The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1876-02-18
THE END OF A DESPERATE.

The A1ll1ng OF george NOrthcTaG ny
and ChaMdler's Death at the Hands OF
NOrthcraft's Friends.
Correspondence Cincinnati Commercial.
LEBANON, KY, Dec. q, 1875.-The
air of Lebanon is lighter tonight. Its
no longer contaminated by the breath of
one of those monsters in human shape
that make the heroes of our nursery
tales seem harmless. l 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
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 inoffensive men;
yet such is the fear that he inspires that
men dare not prosecute him, lest their
houses be burned and they be murdered
in their beds. When reward was Of
fered for his capture he 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 which the news brought. For
some years, however, this community
has stood in dread of his anger; wit
nesses could not be induced to
appear against him, while single
threat would enable him to Sc
cure testimony to any assertion
he might choose to make. Some
years ago, in 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 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 years Marshal of Lebanon, and is
described as 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 prosecution.
About two weeks ago, Northcraft, in
order Gas 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
l reached town this afternoon, these
DULLES were on the street, their inn
mense revolvers scarcely concealed and
a whisper (men seemed hardly to trust
their thoughts to words) soon spread
that the quarrel was to be settled to-
day. Many people were afraid to go
about their business for fear of a stray
shot, whenever the melee should begin.
Attention, for 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 it
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 quar-
ter after 6 seven or eight shots were
heard in the upper part of the town, and
in a few minutes the main street was
deserted and stores closed, except here
and there door opened to admit a
straggler to hear the news. stepped
into 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, as nearly as can gather them
After the truce had been signed, the
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