The New York herald., 1878-11-30
CIVIL VAR IN KENTUCKY.
sn-gr .s.,, 80. '-,.r
The Clans Of Breathitt County
Fighting in the Streets.
FAMILY FEUDS ELIMINATED
Terrible Wife Murder and the
More Terrible Results.
ATTEMPT TO RESCUE THE MURDERER
The County Judge and Other Citi-
zens Killed.
AM ADDCAl HNAEDMnD
ATTEMPT TO RESCUE THE MURDERER.
AN APPEAL TO THE GOVERNOR.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD. !

by TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD
LEXINGTON. Nov 20. 1873.
Breathitt county this State is in a state of civil
war. Only few years ago the military had to be
sent to Jackson the county seat to protect the Cir
cult Court while it in session. and citizens of the
place who were in Lexington recently declare il
the only peaceable session of in that place held
| since the war
LAwLEss COMMUNITY
The people who inhabit the creek bottoms between
the mountains. secure in their almost inaccessible
retreats defy the law and officers and wreak their
vengeance upon each other according to the code of
the assassin. The rifle and the revolver are their
constant companions. and their feuds frequently
take upon them the character OF pitched battles
In these conflicts often killed
than in heavy skirmish preceding battle
from the fact that the men are dead shots
with the rifle at from to three hundred yards
and economze their bullets because OF the scarcity Of
lead. Jackson. the county seat Of Breathtt county
is located on the north fork Of the Kentucky River
about one hundred miles from Lexington and seventy
miles from railroad or telegraph Office.
THE CAUSES TROUBLE
In the last election great bitterness of feeling
arose between the two contesting cand
dates for County judge. w. Burnett and
Ned strong-and their respective adherents.
the Freemans. family Of negroes-for there is no
distinction between up in that country-cham-
pioned the side Of Ned Strong The Aliens and the
lttles are the names of other families who take
hand in every bloody aray that dsgraces the county
Judge Burnett had also his special supporters and
but little inducement wanting to cause an
exchange Of shots. Besides these Of trouble
there last August hotly contested election
for School Commissioner, a mere nominal Office,
but very desirable to citizen Of paupcr county.
The opposing candidates were supported by the re-
spectvc friends of Strong and Burnett The for
judge resulted in the election Of Burnett and that for
commissioner in drawn battle and an appeal to
Frankfort
HORRIBLE MURDER.
The last addition of fuel to the fame was horrible
murder. man named Jason Little coming to his
home intaxcated. attempted to lead his horse into
his house. His wife demonstrated at which the
drunken wretch drew his revolver and shot her
III the abdoRen, killing her and her unborn babe.
! The womans brother witnessed the murder but was
threatened with death il he informed anybody Lit
tie buried his wife, giving that she died in labor
The crime leaked out, however the body was ex.
humed, the pistol shot wound found and judge Bur
nett committed Jason Little to Jail without bail
| sending him to Lexington for safekeeping. On Sat-
tnrday last the Sheriff of the county Lexng-
ton for Little. bringing strong armed guard to
| conduct the prisoner back to Brcathitt.
BLooDsHED AND IAwLEssNEss.
He was confronted by his own deputy named
Little relative Of the murderer, who also had an
armed guard and came to demand the prisoner For
some time il looked as il bloody tragedy would he
enacted upon the streets of Lexington, but the pres
ence Of police officers and other influences prevailed
to prevent this The prisoner delivered to the
sheriff and his party, who openly said that he ex-
mt hcfor l..
son. Both parties started for home by different
routes and reached there Monday when a scene
Of bloodshed and general ensued that al
| mos, beggars description
THE MOB ~ CONTROL
A letter written from Jackson Wednesday says
The town il under control of mob. Good citizens
| ar. fleeing for their lives Women and children
seeking shelter from any rho will protect them Tho
officers of the law are defed, and havoc and desola
| tion prevail. Men. drunk and wild with frenzy,
armed to the teeth with pistols and guns walking
the streets. yelling at the top OF their voices,
proclaimng who they intend to kill In fact ii is a.
much your life worth to appear upon the streets
for YOU arc liable to be attacked by either or both
parties any moment. This il the third day this
terrible .; o. ana, I'm, lbs h people have been
lcssness then are not to be compared with the ter
4 rible crimes Of this week.
/ BATTLE or THE cLASs
Judge William Randall convened tho Breathitt Cir
! cuit Court Monday morning. instructed the Grand
Jury and adjourned till afternoon. During the after
noon John Aikman, leading about dozen men dashed
i into town horseback. armed with pistols and
| guns. dismounted and furionsly attacked Captain
Bill Strongs clan, who standing the in
front Of Breedings store Thirty or forty shots
discharged. two taking efect on William and Daniel
Freeman the former shot through the body, the lat
through the head. They removed late in the
evening to their homes several miles up the river
and it is reported to-day that Daniel Freeman is
covering but William is dead.
| ! STREETS
Strong and his followers received no injuries. but
barricaded themselves in little log cabin about 100
i yards from the Court House. where they had pre-
viously stacked their arms. Mkman and his party
i sought shelter in the Court House. and regular
interchange of shots kept up during the after
noon. One of the Freemans. who fell in the
middle Of the street when shot, was forced TO lie
there for two hours. his friends fearing to attempt
/ his removal during this strife. Hideous yells and
shouts of defiance could be heard from both parties
| DREAD OF THE CITIZENS.
| The Court puzzled, the officers Of the law
dumbfoundcd. The citizens watched from distance
and not a single effort made to quell the bloody
| riot. At last with light came hope, and all was
quiet save the bedam whocp OF the drunken
| living in dread expectancy OF the morrow
i and slowly next morning rruesday) light was
thrown upon the scene II was discovered that
House aud quarercd themselves near the river bank
| while Strong and his clan held their fort still One
| by one the citizens made their appearance in the
| street, congratuating themselves that the was
| over. About ten o'clock Strong retired aud
thereafter struggling drunken men, well armed.
i OF oil law AMI order II whispered
that the guard which had been sent TO Lexington un
i
would soon return, and an effort would be made to
release the prisoner. Deputy Little and guard had
returned and to the credit, however, of John Ak.
man be il said. he refused 10 participate in this
| crime and left for home
| MURDERER IN JAIL.
willing leader found In Justice Of the peace
| named J. &. b. Allen, supported by tho Littlcs
Crawforis and others, numbering about forty. who
loitered about the streets npatiently waiting for
the guard to appear Judge Randall. to defeat the
aim OF the mob, had the deputy sheriff and
/ County Judge to detail an extra guard of hf.
Il teen he lcaxle
| ship OF the County Judge, John W. Burnett To
the assistance of the Sheriff About three clock p
NJ they returned with the prisoner and safely confined
him In Jail, the guard numbering about twenty five
| well armed men, No effort ut release was made; but
Immediately after the guard returned from the jail
the street and began to disperse thinking the danger
/ was over Crawford AND Little began an attack ON
Judge Burnett thtSatering to take his life.
| JuItN BURNETT KILLED.