The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-09-01
THE wARLIKE KENTUcKIANs.

THE DEMOCRATIC POLITICAL OUTBREAK IN
OWEN COUNTY, KENTUCKY-THE FRIENDS
OF THE WALKERS, RUssELS AND KU-KLUX
"A PRIVATE REPORT OF THE IMBRoGLIA.
The Louisville Courier-Journal of the 25th
inst contains the following report of the
recent riots near Owenton, KY: gentle
man from Owen county called at the Cour-
ier-Journal Office last night, and made a
statement of the affair from its incipiency
to the present. He said the present difficulty
was simply an outbreak of the Ku-Klux
party. On election day Unitsd States wit
ness, Henry Triplett, was fired on from the
bushes near Monterey by one Green Barr, a
member Of the Ku-Klux Khan. The shots
were returned by TTiplett and two
of his friends. Barr went TO Owen
lis Russell and Billy Graves, James
Russell and John Wilson. Neither Willis
IrRusselI nor Billy Graves were concerned in
the shooting. Some of the leading citizens
of Monterey published a card in the Owen
News, showing that Russell was not en-
ifs called on Russell, on last Thursday
week, and Russell surrendered himself and
his guards, and requested the sheriff not
to let the writs go out of his possession.
Russell and his men were perfectly willing
TO stand she trial, from the fact that he
zens that Barr fired the first two shots We'd
nesdav. On last Wednesday, Russell sent his
brother William, and Monroe CHRISTOPHER,
into Henry county for the purpose or To-
eating some Ku-Klux against whom he had
writs. They went to Lockport, where they
had remained but few minutes, when they
were surrounded by a band of desperadoes.
headed by James Hoskins, Ku-Klux, who
is under bond at the federal court. Hoskins
swore out a writ against Russell and Chris
TOPPER to compel them to surrender their
arms. After Christopher mad surrendered,
he was shot through the bowels and NOR
tally wounded. Russell had his skull bro
ken By the father of the notorious John
Oman. The wounded men were then taken
| to GratZ by some of their friends. On Friday
Hoskins and his friends were 70 have their
examining trial at Lockport. Russell and
trial. He was advised by his friends to get
back 20 Owen as quick as possible before the
opposing party got to town, lest
THEY WOULD BE MURDERED.
He took the advice of his friends and went
| to Gratz, where he remained with his brother
until Friday night, when he returned to
Monterey, where he had to attend his trial
on Saturday. The Shoots and Barr had
been together on Cedar creek, a few days be-
fore, with 20 armed men, and said they
would come to Monterey on Saturday to at
tend the trial. 1t will be remembered that
| the SmoOts are under Indictment In the
Federal Court for Ku-Kluxing and the State
courts for the murder OF James Walker.
On SATURDAY. large number of men. rode
into Monterey, headed by George A. Mefford,
who has been tried as a Ku-Klux, and was
concerned in the murder of James Walker.
When Russell and his men saw Mefford,
| they fired into the squad, regarding it as a
! moo under the cloak of State authority, who
wished to disarm him and murder him as
his brother had been murdered by the
fLockport klan If the county ATTORNEY. J
w. Perry, had come into town himself, or
guarded by others than those accompany
| ing him, the trial would have passed of
quietly, and Russell and his men would
have been cleared on sufficient proof
that they were in the right.
] The county attorney brought to Monterey
the home of the surviving Walkers, men
-who were regarded as Ku-Kiux, among them
being Mefford. who was concerned in the
murder of j. III. Walker, on the 4th of Nav
This fact caused all the difficulty. Since that
time Russell was pursued by bad characters
from the fact that John G. Smnot, who was
under indictment for the muroer Of James
Walker, was in the party. The militia who
were called out by Gov. Leslie on Sunday
last, and who are now supporting the county
authorities near GratZ, have large
number of citizens with them for guides
whom Russell and his friends suspect
of an intention to use foul play. If Gen.
Murray, with his United States troops, ar.
riyes in time to prevent actual conflict, there
will be no further trouble, as Russell and
his party do not fear fair trial. 1t is said
that during recent canvass Mr.. Perry, the
J county attorney, upon whose request the
militia is furnished, charged mis- opponent
William Lindsay, with taking sides against
the Shoots. At the time of the Walker muir
der the Shoots refused to be arrested, and
Mr.. Perry did not exert himself to bring the
parties to justice.
i A man once called on President Lincoln
He had shaken hands with him, observing
"Don't be scared, Mr.. Lincoln don't want
an ofice.u SIS that so?" asked the president