Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-12-07
SCHOOL DISCIPLINE AND AN
ARCHY.


selves in our mind as topics very
closely connected with one another.
The two documents were a report OF
some ferocious riots in Breathitt
Kentucky, and the annual
report of Mr.. S. Y. Caldwell, Super
of Public Schools, in
Nashville. The mutual relation OF
these two papers will be discussed
presently; let US take a peep into
Breathitt county first.
Breathitt county is an outlying |
district of that territory in Eastern
kentucky which can hardly be con- |
sidered a portion of the United |
States to any practical purpose. The
laws of the Federal Government
and of the State of Kentucky are
only recognized along the head
waters of the Kentucky river just so
far as they may be acceptable to
certain clans of desperadoes, and
that IL not very far. For the ordi-
nary routine of life they obtain
certain contemptuous recognition,
but in any matter of excited inter-
est they are set aside in favor of
higher law, which originates in the
will of one or another of the armed
and lawless cliques which are
permanent institution there. The
proceedings of Nov. 9th will serve
to illustrate this higher law of ac-
ton. The last matter which has
brought out the animOsities of the
conflicting clans is recent election
for County Judge. Mr.. j. w. Bur-
net, lawyer of jackson, was the
candidate elected, Mr.. Ed. Strong,
Of the Lost creek district, his de-
feated opponent. A heated contest
for the Office of School Commissioner
added fuel to this fire, and the per-
sOnal jealOusies and animOsities of
certain clans called the Freemans,
Aliens, Littles, ETC., set the COM
bustible mass in a blaze. On Mon
day, the 18th ult., the Circuit Court
was convened at Jackson, the coun-
ty seat, by Judge Randall, who de-
Iivered his charge to the Grand
Jury in the morning and then adj
journed his court till the evening.
Here ended the reign of law and
commenced that of higher law.
The Freeman clan is led by nOto-
rious desperate named Capt. Bill
Strong. These men were for some
purpose standing in front of Breed
ing's store, expecting an attack.
eve infer that Bill Strong is some
kin to the defeated candidate, Ed.
Strongly During the afternoon
John Altman, with about a dozen
armed men of the Allen clan, rode
into town, dismounted and COM
menced an attack upon Strong and
the Freeman clan. In this fracas
two of the Freemen family were
hit, one MORALLY, the other very
dangerously. Strong and his fol-
lowers now established themselves
in a log cabin about a hundred
yards from the Court House, AK
man and his retainers in the Court
House itself. DesuItOry firing from
these two points continued through
out the afternoon, which terminated
at dusk. The town throughout the
night was in possession of the
desperadOes. eve infer, but it is
only inference, that the purpose OF
Strong and the Freemans was to
prevent the newly-elected judge,
Burnett, from entering upon his
duties, that of Altman and the AL
lens to establish him on the bench. }
The next day, Tuesday, the 18th,
Altman and his party withdrew
from the Court House and estab-
lished themselves on the river
bank, while Strong and his men
held their original position. Both
leaders seem to have Withdrawn,
Altman because he declined lead
ing on attack on a Sheriff7s posse
which was bringing a criminal from
Lexington charged with wife muir
der. He was succeeded by a less
scrupulOus partisan, J. c. Allen,
who, to complete the irony of the
position, was a Justice Of the Peace
He, with the Littles, Crawfords and
others, awaited the arrival of the
Sheritf7s guard intent on mischief
Judge Randall caused an extra
guard to be detailed for the prOtec
ton of the Sheriff, which was
headed by the Deputy Sheriff and
the new County Judge, Burnett
They succeeded in lodging the pris
Oner. They then began to separate
when Crawford and Little com.
menced an attack upon Judge Bur.
nett. This rallied the guard again
and excitement was furious. A
vOlley was fired on the guard, in
which Judge Burnett was instantly
killed. Firing was now kept up
again till night, the arms being
Colts revolvers and Spencer and
Ballard rifles. The Allen mer
made an attack on the Jail during
this melee, and in the course of il
Tom Little was mOrtally wounded
by rifle ball through his body
The Allen party retained possession
of the Court House during the night
but vacated it early in the morning
when 1t was occupied by the Sher
IFS guard, who thus gained posses
sion of the Jail again.
This brings Us to Wednesday, the
9th, the third day. Judge Ran.
dali left town in the morning with
out holding his court. The other
event of the day was the funeral d
Judge Burnett. Ladies and citi,
zens returned to town to attend it.
but finding the town in possession
of an armed mob, hastily retreated,
leaving only an armed guard tc
perform the obsequIes. Contrary tC
expectation, the funeral thus