Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-06-26
An UnOfrend1ng Negro Family Set upon
by a Gang OF Ruffians in Henry
County, KY, are Shot and
Burned to Death A
Crime that Shames
The MOdOcs and COmanches In their
Widest Days-An Kentucky Should
Rise to AVenge a Crime so
Infamous, Brutality
So Gross.


shock by the commission of a most dastardly, |
inexcusable triple murder and arson. The |
following are the particulars of the horrible |
atfray: In the eastern part OF this (Henry) |
county, about one mile due east from HAIR |
per's Ferry, lives a colored family named |
Forquer, consisting of Isham, Henry, his |
wife and child, and ten-year-old daughter |
of old man Isham. 1t seems that old man |
Isham, who owns about one hundred and fifty |
acres of land in that neIghborhood, is very |
thrifty and highly respected by all his white |
neighbors. To show in what esteem he is |
held, even during the worst kuklux excite |
ment none of his family were in the least |
molested, though nearly every other colored |
family was forced to leave and seek a more
congenial cline. Forquer and family have
been living there about fifteen years, and the
old man remarked that he had never asked a
favor of any of his white neighbors but it was
readily and cheerfully granted; that he had
always felt secure, and had not the talntest
idea who the parties were or what could have
been their motive In thus summary dealing
death and destruction upon his family.
Isham and his son Henry's wife came to
Newcastle last evening upon visit, and
were first apprised of the deed OF blood and
vandalism by the appearance about six o clock
this evening OF Henry, who had his arm tied
up in sling. The first Intimation of danger
was about balf-past nine O'Clock Saturday
night, when two men came walking up the
bed of the creek that runs close by Forquer's
house. Ut might as well be stated that this
small creek is tributary of the Sand Ripple,
ard distant some sixteen miles from Nevcas'
tle) OGe OF the men made peculiar noise
IN Nalking-a kind of sllp-slop movement
while the other stamped very hard with his
heel. The noise was of so strange char
actar that it particularly attracted the atten
ton Of Sam Forquer. Sam says that at that
time Russell and himself we're talking pretty
loud and that he told him to hush, as some
thing was up, which Russell instantly did.
Forquer then arose, went to the window,
peered out and discovered two men near mis-
chicken-coop; got his gun, went back to the
window, and, as he says, was waiting for
chicken to 'squawk, when he intended firing
on them. But it appears it was not chicken,
but other game they we're In search of. After
walking around the house once or twice, the
parties again took up their station near the
chicken-co0p. One of them then threw
small stone upon the root, which soon came
rafting down, aud that was Immediately fol-
lowed up by the other party, or parties,
throwing stones weighing two or three
pounds. Sam says that perfect hail of the
largest stones began to be thrown at the house
and that they were hurled with such force as
to tear shingles Off the roof at every volley.
They were evidently throwing at the window
where Sam was still standing with his
weapon, though none of the missiles entered
the house. Seeing that none of the inmates
would come ont one CT the party remarked,
id if l don't know how to bring them
out, and fred a pistOl-shot at the house.
Sam, believing ii was death any way, pre-
ferred selling his life as dearly as possible,
and rushed out doors, gun In hand, and
skipped around in the dark upon the oppo-
site side from where he saw the men stand
ing. As he ran out the door several shots
were fred at him, but he escaped unhurt.
He then began lodging around In the dark,
thea After some f. wGgEGf t minutes Of this
kind of maneuvering ne heard noise In the
woods close by, raised his gun and fred IN
the direction from where 1t proceeded, but
struck no one, as there was no cutlery. AL
most instanJaneously he was fred upon, and
received three No. shot IN his right arm;
one entered close to the elbow-Joint, one
about four inches above, and another Grazed
the elbow-joint. From the way the
shot entered MS arm, Sam must. have
had his gun raised In the attitude of firing
Knowing that he was wounded, and belieV-
ing it would be certain death to remain
longer where he was, he slipped over the
fence unobserved, walked up to hill about
three hundred yards away, and laid IN the
bush for several hours. Becoming uneasy as
to the fate of the other inmates of the house,
and suffering from his wounds, he found his
way TO white neighbours, named Merri-
weather. to whom he related the occurrence,
about his children. Merrlweather told him
he would do so if he could get any of the
neighbors to go along. He got up and
dressed himself and called upon Samuel
Johnson, near nelghbor, informed him of
the object of his visit, and requested Johnson
to accompany him. Johnson stated that he
would not go over there just then for FIVE
thousand dollars, saying they might be taken
for Sam and get shot, but If they would wait
until daylight he would go with them. So
no one went near ForQuers house until day
light appeared. The news having by this
time spread like wlld6re, hundred or more
gathered at the tragic spot shortly after day
light. Upon nearing Forquer's house it was
discovered to be on fire, and that the roof
had fallen in. Shortly afterward the log
walls fell in with crash, and were soon con-
sumed. Near the door through which Sam
escaped the bones of his ten-year-old sister
were found, and where the bed stood the
skeletons of Henry Russell and Sans little
daughter were found. From the position of
the bones it Is certain that when death over
took them the little girl died with Russell's
arm around her. AT first 1t was thought that
RUSSELL from suffocation, was rendered pow
erless to leave the bed, but upon turning up
the back Of his head, upon which the hair
still adhered, bullet-hole large enough to
insert ones thumb was found. Upon closer
inspection it was demonstrated beyond doubt
that one of the party had come to the door
and, as Sam rose up In bed, fired upon and
shot him directly in the forehead between the
eyes, the ball going entirely through his
head As before stated, the scene of the
murder Is at Harper's Ferry, in this Henry
county. four miles from the Kentucky river,
and about sixteen miles from Newcastle, the
county seat. 1t is memorable as being close
TO where James, young man about eighteen
years OF age, was murdered several years ago
10y Rob Goodrich, one of the notorious King
Jim Simmons band, and who, with his two
brothers, and King Jim, were taken out OF
the jail here and hung by mob
at bridge that crosses a creek
some four hundred yards from the
courthouse. When asked if only the two
men first discovered at the chicken coop were
all that were engaged in the hellish affray, |
and how many shots were fred, Sam re- |
marked, %, no, sir; there were at least eight |
or ten, perhaps more, and that some twenty |
FIVE or thirty shots were fred in all After |
got upon the hills counted some fifteen shots |
alone 1t is said that the parties guilty of |
the foul, cowardly deed are strongly sus- |
pected, if not really known by the officers, |
but that they are intimldated by fear of |
similar fate being melted out to them, in case |
they divulge the names of the participants. |
That it is not the work of kuklux organiza- |
ton is evident, and that it was simply perpe- |
trated by few rough characters living In the |
vicinity is equally evident. That 1t is foul |
blot upon the name OF Henry county, and one |
that shoald be wiped out by the strong arm of |
the law, all of our good citizens have readily |
admitted, and woe be to the parties if they |
are apprehended. So far, however, no effort !
has been made to ferret out the murderers. |
The wounds inflicted upon Sam Forquer, |
though quite painful, are in no |
wise dangerous. DR.. S. P. Oldham, !
of this place, probed for the shot, could |
not extract them, and thought it not only too |
painful to cut them out, but also unneces-
Sam appears to be getting along as well as |
could be hoped. The citizens of this vicinity |
are greatly incensed at the perpetrators of |
the cruel and devilish crime, and were they |
arrested and lodged in Jail here might share |
the fate Of King JIm's band. Henry county |
has had bad name in the past, caused by |
few bold, bad men, land it was hoped that the |
summary manner in which King Jim and the
l. IA.