The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1879-07-16
BLOODY HARDIN.

THE "BAD BELTS COME TO THE 'FRONT.'
MUCH DENIAL AND NUMEROUS COUNTER
CHARGEs-A TERRIBLE STATE OF AFFAIRS
DIsCLosED--THE DARKEST SPOT, FOR THE
TIME BEING, IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.
Having but recently given an account of
the deeds of bloodshed and violence in
Hardin county, as detailed by correspond
ent of the Louisville Courier-Journal, who
claimed that he gathered tie facts on the
ground, we now give the defence of the al
legged leader of the clans upon which were
charged the blood and terror that have
given to Hardin county her llrepute.
Logan Belt, the writer Of the communi-
cation given below, is half-lawyer Bap-
fist preacher, and, as his writing indicates,
man of more than ordinary intelligence
On Monday last he was placed on trial, in
Shawneetown, under q charge Of murder,
it being alleged against him that he en-
tered q neighbor's house, where dance
was in progress, shot down man named
Oldham, without immediate proyocation or
warning, and then, with pistol in hand, de-
fed any of the dead mans frienes or rela-
tives TO take up the quarrel, and settle
the matter by shooting scrape, This is
the charge. Belt claims that the shooting
was done in sell defence; and if he is as
bad a man as he is represented to be-, and
has at his beck and nod gang of cut
throats and villains, It will be
an easy matter for him to
substantiate his claim. But here
is his communication 1t embodies strong,
terse and emphatic terms, and puts the
writer in the role of the most viciously
abused and sandered individual in the
State Of Illinois 1t reads as follows;
As my trial IS to commence next Monday
| at Shawneetown, ii seems my enemies have
flooded the papers OF your county and 9TH
ers with a series of the vilest ISLANDERS and
most wicked and baseless falsehoods in the
hope Of preiudicing the minds of the peo
| pie Of Gallatin county against me. sol
EMMY assert that ! am not guilty Of the
oifense for which am to be tried; thai
what did was in my own necessary self
defense, TO save my own life which at thu
time was being assmled with great vio
lence; and ask the people Of Gallatir
county 10 suspend their judgmen
in the case until they hear the evi
dence from the lips Of the witnesses
in Court, when theywill be satisfied that m,
action was in my own self.defense, anC
that am not the inhuman monster ny
enemies have painted me. In this am
asking only what the law freely accord
me-the presumption Of innocence unit
guilt is proven. desire ut is my right, o.
| il is the right Of all men accused Of crime,
to be tried by sworn testimony in opel
court, where l can meet the witnesses fac
TO face, where ! can have the unprecedented
Judgment of twelve unbiased men upon tn
testimony, rather than by vituperation, in
uendo, falsehood, SANDER and riduculou
rumors scattered through the newspaper
Immediately preceding my trial in court b
known enemies who are bounding on m
trail and seeking my destruction.
r | desire, however, through your column
to call attention to q few of the shameless
and miserable falsehoods published abou
me in letter written by an enemy Of min
in Hardin county to the Louisville Courier
Journal, and published in the papers Q
your comfy. The coward who signs him
3 self tx" says "He Belt was an office
. in tho 4th Ky. CFederaD Infantry, and 500
won first class reputation as a hors
: thief" This is dark and cowardly false
f hood, as Jo. Robinett one Of your citizen
g and member of my command will readil
testify. ] could refer to number of other
g who were with me and were bra,
e soldiers, If ] thought II necessar,
TX" further says: "A soldier Of II
regiment who knew good de
Q about Belts crookedness was found des