The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1879-11-06
A KENTUCKY
A Terrible Story from the Ozark and
Bloody Ground"-A War Of
determination.

\ correspondent at Mount Sterling, Ky,
riyes a detailed history of the Underwood
Hobrook feud in Carter county. The quar-
rel began Just after the war. in September,
i>f5. Jesse Underwood, a son of old George
Underwood, got into a barroom quarrel with
man who called for a jeff Davis drink"
and in a fight that ensued George Trumbo
was shot and killed by Jesse. Many efforts
were made by the authorities to capture
jesse. and in one of the raids on the Under
wood fort Squire Holbrook shot and
seriously wounded the young man, thus
starting the fcud between the two families.
At length Jesse, to avoid so much fighting,
went to Iowa, and then there was peace for
atime. Hostilities We're renewed, however,
when old George Underwood became bail for
sgme men charged with horse-stealing. The
var was soon in progress again, and many
we're killed on both sides. Lewis Under
wood was shot through the stomach, and
fingered two years with a wound through
which the process of digestion could be seen.
Jesse came back from Iowa to see his
brother before he died, and the affair cul-
minated in a siege of the cabin in which the
whole Underwood family had gathered. The
siege lasted nineteen days, and finally, when
surrender was agreed to, nothing was done
b. the authorities, and through the agency
OfJesse peace prevailed again. Besides being
q specially good shot, Jesse had fallen In
love with a neighbours daughter, and it
would have been considered a breech Of Ell
quette to shoot him during his courtship.
From this point the corresr ondent goes en-
as follows:
Old George promised Jesse that he would
sell out aud move to Iowa, and Jesse again
started for the West, taking a young wife
with him. Travelling overland to a point on
the Ohio, where he intended to take a steam
boat, he was followed by the sheriff of Lewis
9unty-the old rewards for the killing of
lrqmbO, twelve years before, were thought
70 be still outstanding. They ambushed in
the path of the bridal couple late one night.
AMI as they passed opened fire on them,
lie bought desperately, killing II Of the posse
S2q1i1ght and wounded " others before he
ltI' bleeding from half a dozen shots. He
astaken to the Bath county Jail, a new IN
G!ctHlent for the murder OF Trumbo was
framed, and he was in Jail awaiting trial,
Wien IN the spring OF 1878, he escaped and
made his way back to Carter. His wife was
4eai, meanwhile, but his brother Lewis was
lure.
Jesse only left the church thereafter to at
&ll church meetings, but with the precau-
Toh OF two revolvers and his shot gun. The
A1IGhet was buried FOR nearly a year. 1t was
vi me 10Th of May last that it was dug up,
IT%I The c 0mplete wiping out OF the ad lit
r~rIuaerWoods was the result. On that day
L4'eEton Underwood was shot while sur
,II'Aded by his children. Two bullets passed
~9ugh his body. They were fired from am
e-sl' Jesse claimed that he traced the as
f1ssinS to Squire Holbrook's, and that the
;G"gAs OF one of them We're those of the old
iLluFe himself. But his brother Lewis was
%-Ils' and Jesse did nothing until in Sep
n death released the boy from two wears
". great suffering. Then the bloody work
"Jr irenewcd.
'sh l4e boy died September ]. September 5
h hQlbrook and his son Willard were
ra,tr q. as they were catching a horse in the
paSSo5 je adjoining their house. A rife ball
ieI 5oa trough the old Squire's brain and he
Win ~ TI' he son escaped. September s,
vbiIo o4derwood was shot through the heart
Son. &c AZ work; September Il, David VIII
breib' VI lle Holbrooks, was shot at from am
i, A. " li his left arm shattered. September
out ~ oa George Underwood was stepping
We're me door Of the fort, sixteen shots
"neo from behind the trees opposite.