The New York herald., 1877-07-09
History of the Uprising in Carter,
Rowan and Fleming Counties.
FARMERS VS.. HORSE THIEVES
Organization of a Vigilance Com
mittee at Midnight.
SEVERAL MEN SHOT.

Carter, Rowan and Fleming are thrce coupties OF
Northeastern Kentucky which lie comparatively out
Of the route OF moocrn travel They arc in the dis
v,ct separated from railroads OF West Virginia by
he Cumberland Mountains and the family OF streams
81 which the Big Sandy rs the chief, and which Is cut
on from tho railroad system Of Western kentucky by
ne mountainous nature Of the country Between
them and the Cumberland range lies larger territory
sti less accessible The physical situation OF these
three counties demands notice, because 1t explains
Why such region is peculiarly adapted alike ior the
perpetraton OF crime and Tor the conccalment Of 1t
through the escape OF criminals with their gains.
For some years the residents OF these counties have
been plagued beyond endurance by the depredations
Of band o men live By stealing the live stock
Of citizens, and which has grown 70 DO SO powerful
m to DEFY ali the machinery OF the law. Tho depre-
dnsors are organized into iorce characterized by all
the discipline OF trained army, and all efforts to pro
property punish thieves have been unavailing
The sheriff Carter county proved powerless to
writs against any OF the robbcr band, and re-
Gently allowed bis authority to be openly desplsed by
George Underwood, the chief OF the indicted despcra
does The contest between property and plunder has
continued long that It has grown TO be matter OF
elAnshp s,de certain families being engaged
wholly stealing the property Of certain Others who
could succeed IN resisting or Furnishing the rob-
berries by any attainable process OF law.
DisuoSOR.
The plundersrs who negectsd their land wero IN uch
more successful In life than the and stock
rsssSs. who robbed Horses arc the most valu-
shls property In the district They OF superior
blood and mainly from the same stock as Ten Brock
and the other famous racers who are the pde OF the
Harper and other kentucky farms Hence the princi-
pal object o the thieves steal and run Of the
iarmSfs horses. For this purpose they devised per
kcs stem The country Is iul OF natural and
-sl,des," which arc largo sioping pits under the
sliHs, large enough 10 AFFORD perfect shelter
and security 10 stolen properly. in these caves the
outlaws had established a regular system OF stations
"A animal stolen In Fleming county was ridden by the
hsi ooy 70 the station, there turned 10 his
sccomplee, and by him to the next and SO on until
the Onto River. the Mississippi, or some other safe
point VI sale or shipment WAS arrived at il fact
that In OF persistent pursuit. stolen animals have
this way been passed from hand 70 hand, through
the chain OF plices as the northern boun-
dary Of Texas. IL was account OF this system Of
depreciation, which destroyed the value OF their whole
properly that the propretors OF tho settled portions
or The three determined tako the Law into
their own hands and extirpatc the thieves
MIDNIGHT CoNyURArIox
In pursuance OF this determination meeting was
held near midnight on Sunday, May 1s, in u ravine
The great natural bridge Carter county Over
enc hundred OF the leading land owners OF Carter,
Rowan and Fleming wore present OF these eighty
three took tho oath ito stand by and support tho cap
each Other and be prepared at any time, on
command Of superior authority, to chase the horse
tnieves 10 the death: 10 obey their captain
In all things, and II ordered to Kill to kill
and ask NO questions" During tho meeting the
whole subjees Of tho aflicting the counties
discussed and lines strictly drawn between those
who to be considered rs friends and IS ioes
.l.~ shafvy
country pursuits are hereditary, and the name has
como signify the occupation. Tho records Of the
courts. well other public facts, brand 10 the
estimation Of the community a. habitua thieves the
Mart,as, Logans, Pendlynns, Underwoods and others
OF their connections while the Stampers Tabers
Ricss, hoibrooks, wiIcoxes and Everetts
are among the principal Industrious and rspu.
liable land or the Underwood ismiy two are
outlawed and said form part Of tho famous
James broshsrs robbsr gang. OF Missouri ono OF thsn
Jesse, having been shot In the leg by Charles Hol
brooke while engaged in robbery, two years ago. and
then having escaped 70 Missouri BY jumping his bail
THESE nil considered NJ tho Midnight moet-
Ing and limos Of proscripuon drawn ana each
signed To his station. Il resolved that tho
crime should be punished BY the beginning o butter
war Of sxtermlnaton on the prescribed.
aow TnK MIDNIGHT OATH WAS KEPT.
While the regulators kept their midnight OATH the
fact Of there having been meeting got noised abroad
and ior short time the depredaiions ceased How
ever, Saturday, The Sth Of June. stamper peace
full farmer. had colts stolen from his place He
eavc public that " the stolen animals not
returned before Monday the thief would be punished
with death The guilty parties believed to be
the Pendlynns. who are cousins Of tho Stampers,
SO closely are people connected 10 this
region where emigration and immigration being
extent unusual in less Isolated districts, and
the extent travellers say OF affecting tho brightness
OF the eyes OF the and the mental quickness OF
the men. The stolen animals returned One
OF the Pcndlynns. living Carter county six miles
from Olive Hill shot In the leg while walking IRON
bis house to his barn. He held his little child by the
hand aud IL believed that this instance changed
Tho aim OF his foo and saved his life On Tuesday Juno
L. O'Clock, George Underwood. who during the
rebellion had been chief of the Union Home Guards OF
that part OF kentucky, and the iaher oil the two
bers OF the James gang Of Missouri was riding with
Jesse Pcndynp along tho banks OF Upper Tygast Crock
\ shot was fred from the woods and Underwood ielI
dangerously wounded Since then Jesse Pendiynn has
fallen In a like manner, and within week four men
have been shot dead and two severely wounded. All
sf these Of the prescribed excepting one Of tho
Egilants, who was slightly wounded
FAMILY VENDETTA
How largely the depiorabIe affair partakcs OF the
character Of family eud Is evident from the fact that
The family Of ssampcrs, from whom tho colts were
ptolen, numbers forty I've able bodied men, aud
that excluding the imported miners who work the
iron and coul along the line from willard to Riverton
for the Eastern Kentucky Coal Company and the span
OF railroad II controls, q directory Of tho counties
would not include Nifty family names
THE ACTION oy rHx STATE
The Governor Of Kentucky has Just visited the
Of dincuty, but steps have been taken yet to sup
press the armed unlawful bands Ho says thai the
law must be vndicAtcd against all unauthorized CON-
binsons fancy tina. before steps can be taken 10
do this tho vtgilans will put end to several
horse thieves and To tho practice thovpg
a season st least Tho farmers Of Yicming and Rowan
ana owners Of tho log cabins Of Carter TO be tso
thoroughly aroused the nscsssy OF their
.~.>-.- A.. .~..a aoxr Ear anx alo3 nxannsa NJ Lazy.