New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1880-05-19

or his kin were horse-stealers was al
ways repudiated by them with scorn,
they said that it was only convenient
excuse of the Holbrooks. Now the
charge lies against them without pro-
test, for they are all dead. OF Jesse an
enthusiastic reporter of the Greenup
size, with black hair, mustache, and
eyes, in which was an expression of alb
solute courage, handsomer man /
never saw" The reporter added that
in the eyes was also look of simple
gentleness, but this may be doubted.
. He wore gray felt hat, drab vest
and pantal00ns, whose legs were tucked
in his boots. On his belt was a Smith
& Wesson six-shooter, . cartridg &c and
cap-pouch, and slung over his shoulder
was q powder-fiask. In his right hand
was a double-barreled shotgun, held,
walking-c cane fashion, by the stock, the
barrels downward" +.z F.. ....~
Samuel Crane acknowledged that he
was the man, "and," o it was de-
scribed in the contemporary account of
the ARRAY fuss, they call such diff
culties in the mountain counties of Ken
lucky" made for Jessie. David got
between the two. Crane raised an ale
bottle to smash it over David's head,
and Jesse cooked his pistol at Crane to
save his brothers life; but one George
Trumbo stepped in front of Sam Crane,
and received the shot aimed at the lat
ter, which killed him instantly"
The Underwoods escaped into the
Carter woods, but Trumbo's relatives
were well-to-do, and offered reward
for Jesse's capture. The Governor also
issued his proclamation, Offering the
usual reward of five hundred dollars for
his apprehension. On the application
of the authorities of any county the
Governor is obliged to offer this reward,
and sometimes there will be column
of such brief proclamations in the news
paper officially designated to print
them. A Sheritf's posse during five or
six years made several attempts to cap
turc Jesse. In two instances the in
vadcrs returned from the Underwood
fort carrying back their dead. Every.
attempt resulted in the wounding of
one or more of the posse. 1t was about
this time that he was shot by Squire
Holbrook. But this continued strife at
last proved so annoying to Jesse and
his brother Alfred that the former left
one night for Iowa, where he remained
four ySals; aE.! the latter went to Texas.
There, his .ll-time neighbors were as
surcd, he obtained great note as the
leader q; band of outlaws, and there
he died in due time from too accurate
pistol shot
During Jesse's absence things went
on quietly in the Underwood neighbor.
hood, barring an occasional charge
against the old man and his sons of
horse stealing; but no blood was shed.
It was not until the spring of 1877 that
Jack Tabor and John Martin were ar
rested for horse stealing. Old George
Underwood went their bail, they were
released, and settled on clearing near
Fort Underwood. Squire Holbrook and
others notified them to leave, which
they did not do; but one night in June
they stopped at Alex. Penlam's and the
next day Alex. was waylaid and badly
wounded. Old George was on his way
to Penlam's house with doctor when
two shots fired from an ambush struck
him. One put out his eye. The next
day Penlam got out of bed rs far az the
door, seeking fresh air, and shot fired
from the opposite hillside laid him dead
across his doorsill. The feud of the
Holbrooks and Underwoods was in full
strength again, for it was only the day
after tho assassination of Penlam that
| Robert Glover of the Holbrook clan was
shot through the heart as he was at
work in the fields; and on the 22d of
June Lewis Underwood, while gather
ing tirewood, was pierced by a rifle ball.
He was shot in the stomach, and lin
gered for two years. The case was an
interesting one in medical point of
view. Through the wound the process
! of digestion might be often witnessed.
Perhaps it was the fault of their
training that these people acted so off,
en- like brutes, but there were some
times bright points in their natures; at
any rate it is said that young Jesse loved
this brother Lewis, and came all the way
back from Iowa to see him before he
died, and incidentally to revenge his
death. But before his arrival Isaiah
Masters, another of the Holbrooks, was
ambushed and shot dead, and divers
partisans of both sides were variously
wounded. Neighbors abandoned their
clearings and stayed closely in their
cabins, and it was given out that any
doctor who attended any of the injured
did so at his peril, Us did any store
keeper who furnished burial clothes
for the dead. This state of affairs
eliminated in regular siege by the
Holbrooks, of Fort Underwood, q large
double cabin, into which all the Under
woods, men, women, and children, had
been hustled. For nineteen days the
siege lasted, inmates and assailants oc-
casionally exchanging rounds; and dur.
ing this time the door of the fort was
never once opened except for few
minutes at a time, under cover of the
| night, to admit a breath of fresh air.
The county authorities twice demanded
q surrender, but old George answered
that the law WAS not strong enough to
protect him, did he abandon his strong.
hold. The Governor at last ordered
out the militia--a company from Gov.
| ington-and to them old George sub
mitted without resistance. He and his
sons were brought before justices of the
/ PS0~SS UuV az SAoA 20 wac "duC 6SdAuSV
them. Nor does it appear that the Hol-
brooks were molested by the law; in
deed they pleaded that they were only
trying to break up den Of horse
| thieves.
1t was at this time that Jesse reap
peared. He partly sued for, partly
commanded peace; and as he was .
particularly accurate shot, his request
was needed. Besides, he fell in love
with the daughter of q neighbor, and
during his courtship it would have been
considered i'll breeding to shoot him.
The people of these mountain coun.
ties of Ksntucky are peculiar. It is an
unquesrionable fact that you can travel
from Cumberland Gap to the Ohio, and
that everywhere you will be Hospitality
of money with you, and you viii never
ha harmed uf rockin yuo hin koo,,