The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1879-11-14
a KENTUCKY FEuD
THE WAR BETWEEN THE uNDERwOoDs AND
HoLBRooKs IN CARTER COUNTY --THE
END OF AN EXTRAORDINARY siege.

E gives detailed history of the Underwooc
: Holbrook feud in Carter county. The quar-
rel began just after the war, in September
1865. Jesse Underwood, u SON of oil
George Underwood, got into barroor
3 quarrel with man who called for Je1
Davis drink" and in the fight that ensue
George Trumbo was shot and killed b.
Jesse. Many efforts were made by tn
authorities to capture Jesse, and in one Q
the raids on the Underwood "fort " 'Squir
Holbrook shot and seriously wounded th
1 young man, thus starting the feud between
the two families. At length Jesse, to ay0is
10 much fighting, went Co Iowa, and Chei
there was peace for time. Hostilitie
were renewed, however, when old Georg,
Underwood became bail for some mer
charged with horse stealing. The war wal
soon in full progress again, and many were
killed on both sides. Lewis Underwood
was shot through the stomach, and fingered
two years with wound through which the
process of digestion could be seen. Jesse
came back from Iowa to see his brother be-
fore he died. and the affair eliminated in 9
siege of the cabin in which the whole Un
derwood family had gathered. The siege
lasted 10 days, and finally, when sur
| render was agreed to, nothing was done by
the authorities, and through the agency OF
Jesse peace prevailed again. Besides being
q specially good shot, Jesse had fallen in
love with a neighbours daughter, and it
would have been considered breech of
etiquette to shoot him during his courtship.
From this point the correspondent goes on
as follows: .s.ez
Old George promised Jesse that he would
sell out and move to Iowa. and Jesse again
started for the West, taking young wife
with him. Travelling overland to point
on the Ohio, where he intended to take a
steamboat, he was followed by the Sheriff
of Lewis county-the old rewards for the
killing of Trumbo, twelve years before,
were thought to be still outstanding. They
ambushed in the path of the bridal couple
late one night, and as they passed opened
fire on them, badly wounding Jesse at the
first shot. But he fought desperately,
killed one of the posse outright. and
wounded two others before he fell, bleeding
from half dozen shots. He was taken to
the Bath county Jail, a new indictment for
the murder of Trumbo was framed, and he
was in Jail awaiting trial, when, in the
spring of 1878, he escaped and made his way
back to Carter. His wife was dead, mean
while. but his brother Lewis was still ling
ering from the wound of year before.
J0SS6 OHly Iclb tu0 IOEI tuoI6csi Tot W dttcUu
church meetings, but with the precaution
of two revolvers and his shotgun. The
Ratchet was buried for nearly year. 1t
was on the Goth of May last that it was dug
mp. and the complete wipIng out of the
adult Underwoods was the result. On that
day Elverton Underwood was shot while
surrounded by his children. Two bullets
passed through his body. They were fred
from ambush. Jesse claimed that he traced
the assassins to Squire Holbrook's and
that the tracks of one of them were those
of the old Squire himself. But his brother
Lewis was dying. and Jesse did nothing
until September death released the boy
from two years of great suffering. Then
the bloody work was renewed
The boy died. September 1, Squire Hol-
brock and his son Millard were shot at as
they were catching horse in the pasture
adjoining their fouse. Al rifle ball passed
through the old 'Squire's brain and he fell
dead. The son escaped September s,
William Underwood was shot through the
heart while at work. September 12 David
Wilson, of the Holbrooks. was shot at from
ambush. and his left arm shattered. Sep
tember Is. as old George Underwood was
stepping out of the door of the fort, six
teen shots were fired from behind the trees
opposite. He was badly wounded in the
arm and shoulder, and the women dragged
him in and sent for Jesse.
Jesse was out in the forrest and at once
FASTENED home. just as he was entering
the door one of three shots from the brush
covered hillside struck him in the shoulder,
and, passing through his left lung. came
out on the other side of his body. He fell
across the doorsill, but the ready hands of
the women dragged him in before another
shot could finish him. Then began drama
unparalleled even in the history of these
mountain outrages The Holbrook faction
rose from their ambush, and rushed Yelling
to the door. Inside there were huddled
dozen women and children. and on two corn
husk pallets the father and son were lying
mortally wounded. There was little to eat
or drink in the house. Around it the Hol-
brooks established a Gordon of sentries.
and for seventeen days the door was never
opened. except that shot warned the
women to close it speedily. On Sunday.
four days after Jesse was shot, the walls of
the women inside gave notice that the man
was dead; but. as they had before refused
to allow any doctor to 60 to the relief OF
the wounded men. so now the besieging
party gave notice that any man or woman.
either in the house or outside, who at
tempted TO bury the dead man, would
need to arrange for his or her own funeral.
In this stress old George Underwood did
manage to get message to the County
Judge at Grayson, nineteen miles distant,
asking him for protection. That official
ordered the Sheriff to take posse, bury
the dead, and bring to Grayson the women,
children and the one wounded survivor: but
svac J., knr 4haf he Chcrsf
could induce not single man in the county
to accompany him. Then the Governor
was telegraphed to for company of militia,
but without success.
On Sunday, October 12, the four women,
a daughter, two nieces, and the sister-in-
law of the old man. were keeping watch
beside his pallet. At q knock at the door
the women peered out through loophole
and saw a group of sorne twenty men with
blackened faces IN the yard. They de-
smanded admittance. averring that Caleb
White and John Martha had been seen to
enter the house. They promised safety to
the old man and the women if they were
allowed to enter The old man consented.
aud they searched the house without find
ing the msn, but they seized old Georges
arsenal. It consisted of six guns i've pis-
tolls, three bowie knives, and . sword.
They laughed az they uncovered Jesse's
corpse, and then asked the old man to show
his wounds.
Old George stopped over to take off the
bandage. Let's bring this meeting TO a
close, !" said the leader, as he raised his gun
aud emptied load of buckshot into the
old mans body. Another at the same mo-
ment shot him through the head. and he
fell forward on his face dead. Through
the wound i'm his body mans fist might
be thrust. Then the band went away.
The father of the Uuderwoods had. in
some time past, befriended Frank McFar-
rais. of Olive Hill The morning after the
murder Agnes McFarran went about
among the neighbors. begging for assistance
to bury the dead at Fort Underwood, but
no one would venture. Then the girl and
her father started for the house alone.
They expected nothing short of death. but
happily found that the besieging party,
having finishea their work had disappeared.
The scene inside the cabin cannot be de-
scribed, but with the help of the Under-
| wood women the two bodies were given
decent burial, the cries of the mourners
echoing through the stiffness Of the forest.
"A Berlin Journal gives the vital sta
tistics Of several leading nations in Et1-