HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY  415

ghastly wounds into the chest of his victim. To evade threatened ven-
geance at the hands of the gang, McKinley absented himself for a time,
said to have been concealed at the residence of Esquire Moses Usher,
about two miles northwest of his home. Finding that he had eluded them,
the gang, threatened to apply the torch to the McKinley buildings, when
Captain Ezra Olds, of Brazil, rallied his riflemen and stationed them upon
the ground for the protection and safety of the property. Some months
later, the work having been finished at the cut, the encampment was
moved elsewhere, and the storm of wrath on the part of the gang subsided.
    McKinley was never brought to trial. As to the sequel there is dif-
ference in recollection on the part of those supposed to know the details
of the case. It is said on the one hand that an indictment was found
against McKinley and that he was lodged in jail at Bowling Green for a
time, and that when arraigned in court, confronted by no prosecution, he
was discharged. It may have been that his release from custody came
through the burning of the court records, November, 1851.
Excursion of the American Science Association.
 The Twentieth Annual Session of the American Association for the
Advancement of Science was held at the city of Indianapolis during the
week beginning August 14, 1871. This distinguished body, representative
of culture and scientific attainments, accepted the invitation extended to
visit the field of block coal production and iron industry in Clay county.
An excursion train on the Vandalia Railroad was placed at the service
of the association, which ran from Indianapolis through to Terre Haute,
Friday, August 18, making the first stop in this county at Knightsville,
arriving there a few minutes before 10 o’clock a. m., where the train was
switched and the whole party, numbering between three and four hun-
dred men and women of learning and refinement, visited the furnace and
rolling-mill. To afford the distinguished visitors the opportunity to
observe the practical workings of the plant, the management had arranged
for a run of molten metal from the smelter, an entertainment which but
comparatively few of them had at any time before witnessed. Although
the party had been cautioned not to come within too close proximity to
the flow of the metal into the pig-bed, their curiosity got the better of
their judgment and caution, and in the rush to get to the front and have
an unobstructed view, with no opportunity to retreat, owing to the num-
ber and density of the throng, a number of the more delicate ladies, over-
come with the intensity of the heat radiated from the moving mass of
liquid iron, swooned away, falling into the arms of their husbands or
escorts, and were carried out into the open air. Having recovered their
senses and fully appreciating the situation, one or more of them remarked
that that was the warmest reception with which the association had ever
 met on any occasion. From the iron plant the guests were escorted to
the schoolhouse, where a sumptuous lunch had been prepared for them,
which they proceeded to appropriate to the interests of science in a man-
ner that indicated their familiarity with such specimens as fruits, sand-
wiches, chicken and sparkling champagne. About eleven o’clock they
switched off onto the North Branch, to see the coal works, then so numer-
ous in that locality. Again, they were tempted and feasted with edibles
and accompaniments at the Lafayette furnace.
    Arriving at Brazil at about the noon hour, the excursionists were
conducted to and received at Turner Hall, where the address of welcome
delivered by Rev. Mr. Taggart and the bounteously spread tables brought