The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-01-13
THE END OF A DESPERATE.
The Killing of George NOrthcraft by
Marshal Chandler, Of Lebanon, KY,
and Chambers Death at the Hands of
NOrfhcraft's Friends.


Marshal Chandler, Of Lebanon, Ky,
and Chambers Death ut the Hands of
NOrthcrafts Friends.
Correspondence Cincinnati Commercial.
LEBANON, Ky, Dec. q, 1S75.-The
air of Lebanon is lighter tonight. 1t is
no longer contaminated by the breath of
one of those monsters in human shape
that make the heroes of our nursery
tales seem harmless. | reached here In
time to-day to witness, or at least to
hear, the end of one of those bloody
strifes which would better fit story of
the Black Hills than the civilized Com
monwealth of Kentucky. You may
never have heard of George Northcraft,
but he has been for some years the ter
ror of the order-loving citizens of this
community. He is known to be guilty
of the murder of three inOf1ensive men;
vet such is the fear that he inspires that
men dare not prosecute him, lest their
houses be burned and they be murdered
i'm their beds. When reward was of
fered for his capture be rode boldly
about, and no man dared to touch him.
To-day men refused to express an Opin-
ion of him lest he might hear of it and
avenge it. Yet, now that he is dead,
probably some of these stories are eXag-
gerated, because of the very relief from
fear whieh the news brought. For
some wears, however, this community
has stood in dread of his anger; wit
nesses could not be induced to
appear against him, while a single
threat would enable him to Sc
cure testimony to any assertion
he might choose to make. Some
years ago, liz consequence of a most
brutal murder he had committed, re-
ward of $500 was offered by the State
for his capture, and company of mill
tia was sent up to secure him. For
weeks he eluded them simply because
he inspired such fear that no one dared
refuse him assistance. Finally, he de-
livered himself up to a cOmrade who
claimed the $500 reward, gave it to
Northcraft, and with it he paid the eX-
penses of his trial, which, through wit
nesses procured by the dread of his
vengeance, resulted in an acquittal.
For a year or two there has been a
feud between him and his brother, who,
like all his companions, was his tool,
and the FOgle brotherS-twO men who
knew no fear, but who prefer to settle
such scores by their own hands rather
than appeal to the law, which, indeed,
under the circumstances, was power
less. They met last spring in saloon,
and several shots were exchanged, and
one or two of the parties wounded, but
none fatally, after which the hostility
seemed to die out.
Thomas Chandler has been for sever
al wears Marshal of Lebanon, and is
described rs one of the bravest, as well
as one of the most discreet and orderly
men in this part of the State. For some
time Northcraft has borne grudge
against him for the manner in which he
discharged the duties of his office in his
! (Northcraft's) prosecution.
About two weeks ago, NOrthcraft, in
order (as it now appears) to get an OPP
portunity to kill Chandler, revived the
quarrel with the FOgle brothers, and for
fortnight the community has been in
daily expectation of bloodshed. When
| reached town this afternoon, these
DULLES were on the street, their inn
mense revolvers scarcely concealed and
a whisper Omen seemed hardly to trust
their thoughts to words) soon spread
that the quarrel was to be settled to-
day. Many people were afraid to 60
about their business for fear Of a stray
shot, whenever the melee should begin.
Attention, for a while, was diverted by
! fight between some soldiers and ne
groes, in which four or five shots were
fired, but nobody hurt. BY and by ii
! began to be noticed that the threaten
ing party, NOrthcraft and hackers,
seemed least anxious for close quarters,
and Chandler remarked to a friend :
'It's me they are after; not the Fogles. -
| BY dark there was a rumOr, soon con-
firmed, that treaty of peace had been
signed; both parties pledging them
selves to drop the quarrel and be as
strangers to one another; and all but
those who understood the true pur-
pose of Northcraft went home think
ing that all was well. About a quar-
ter after seven or eight shots were
heard in the upper part Of the town, land
in few minutes the main street was
deserted and stores closed, except here
and there a door opened to admit a
| Straggler to hear the news. | stepped
into a half-Opened door of a hardware
store, whose shutters had been quickly
| adjusted, and there found ten or twelve
excited men anxious to hear the result
of the firing, but afraid to venture out
| In the course of half an hour, how
ever, the street was again filled with
| excited men and wild rumOrs, which
| finally sifted down into the following
facts, rs nearly as | can gather them
After the truce had been signed, the
Fogle brothers and their friends went
home; and NOrthcraft and hackers
consisting of his brother and two mer
by the name of Brent-set about the
real purpose of their conspiracy, and
creating such a disturbance as they
knew would necessitate the interior.
ence of the Marshal 1t wasn't long
till he responded, remarKing to a
! friend: "Well, we have to arrest
Them" and, with posse of three OF
four men, approached them. Coming
up to Northcraft, Chandler presented a
shotgun and ordered him to surrender.
Whether he refused to do so or
not is not known. At any rate,
Chandler fired and killed Northcraft,
and at the same time one of Northcraft' S
companions, VINO was on horseback,
fired at and killed Chandler. Several
other shots were fired, but, so far as is
| yet known, no one was hit. North
crafts friends escaped. As soon as the
remains of Northcraft and Chandler
were cared for, about twenty-five men,
armed and mounted, started in pursuit
of the fugitives, and succeeded in cap
turing the two Brent boys, who are now
lodged in jail awaiting their trial.
The feeling against Northcraft, now
that he is dead, is general and out
spoken. Indeed, it is a positive relief
that he is out of the way; men breathe
freer, while the.regret for Chandler is
heartfelt and sincere
1t is a singular coincidence-shall we
call it fatality ?-that within twenty
PAGES of where Chandler fell, thirty
years ago he buried knife in the heart
pf a Communion with 1-bop, no bod