New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-09-04
KEyTrCKY'S TROUBLES.

ELIMINATION OF A VENDETTA OF FOURTEEN YEARS
DURATION INTERFERENCE OF THE fEpkRAL
AND STATE AUTHORITIES - THE RIGHT AND
WRONG OF A VERY COMPLICATED AFFAIR.
TFRoN AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNEI
OwENToN, Owen County, KY, Aug. 3l.-Pub-
lie attention has again been called simultaneous out
breaks In Kentucky. upon the bloody ARRAY be-
tween the Smoots and the Walkers. eight miles from
this town came brutal murder OF 16 negroes IN cou
blood and the two Outrages are by some construed as
an evidence disposition 10 abrdge the rights OF the
freedmen This Is a mistake however, though In saying
so confess take the opposite ground from the United
States authorities in this State. The Ourages are alike
in this only they show that there is among certain
class in some States Of the South fixed conviction that
every man should be bis own executioner the Idea OF
trusting 20 the civil authorities and awaiting the course
Is as strange TO IL would be for any Kentuckian
10 enter sat for libel against man gho should call
him liar They are behind the barbarous age OF
duelling. Il a man calls you liar don't give him
chance prove It to defend himself but shoot HIM
tho spot-hat is the conception of justice that the
majority OF these people to have That there Is
very little in the administration OF law here TO command
respect the facts in the smoot and Walker difficulty show
very cOncusvey.
OF all family feuds In Kentucky, there Is probably
none so famous that between the Shoots and the
Walkers which, though begun IA years is only now
before courts after OF shots have been fired
and several men killed. The details Of this story have
been gathered from both sides the spot aud, as VIII
be soen each party considers itself perfectly justified
in shooting the other sight AS being the most con-
else aud based upon the theory which the correct
one will give the story OF William smoot obtained
from him IN the office OF the County Attorney, not
30 feet from the street where he shot James Walker last
May First to locate the place, Owenton, the county
town of owen County, is little place OF perhaps LVVO
inhabitants derives all its importance from the
fact OF its being shire II collection OF one
WE'LL U
fur serve for hotels surrounding Courthouse, which
Is homely brick structure but little larger than the
buildings around it, and is situated in the center OF
large square kept OF laud. The nearest railroad
station Is Sparta the Louisville, Cincinnati and Lex
ington 70 miles distant Sparta is IS miles from Cinein-
natl and 65 from Louisville. Monterey is on the Ken
tucky River about nine miles distant and Gratz is
about as far away miles down the river from Mon
terey.
smoot saws that the difficulty first between him
and Henry Walker account Of the testimony which
he gave as to the part the latter drunken row at
a tavern ball in Monterey about 10 miles from here
Henry Walker, with two others, proclaimed that they
aud their friends the best men in the town, at
which willis Russell. lying on the floor In drunken
sIeep muttered 1--WE are your friends, aren't We"
aud Henry replied with an oath IN the
negative The result was fight, in which Walker cut
one Jim suter from his temple 10 his throat william
smoot boy of fourteen. testified to Walkers part
In the ARRAY Almost years aferward they were IN
the same gang at work, when Walker empued the
whiskyjug-whch appears after all to be at the bottom
OF the whole afar-wh toast to those who lied about
him at Graiz William intended taking up the insult,
but the others held him back, saying that he was boy
aud no match for Walker who then started for the
house aud returning fired five shots with revolver at
tho party, three Of them taking effect upon James
Sparks who was a friend Of his. This matter set
tied amicably between Sparks and walker The war
then intervencd smoot ia the Confederate army,
gtrr Wa1lra fly hiHh
consisted OF five brothers-Beniamin. Henry,
James F. II. e. Doc'9 and Charley-all stayed
at home. Benjamin quiet, inofensive man who
has never any part in the quarrel and OF late
years refused have anything to do with Henry for
fear he should be drawn INTO 1t. Henry. the next in
age is Acknowledged By all to be the worst OF the fam
lily. lie clerk in a store in Louisville but con-
sorted with prostitutes and gamblers and while his
brother and friend were under arrest on charge OF
murder, was seen in Cincinnati with much money
that his friends allow that he must have been
sharp or lucky at play Henry Walker being away and
smOot having left the county, nothing done to
the un IL last year. In the meanwhile Smoot,
according TO hLs story, aman named Rankin,
with whom be had had quarrel coming toward HIM
with a pistol and he (SmOOO drew his revolver and
shot him dead. Rinkins fatherin-law, one Roberts,
had already killed two three men. and he
openly threatened TO kill Smoot sight, and ordered
him TO leave franklin and o ven Counties Some time
day when the old man along and spat in his
face and what could he dol II shot him dead; and
he sat there and told me OF this fit meritOrious
action. aud Evan E. Settle candidate for County At
tOrney four put H. land everybody thought
Bill did perfectly right" have DOUBT the wouldbe
attorney told the truth, for neither Of these
brought to the attention of the Grand Jury.
just about this time Henry Walker had a cause of
complaint against Smoot. house OF prostitution, near
Gratz. IN which the former had some interest,
broken up by the people. and Walker
accused Smlot OF being the cause OF
the attack upon it. This smoot Denies but, never
theess. smOot says the Walkers got together and
offered $500 TO any who would kill him. OF course
be furnish evidence OF this and Il will be hard to
convince any one Of the truth OF the statement The
only thing that color to it is that Doc Walker
up the Kentucky River paeket-bOat in CON-
pany with smoot. and the latter going off at
PolsgrOyes Landing fred three at him. one only
taking effect. For this Walker was fined $500 and
sentenced 20 % months imprisonment II was then,
according smoo that the Walkers conceived the idea
OF calling in the aid Of the United States authorities to
hunt hun down. negro named Lewis Wilson, living
On Knox Browns place, Graft had talked a little
too freely and IL brave men in masks rode
up 10 his house night and shot him
His dying declaration that smoot shot him The
Smoot party that he said Budd smoot," referring
70 a man who lives over in Franklin county This was
In July last year Willis Russell then went 10 Louis
vile. and got commission as DeputyUn states
Marshal TO enforce the KuKlux Act aud proceeded 10
act under It's authority Under this act he got warrant
for William smOOt among others. He had the sym
psthes OF the Court and. he says. proved an unmis-
taxable abi. About two months after his acauittal
James Walker sold out the hotel had been Keeping
opposite the otheast corner OF the Court house yard
On hOhday, The 4th OF May-the posters the barns
ana FENCES still tell the dae-he circus reached the
town. court opened. and everybody for miles around
came To OWentOn. Whisky flowed freely. and every
thing was soon ripe for heht After the sirons was
over IN the evening" says smoO and h, brother Jon
=, aged ~ Were IN Tue hotel recently sold by James
Walker, when be heard a shot aud looking OUT saw
james aud DOC walker hrnR revOvers at him and his
"a MA
must have had experience enough by tine 10 do so
with reasonable CELEBRITY be shot at James Walker hi
ing him Two on a