Weekly Trinity journal., 1869-12-18
NUMBER so.
A Battle In Kentucky.

On Saturday evening last, about 3 o'clock, q
terrible fight commenced on the public square,
in the town of Somerset, Pulaski county, and
lasted until the parties had exhausted their
ammunition. Three men-Todd, Daulton, and
William Pleasonts-were killed, and one man,
James Pleasonts, desperately wounded. About
twenty men engaged on each side. The
difficulty originated over the whipping of a man
by the name of Cooper by party of Regulators.
This man Cooper, who lives somewhere on Fish
ing creek, below Somerset, is said to be q bad
character, and was short time ago taken from
bis house by party Of men, at night, and
severely whipped. Aterward he armed himself
and made war against number of his nsighbors.
whom he accused of whipping him. One man
was shot by him, and several others taken
unawares and knocked down with his iron ram
rod, and severely beaten. He also swore out
warrant against number of persons, and had
them arrested. Saturday last was the day fixed
for their trial: On the morning of that day
Cooper and his friends came into the town of
Somerset in wagon, concealing their guns
under some hay in the bed Of the wagon Tbe
trial of the parties who were arrested was post
poned until the succeeding Wednesday. The
quarrel commenced between the parties and con-
timed to grow warmer and more aggravating
until three o'clock in the afternoon, when it
eliminated in regular pitched battle. 1t seems
that in the progress of the quarrel one of the
parties challenged another 10 shout for JET.
Davis, which was done. The fight then COM
menced in desperate earnest, being brought on
by the anti-Lynch party making the first often
sive demonstrations. The anti-Lynchers, under
the leadership of man named Logan, retreated
out the Mt. Vernon road, about two hundred
yards, to where they had sent their wagon, in
charge of one of their comrades, procured their
guns, returned to the public square, and made q
furious attack upon their opponents. Both
parties stood their ground, it is said, without
f1nching until the fight abated by mutual con-
sent, both parties being without ammunition.
Town Marshal Shepperd, with posse of three
men, endeavored to prevent the fight, but the
parties were too numerous, and he finally had to
take himself and posse to safe distance, and
allow the desperate riot and difficulty to proceed.
Over one hundred and fifty shots were fired, and
the shouts and yells of the combatants are said
to have been almost deafening. The complexion
of the whole affair is very unfortunate, uncivil-
lied and barbarious.
| Of the family of Pleasonts who were engaged
in it, one cousin was killed on one side, and
another was mortaly wounded on the other,
having his skull broken from blow, and some
very bad cuts on his neck and chest. The Dali
tons also divided in the fight, and also the Bur-
tons.
| On Wednesday last, one Of the hostile parties
which had recruited its forces until they
| numbered forty men, approached to within two
miles of Somerset, but we're warned by the citi-
| zens of the town not to come in, under penalty
of being fred upon. The other party was also,
on the same morning, in the reighborhood OF
the town, and received like message from the
citizens, and both parties retired. So much
apprehension exists in the town of Somerset that
the whole population is in arms 20 prevent the
recurrence of another such difficulty as the one
which took place on Saturday last, and Pulaski
county is enjoying reign of anarchy and terror.
Stanford Dispatch.