The Republican journal., 1877-07-19


had SO completely taken the ground from
under his feet
Aunt Pruc'S visit proved SO delightful
to all parties that she made arrangements
TO remain with them for an indefinite
timc and hencetorth Bessy's cares We're
lightened, and she became. us in former
days, the angel and blessing of home
But she always maintained that She owed
something Of it, at least, to Aunt Prue's
New Years dinner. Peterson for January
War in Kentucky.
From Correspondent of the New York Herald |
Carter Rowan and Fleming are three
counties of Northeastern Kentucky which
lie comparatively out of the route Of mod
crn travel. They are in the district sep
arated from the railroads Of West Viz
gnla by the Cumberland Mountains and
the family Of streams of which the BIC
Sandy is the chief, and which is cut Oft
from the railroad system Of Western Ken
lucky by the mountainous nature of the
country. Between them and the Cum
belland range lies larger territory still
less accessible. The physical situation
of these three counties demands notice,
because it explains why such a region is
peculiarly adapted alike tor the perpetra-
it through the escape of criminals with
their gains. For some years the residents
Of these counties have been plagued be
yond endurance by the depredatons Of Il
band Of men who live by stealing the live
stock Of citizens, and which has grown to
be 50 powerful as to defy all the machin-
tly Of the law. The depredatols are or
ganized into 4 force characterized by all
the diciplinr Of 4 trained army, and all
efforts to protect property or punish
thieves have been unavalllng. The Sher-
III OF Garter county proved poWtrless to
execute Wrts against any Of the robbcr
band, and recently allowed his authority
to be openly despised by George Under
wood. the chief Of the indicted despera-
does The contest between property and
plumber has continued SO long that it has
grown to be 4 matter Of clanship on each
side, certain families being engaged Who'll
~ in stealing the property of certain 9th
ers, Who could never succeed in resisting
or furnishing the robbers by any attaina-
BILE process Of law.
PROFITS or DlSHONOE.
The plunderers who neglected their
land We're much more successful in life
than the farmers and stock-raisers, who
were robbed. Horses are the most vau-
able property in the district. They are
of superior blood and mainly from the
same stock as Ten Brock and the other
famous racers, who are the pride Of the
Harper and other Kentucky farms. Hence
the principal object OF the thieves Was to
steal and run of the farmers horses. For
this purpose they devised a perfect sys-
TEN. The country is full of natural caves
and '-slides,' which are large slopng pits
under the cliffs, large enough to afford
perfect shelter and security to stolen
property. In these caves the outlaws
had established a regular system Of sta
tions. An animal stolen in Fleming coun-
tv was ridden by the thief only to the
next station, there turned over to his ac-
compice, and by him to the next, and so
on until the Ohio river, the Mississippi, or
some other safe point of sale or shipment
was arrived at. 1t is a fact that, in case
Of persistent pursuit, stolen animals have
in this way been passed from hand to
hand, through the chain of acrompices,
as far us the northern boundary of Texas.
1t was on account of this systeln Of dcprc-
dation, which destroyed the value of their
whole property, that the proprietors of
the settled portions Of the three counties
determined to take the law into their own
hands and eXtirpatc the thieves.
THE MIDNIGHT CONJURATION.
In pursuance Of this determination a
meeting was held near midnight on Sun
day, May l3, in Il raVlne near the great
natural bridge III Carter county. Over
one hundred of the leading land owners
of Carter, Rowan and Fleming were pres
ent. OF these eighty-three took the oath
'.to stand by and support the captain and
each other, and be prepared At any time,
on command Of superior authority, to
chase the horse-thieves to the death; to
obey their captain i'll all things, and if OF
dered to kill, to kill and ask no questions.
During the meeting the whole subject of
the evils affecting the counties was dis
cussed and the lines strictly drawn be-
tween those who were to be considered as
friends and as foes. These We're easily
distinguished, because in that wild coun-
try pursuits are hereditary, and the name
has come to signify the occupation. The
records Of the Courts, as we'll as other
public facts, brand in the estimation OF
the community as habitual thieves the
Martins, Logans, Pendlynns, Underwoods
and other of their close connections
while the Stampers, Tabers, Rces Hol-
the principal Industrious and reputable
landowners. OF the Underwood family
two are outlaWed and are now said to
form part of the famous James brothers
gang of Missouri; one of them, Jesse,
having been shot in the leg by Charles
llolbrook while engaged in Il robbery two
years ago and then having escaped to
Missouri by jumping his bail These facts
were all considered at the midnight meet
ing and lines of prescription drawn and
each man assigned to his station. 1t was
resolved that the next crime should be
punished by the beginning OF bitter war
OF determination on the prescribed.
HOW THE MIDNIGHT OATH WAS KEPT.
While the regulators kept their mid
night oath, the fact of there having been
q meeting got noised abroad, and for a
short time the depredatons ceased How
ever, on Saturday, the 9th of June +,
Stamper, a peaceful farmer, had three
colts stolen from his place. He gave pub
lie notice that if the stolen animals We're
not returned before Monday the thief
would be punished with death. The
guilty parties were believed to be the