Good - Thomas Samuel - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

Source: Lebanon Patriot 6 November 1897

Robert Lane shot Thomas Good twice with a revolver just over the line in Clinton County, northwest of Mechanicsburg Monday, inflicting wounds from which he died Monday night at 1:30 o'clock. The shooting occurred in a field owned by Lane but which Good had rented and tended in corn this season on the shares. Lane had removed his part of the corn and retned the field to another party who had put it in wheat and it was over Good's driving on this wheat to get his corn that the shooting occurred. Good is a son of Ireneous GOod and nephew of Samuel Good, of Whitestown. The funeral took place yesterday afternoon. Interment at the Lutheran cemetery, two miles east of Whitestown, Hauser & Hogshire undertakers. Lane was taken to LaFayette Tuesday for safe keeping.

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Source: Lebanon Pioneer 7 November 1897

Robert Lane and Thomas Good, two farmers just across the line in Jackson Twp, Clinton County and about two miles south of Mechanicsburg, this county, became involved in a quarrel about 5 o'clock last Saturday evening and Lane shot and fatally wounded Mr. Good. The two men live near each other, and this summer GOod farmed a field, belonging to Lane, having it in corn. Lane had the field sowed in wheat and when Mr. Good went in to shuck his corn Lane objected. Lane says Good knocked him down and while down he attempted to draw his revolver, when Good jumped on him and in that scuffle the revolver was discharged. Good claims that Lane ordered him off the wheat, and on his refusal to go , he drew his revolver and shot him in the body, and a second shot passed through his hand. Good was taken to his home and Dr. DR Walker of Mechanicsburg and Drs. Palmer & Davis of Frankfort were summoned. An examination of the wound showed that the ball had entered the abdomen about 4" to the right of, and a little below, the center, ranging inward and to the left. Mr. Good lingered between life and death with some hopes of recovery, but continually growing weaker all day Sunday and Monday. He suffered great agony but could get no relief till death came at 1:30 o'clock Tuesday morning. A postmorten examination was held and the bullet was found imbedded in the lower part of the bowel. Mr. GOod was about 35 years old and leaves a wife and four children. He was the son of Irenius Good, deceased who formerly lived near Whitestown; a nephew of Samuel N. Good of Worth Township and ab rother to the recorder of Clinton County. He was a peaceable, law-abiding citizen and highly respected. He was buried yesterday in the Lutheran cemetery, three miles northeast of WHitestown at 12 o'clock by Hanner & Hogshire of this city. Lane was arrested on Saturday night by Sheriff Clark and Officer Burns of Frankfort at the home of Squire Robison. He was intoxicated when arrested and talked freely, but denies being drunka t the time of the shooting. When drunk he is quarrelsome. He takes the matter cooly. Lane is about 50 years old and at different times lived in Frankfort and Greencaslte. He has employed W. R. Moore to defend him. The feeling against Lane is running high, and the prisoner was removed to Lafayette yesterday as a precaution against mob violence. - kbz

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Source: The Daily Crescent. Frankfort, Indiana Tuesday, November 2, 1897.

Dying Statement of Good to His Family Says It Was a Cold Blooded Murder. The Prisoner Not Visibly Affected by the News of His Victim's Death.

Thomas S. Good, who was shot Saturday evening by Bob Lane died this (Tuesday) morning at 1 o'clock after intense suffering from a bullet wound in the abdomen. The fatal termination of the shooting will give Clinton county another murder trial, the first in several years. The preliminary hearing of Lane will not be held for a few days. The case pending before Justice Robison, of Jackson township, was dismissed and an affidavit charging Lane with murder in the first degree was filed in the mayor's court of Frankfort by Prosecutor Palmer this afternoon. The reason for taking the preliminary hearing from Justice Robison is that he is a witness, Good having made a dying statement to him. The funeral of Mr. Good will take place Wednesday at the United Lutheran church, three miles northeast of Whitestown, in Boone county, unless delayed by the receipt of word from County Recorder George Good, a brother of the deceased, who is at present in Kansas on a business trip. Thos. S. Good was a member of one of the most highly respected and influential families in Boone and Clinton counties. He was the son of Ireneus Good and was 30 years of age. He leaves a wife and three children and one step-child, the eldest of which is six years and the youngest six months. He owned 40 acres of land and had the reputation of being an industrious, sober and peaceful young man and was well liked by all who knew him. He came from Boone county to this county four years ago and belonged to the United Brethren church. His brothers are George, who is Recorder of Clinton county, Ezra, Jesse and Alva who are substantial farmers. His sisters are Mrs. Eliza Blacker; Mrs. Martha Trout, of Boone county and Mrs. Nebbie Robison, of Illinois. - kbz

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TAKEN TO LAFAYETTE. Lane Removed to Tippecanoe County Jail for Safe Keeping. On the advice of Judge Kent and Prosecutor Palmer, Bob Lane, the slayer of Thomas Good, was removed to Lafayette at 4 o'clock and placed in the Tippecanoe county jail for safe keeping. This move was brought about by a rumor which came to the prosecutor's ears about 3 o'clock saying that a mob of 100 persons would come from Colfax tonight for the purpose of taking Lane out and stringing him up. Whilst but little credence was placed in the rumor, it was thought best to take precautionary steps. There is no denial of the intense feelings against Lane amongst the friends of Good. There were some rumors afloat today of the probability of a mob forming to lynch Lane Sheriff Clark does not take any stock in the talk. He says he has too much faith in the law abiding character and good sense of the people of Clinton county.

____________________ MESSAGE TO HIS WIFE.

Written Shortly After Good Received His Fatal Wound.

Ezra Good brought the news of his brother's death to this city this morning. He stated that Thomas was conscious up to three hours before his death. About twenty minutes after he was shot by Lane, Thomas wrote a message to be delivered to his family who was visiting his father in Boone county. It is as follows: "Dear Wife and Children:--I am shot by Bob Lane and if I never see you again, I will die in cold blood. Take good care of my children. Train them up in the admonition of the Lord. Have brother George to settle my affairs and lay me to rest in the old family grave-yard beside my sisters. Your Husband, Thos. Good."

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Thos. Good's Statement. On his death-bed Thos. Good told the story of the shooting to his brother Ezra. It is as follows, as repeated by Ezra to a Crescent reporter this morning: "Thos. rented a field of Lane and planted it in corn. Lane who was to receive half had gathered his share and Thos. was engaged in shucking his part when the difficulty occurred. His wagon was astradle of the first row of Lane's corn stubs. Lane came out and in a rather rough joking way said, 'Don't you think you are tresspassing on me?' Thos. said, 'No, I guess not.' and kept on shucking corn. There were no other words and when Thos. was about 50 feet from the end of the row Lane came up to the wagon. Thos. was standing near the hind wheel and Lane at the front wheel both on the same side of the wagon. Thos. said that he did not see Lane's revolver until he begun shooting. He had an ear of corn in his hand when Lane first shot. Thomas said that he saw Lane was drunk and started toward him to take the revolver away from him. As Thos. was advancing Lane fired the second time, the shot taking effect in the abdomen. Thos. grappled with Lane and during the struggle Thos. grabbed the barrel of the revolver which went off and shot him in the hand. He succeeded in getting the revolver away from Lane and threw it away. After the shooting Lane went directly to his house which was about 100 yards away. After he was shot Thos. started to tie his team to a fence but becoming weak started to the house of his neighbor, a man by the name of Strawn who married a sister of Mrs. Lane. He walked about 20 yards and fell at the gate. Strawn saw him fall and with the assistance of Douglass Holmes took him to the house. Strawn says that he heard the shots and heard Lane's wife say "Don't shoot, Bob, don't shoot." Thos. told me that he could have shot Lane after he had taken the revolver from him, that he wasn't mad and that he did not want to have blood upon his hands.

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LANE AN OLD SOLDIER. The Slayer of Thomas Good Had a Good Army Record. __But little is known of Bob Lane before his arrival here. He was born in Illinois and came here from Marion five years ago. He married a Mrs. Warren of Boone county and together they own 17 acres of land, with a $400 mortgage on it. Her folks have never gotten along with him and he and his wife have not lived on the best of terms. She has not been to see him since his arrest, and a report gained currency here today that she "went back on him." She was the only eye-witness to the shooting. Lane is 58 years old and served through the war with the 10th Indiana. When told of his victim's death he expressed his sorrow and for the first time showed some feeling about the case. He positively refuses to talk. Since coming here he had lived neighbors with his victim and says they were always on friendly terms. He claims to have never been in jail before nor ever having had trouble before. While the attorney does not state what the defense will be, if he has any at all, is self-defense, and Lane will go on trial pleading justification for his acts upon the grounds of self-defense.

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Coroner to Hold Inquest. Drs. Palmer and Davis of this city and Dr. Walker of Reece's Mills attended Good. The shot which proved fatal to him entered the abdomen to the right of the navel and ranged through the intestines. The physicians probed for the ball, but failed to locate it. The second was received in the hand while Good was attempting to take the revolver from Lane. Coroner Wise will hold an autopsey to establish the cause of the death of Good. He left for the scene of the shooting this afternoon. Some time before his death Good dictated an ante-mortem statement of the shooting to Justice Robison, who holds the statement.

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Last Murder Trial. The last murder trial held in Clinton county was that of Stephenson, charged with killing Hardesty in a saloon row thirteen years ago. Judge Paige was on the bench and W. A. Staley was prosecutor. Stephenson was convicted and sentenced to 13 years in prison. The defendant subsequently secured a new trial by a decision of the supreme court and was acquitted. He spent about a year in prison, but did not live long after he secured his liberty. _ -- typed by kbz - how sad

Source: Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, Indiana Weekly Argus News, Nov 6, 1897 p 7

Thomas Good, a farmer residing in Clinton County, a short distance north of Colfax, died Tuesday from gun shot wounds received Saturday at the hands of Robert Lane whose farm he was working on the shares. Good made an ante mortem statement in which he declared Lane was the aggressor. He was shocking corn Saturday in the field he had rented from Lane when the latter came up drunk. He accused Good of trespassing by driving into his corn row and after a few words fired two shots at him one taking effect in the abdomen. Lane was captured and placed in the Frankfort jail but the sheriff became fearful of a mob and the murderer was removed to Lafayette.

Source: Weekly Argus News, Nov 13, 1897 p1

Robert Lane, the Clinton County murderer is a brother of BF Lane, of this city. Although he greatly deplores the terrible affair, Mr. Lane states that he will see that his brother has a proper defense. The prisoner has two other brothers and a son in Chicago who will be here within a day or so to look after the interests of the accused. As has been stated the shooting occurred last Saturday but Thomas Good, the victim, lingered until Tuesday when he died and the charge against Lane was changed to murder. On the day following Good's death the sheriff of Clinton County became apprehensive of a mob and moved the prisoner to Lafayette. This created a very bitter feeling in the immediate neighborhood in which the affair occurred, the residents taking it as a reflection upon them as law abiding citizens. They are not envious of a Ripley County reputation and declare Lane's removal was uncalled for. Yesterday Lane was returned to Frankfort and given a preliminary heard before Mayor Sims. Good's dying statement was read by the prosecutor after which Lane waived an examination and was remanded to jail without bail. The sworn statement of the murdered man is as follows: "I was in the field gathering corn for hogs. What Lane said was: "What were you running over my wheat for? I said I drove in to get corn. He cursed me and tole me it was the last time I would trespass in that field. He then pulled out his gun and shot at me. When he shot the first time I started to take the gun away from him, when he shot at me twice more. There was no one else present. Lane's wife came out afterwards. There was no quarrel. Lane had been drinking. I got the gun and threw it away, then walked away leaving him on the ground, where he had fallen. I made no attempt to injure him. Mr. Lane had been out of humor with me all summer, and had thrown it up to the boy, that I did not half tend to the crop. He seemed friendly and spoke to me as I was going to the field. The second sh hit me in the stomach and the third shot struck my hand. Thomas S. Good." - Subscribed and sworn to before me this 30th day of October, 1897 - Henry C. Robertson, JP - transcribed by kbz