Thomas Ware Gibson, a lawyer practicing in both Kentucky and Indiana, represented the Jeffersonville Railroad. At the time when he practiced law in Clark County, Indiana, Gibson had the community’s respect. However, in his youth, he had shown a proclivity for thrill-seeking behaviors, including intentionally burning down a building at West Point. West Point authorities expelled Gibson shortly after Gibson’s roommate, Edgar Allan Poe, left the school to pursue a career as a writer.