Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-11-03
An Unsuccessful Attempt to Res
cue Prisoners.

An Unsuccessful Attempt to Res
cue Prisoners.
CINCINNATI, November "A spe>
cial dispatch to the Commercial from
Ashland, KY, say: This noon twen-
tysfve men and boys, partly intoxi-
Gated, seized an engine and car and
went on to Catlettsburg against the
advice of sober men who last night
gave up all hope of getting the
prisoners from the military. When
they reached Catlettsburg they made
no effort to capture the prisoners,
who were safely placed on board the
steamer Granite State. The crowd
then hastened back to Ash
land, and about twenty of
them went to a ferryboat, and by the
use of pistols compelled the captain
to put out, to intercept the Granite
State. Their attitude was so ridicu~
lous, and their case SO hopeless, that
the affair would have been a farce
but for the reckless discharge of a
revolver in the hands of one of the
boys on the ferryboat. 1t was an
swered at once by volley from the
soldiers. The balls pierced the
boiler of the ferryboat, and the es-
Gaping steam completely disabled
the mob. By this time
great crowd had gathered on
the bank of the river, and
in the houses. The soldiers turned
their guns on them and fired with
out provocation. Here the mischief
was done, and only three were
wounded on the ferry boat, while all
the others on the casualty list were
of the peaceable people on shore.
The following is list of the killed:
George Keener, James Mcdonald,
Col. Reppert and an infant in its
mother arms Seven persons were
seriously wounded, and thirteen
slightly wounded. Col. Reppert was
highly respected ciiizen, 70 years
old. The citizens regard the firing on
the ferry boat as jusiifable, but have
no words to exple ess their indIgna>
ton at the firing on peaceabe 9 citi-
zens. One occount sent to the Gar
zette says the terry boat signalled
the Granite State to land when she
came along side the ferry. Then
aplstols was fred on the ferry. After
that the soldiers on the Granite
State hred only one volley into the
Terry and then turned and fred on
the people on the shore, and kept it
up while IN range. The soldiers
SIDE OF the story is not yet heard
In addition to those before named.
John Bass was killed
LEXINGTON, KY, November q
Major Allen, who commanded the
troops that escorted Prisoners Craft
and Neal from Cattletsburg to this
city, has made a report regarding
the attack by the mob upon the
steamer Granite State. Major All
len had for his organization to re-
turn, tickets over the Chesapeake
and ONO Railroad. He intended to
go back this way, but believing it to
oe unsafe, he made arrangements
with the captain of the Granite
state, which went up to Huntington
that evening, to take them on his
return TIP to Maysville. That night
Ihe troops, III expectation of an at
TAX from a mob from Ash
Iand, were under the strictest guard.
AT IL O'Clock Wednesday noon an
order was given for the troops to
move down to the river front, Major
Allen having learned in the mean,
llme that the mob from Ashland was
on Its way to Cattletsburg. The
troops were marched down to The
river front, the prisoners marching
with guard detail, and with two
companies to assist in guarding them
to the wharf boat. The remainder
OF the troops were posted on hill
which commands the river front.
The different companies had hardly
been placed in position when the
tram arrived from Ashland, closely
packed with mob. This train STONED
IN full view of the artillery and
the McCrange Guards. A delega-
Ion OF twenty-five or thirty men
approached the troops and called for
Major Allen. He advanced towards
them, about one hundred yards in
'front.' OF the troops. The committee
tePresenting the mob said to him
vna' they Came from Ashland for the
purpose OF taking Neal and Craft :
e"'eao4y' Ii possible; if not, then
py force. That they were 1000
s.rong' and could overpower the
troops easily. This demand was
peremptorlly refused, and M.ior
Ailen stated that the troops came
simply for the purpose of upholding
Inc law and in obedience to orders.
ana not to bulldoze or impose upon
tne nights OF any county; that they
oid not desire difficulty with any,
oody, especially Kentuckians, and
would not participate in any difficulty
uoless 1t was forced upon them, and
II any difficulty occurred the respon.
siDllity for the result must rest upon
the mob The committee then stated
that If the troops escaped from Cat
siesDurg, with the prisoners, 1000 or
ZhlAl dat