st and finish shucking the corn which was still
in the shock. He said Snoddy, Shields and others knew he was going
there. Witness went alone and finished the work in four days. He was
sleeping in a corn crib about about midnight on the 4th day of May, 1911,
was awakened by a voice calling out , "Hello." He said he believed it was
William Chambers who called to him.

Continuing he said, "Latern in hand I went down to unbolt the door and as I
threw it open, Silas and Newton Adams grabbed me by the arm. I braced
myself in the door and refused to come out, although I had looked out the
door where I saw about fifteen men and I saw Tobe Snoddy standing close to
the building or rather he was hopping about, he couldn't keep still because
he was so anxious to get to hit me. They kept pulling at me but it was
some time before they got me outside.

"Then Tobe Snoddy dealt me a powerful blow with his fist, and as I was
dragged about they pounded me as if I was a vicious tiger. They rained
blow after blow on me. They took my lighted lantern and threw it as far as
they could. I grabbd my knife out of my pocket and attempted to open it
with one hand, but they gave me a hard jerk and I lost it. They placed a
strap about my waist and held me tight against a beech tree while they
applied the lashes to my body. While the whipping was going on, I could
see them conversing together about ten feet away and they would return
occasionally to ask me if I was ready to deed Tobe Snoddy's farm back to
him. I answered that the farm was in my sister's name and that I could do
nothing. They then put the strap about my neck and I asked them if they
were going to hang me. Their reply was that they would show me, and they
began pulling up on the strap. I loosed one hand and placed it about the
strap and released the pressure. I fell down and they kicked me, breaking
one of my ribs. They repeated the question as to whether I would deed back
Tobe Snoddy's farm, and seeing that I would be killed if I didn't do
something, I replied that I would do what I could. Three of the men struck
a match and started to go into the shack, and I thought they were going to
burn it down. As I turned to see, one of those standing near me struck me
a blow on the head and calling me an unspeakable name, told me to look the
other way. Arthur Hatton then came up to me and told me to go inside the
shack and not come out until morning, threatening to kill me if I
did. Before leaving the men told me if the land was not deeded back by
Saturday night they would return and kill me."

Witness said Joe Shields was next to the tree and had hold of the strap
while William Snoddy and Jack Grubb were on the other side of him. He said
Grubb carried a revolver in his hand. He said George Hatton had hold of
his hand. Witness said he did not recognize the other men of the party,
although he had good looks at them. He said they were strangers to
him. He said he had known Joe Shields four years, George and Arthur
Hatton, six years, Jack Grubb three years, Silas and Newton Adams six
years. He claimed he had no trouble in recognizing them by the moonlight.

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