The Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1870-1875, 1870-12-01
TRAGEDIES IN KENTUCKY.
Bloody Deeds in BOeEcA9tle
and Logan CoDHtkes,
License TO MurdereFs-The State
Oilclals Idle I'm the Face or
Brutal Grimes.
IFrom The Louisville Commercial j

DFuth1 CFlMess
From The Louisville CommerciaI.l
1t has become such an everyday
occurrence In this State TO record
deed Of bloodshed, and the escape of
the murderer, that it would seem to
be almost useless to express any opln-
ion OF the nature of the crime, or the
isxity of the officials IN preventing 1t,
or Furnishing the offender. The press
il too apt to regard these acts OF law
lessness in a partizan light, and hence
the whole matter Is resolved into
sentiment OF assertion and denial, the
existence of horribly plain facts infu-
encing neither. In the eases below,
two human lives were taken, and the
murderers are Rt liberty to day, it
being q sad truth that there Is more
personal danger from the law in steal
ing horse than in killing q human
being.
About the Sd inst, Ed. BlakeIey,
running saw mill. and james Rob-
erts, clerk for MIR. Cunningham, mer-
chant, at Gum Sulphur, Roekoastle
County, had q difficulty with Will
liam and JEFF. Hicks. about 8 o'clock
in the morning. Hicks drew q re-
vOlver. but the difficulty terminated
without bloodshed, Blakely going
back 70 his saw-mill, Roberts to his
store, and the Hicks brothers going
to saw mill on Copper Greek, two
miles distant, where they were joiaad
by Mart Hicks, Bill Paine, and four
others. After stimulating themselves
with liquor, and arming themselves
with rifles and pistols, they started
for Gum Sulphur, reaching Blakeley's
saw-mill about l o'clock. They ap-
preached Biakeley uEObserVed, he
being in a STOPPING position, hand
ling q board, the saw being in mo-
ton.
As Mart Hicks brought his rifle to
bear on the doomed man, Bill Paine
covered him with his revolver. Blake
ley's assistant shouted a warning to
him, which caused him to turn
around and assume an erect position.
Seeing the weapons pointed at him,
he grasped them both, and jerked
them toward the ground, pulling
Hicks and Paine with them.
JEFF. Hicks then fired, the ball pass
ing through Blakeley's breast and
coming out under the shoulder-blsde.
This paralyZed his arm. Another of
the Hicks then fred, the ball striking
the wounded man in the head and
causing him to fall to the ground.
While lying PROSTATE he received an.
other shot in the hip. Paine and
JEFF. Hicks then jumped upon the dy-
ing man, stamping him ia the face
and brutally beating him. They then
80 hSrv.A A-u d. k,A A.-
store where Roberts was working.
He seeing their approach locked the
doors and left.
Blakeley lived until the Tuesday
following, when he died, retaining his
consciousness during all his illness.
He admitted to a friend, that when
he grasped the Villains, it was his IN
tentiOn to throw them in front of the
circular saw, which was in motion,
but he was disabled by the shot from
Hicks. lie was man Of good char
acter, but was disposed to fight when
crowded By bis enemies.
No attempt was made to arrest any
OF these numbering Williams. Or
course they disappeared for a time,
from their accustomed haunts. but
there was no official notice taken of
the bloody deed.
MURDER OF CAPTAIN JAMES NJ. NOR
ROW.
The foilori0s I0vt~u- t~Ilsr -lI-~-s-----g
tale of murder and violence in Logan
| County. CaL tain Morrow, who was
killed, was a gentleman of good char
aeter and standing His death has
created feeling of uneasiness in the
minds of those who. agreeing with
him in politics, feel that the State
officials will not, or cannot, protect
them in their lives and homas.
Those who understand the powers
of the military force to be sent into
the State will see how little protection
they will be able TO extend to the in
nocent; and how impotent they will
be to punish the laWless, acting only
in conjunction with the State officials.
( There is no hope that the services
will ever be required by the men who
sit in their official robes and witness
the murderers and Williams commit
their evil deeds.
/ LCGAN COUNTY, NEAR FERGUssS'sl
STATION, Nov. q, 1870. !
Col q. O. Hhzrt5n, District Attorney
DEAR SIR:-Captain james NJ.
Morrow, who was a Federal soldier in
Col. B. III. BristoW's regiment during
the war, and who was the Republican
candidate for Sheriff a this county at
the August election. was shot down
on the 12th inst, at Russellgille, By a
man named George Finch, without
any cause, while Morrow was talking
in the most friendly manner, and was
allowed to make his escape with very
little effort TO catch him; aud, L may
add furthermore, that no effort what
ever now is being made to catch him,
| although he is known to be in the
county. Morrow died last night, after
sufering intensely Ior nine days
Thus you see our 2Ost prominent
man is murdered in cold blood, with
out any attempt on the part Of the
State authorities to bring the offender
to justice.
Morrow had not closed up his busi
ness as eensus-taker when he was
killed, consequently was a Govern.
ment officer, aud his friends hope that
under the circumstances, the United
States Court may take hold of it.
No one believes here that if Finch
was caught and tried in the Circuit
Court that he would be punished.
To give you an instance of how jus
tiee is administered in RusselVIlle
some time ago a white man was fined
$50 for shooting iu a crowd six times
with intent to Kill, while black mar
was fned $50 for carrying a concealed
weapon.
The Influence or the Editor.