Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-11-03
FIGHTING FOR THE LAW.
The BLOODf BATTLE IN KEN
TUCKE
A Conflict on she RIvsr-VOuevs
Interehanged - Bystandera Shot
DOwn-BOIh Sides OF she Story
The Troops Sustained.

A Conflict on the RIvsr-Volova
Interehanged - BYstanders Shot
DOwn-BOth Sides OF the Story
The Troops Sustained.
CINCINNATI, O., November "A sueeisl
dispatch to the Commercial from Ashland.
KY, says: "This noon twenty-five men
and boys partly intoxicated 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 pris-
oners from the military. When they
reached Catlettsburg they made no
efforts to capture the prisoners, who were
safely placed on board the steamer Granite
State. The crowd then fastened back to
Ashland, and about twenty of them went to
the ferry boat: and by the use Of pistols
compelled the Captain to put out to inter
cept the Granite State. T2eir attitude was
so ridiculous and their cas5 so hopeless that
| the affair would have been farce but for
the reckless discharge of a revolver in the
hand OF one OF the boys on the ferry boat.
"lt was answered at once by VolIey from
the soldiers. The balls pierced the boiler
| Of the ferry boat and the escaping steam
a great crowd had gathered on the banks of
the river and In the houses. The soldiers
| turned their guns on them and fred with
| out prOvOcation. Here the mischief was
| done. Only three were wounded on the
| ferry boat, while all the others on the cssu-
atty list were OF peaceable people on shore
"The following is the list OF the killed:
George Keever, James Mcdonald, Colonel
Reppert, and an infant in its mothers arms.
| Seven persons were seriously wounded, and
| thirteen slightly wounded. Colonel Rep.
| pert was highly respected citizen, seventy
| years old. The citizens regard the firing on
the ferryboat as justifsble, but have no
words to express their indignation at the
| firing on peaceable citizens"
One account sent to the Gazette saws that
the ferry boat signalled the Granite State
to land when she came alongside the ferry.
! Then pistol was fired on the ferry boat.
After that the soldiers on the Granite State
fired only one volley into the ferry boat,
then turned and fred on the people on
shore and kept it up while In range. The
| soldiers side OF the story is not yet heard
| In addition to the before named, Jno Bass
| was killed.
LEXINGTON, KY, November 2-Msior
Allan, who commanded the troops that es-
| corted the prisoners Craft and Neal from
! Cattlettsburg to this city, has made a report
regarding the attack by the mob upon the
steamer Granite State. Major Allan had
| for his command return tickets over the
| Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad, and he in
tended to go back that way, but believing
| 1t to be unsafe, he made arrangements with
the Captain of the Granite State, which
went up to Huntington that evening, tb
take them on the return trip To-
Maysville. That night the troope
in expectation of an attack from a mob
! from Ashland were under the strictest
guard. At twelve o'clock Wednesday noon
the order was given for the troops TO move
| down to the river front, Major Allan having
| learned In the meantime that q mob from
Ashland was on It's way to Cattlettsburg. The
troops were marched down to the river front,
the prisoners marching with guard details
| with two companies to assist in guarding
| them to the wharf. The remainder of the
troops were posted on hill, which COM
mands the river front. The different com
| pantes had hardly been placed In position
| when the train arrived from Ashland closely
| packed with q mob. This train stopped in
full view OF the artillery and the McCreary
Guards. A delegation of twenty-five or
thirty men approached the troops and called
for Major Allan. He advanced towards
them about one hundred yards In front of
| the troops.
The committee representing the mob said
| to him that they came from Ashland for
the purpose of taking Neal and Craft
/ 1
| That they were 1000 strong and could
overpower the troops easily. Their demand
was pomptlY refused, and Major
| Allan stated that the troops came
| simply for the purpose of uphold
ing the law and IN obedience
to orders, and not to BULLDOGS or impose
/ upon the rights OF any county. That thev
did not desire difficulty with. anybody.
especially with Kentuckians, and would not
| participate In any difficulty, unless # was
| forced upon them, and that If any difficulty
occurred, the responsibility for the results
must rest upon the mob.
| The committee then stated that If the
| troops escaped from Catlettsburg with the
| prisoners, thew would be met at Ashland bV
at least 1000 or $500 determined men,
supported by boat containing four can
| non. The interview then ended, and the
| troops were withdrawn to the Granite State
under cover of the cannon, which were
| turned toward the mob until every soldier
/ had embarked, and were then dragged down
the hill and into the boat. The boat
| then left for Ashland with the troops
and the prisoners, and at the same time the
mob boarded the train and started towards
Ashland. When the boat arrived within a
mile Of Ashland, the train came in sight
and ran along the track which skirts the
river front at that point, at the same speed
as the boat. great number of shots were
fired from the train at the soldiers, but the
range was too great and the shots fell short.
The fire was not responded to by the
troops, the commanding officer ordering
| that no shot be fired until necessary as a
| means OF defense.
Just as the Granite State approached Ash
| land a ferrYboat containing, It is supposed,
about one hundred men, armed with mus
kets, rifles and shotguns, steamed from the
| land and approached the Granite State,
WHALING q cfCrD n xubf ho 1aff
did not heed, but passed on. When nearly
opposite to the Granite State, and froa 200
to 300 yards distant, great many shots
| were fred from the ferry boat at the troops,
wounding several Of the soldiers. The
command was then given for the troops to
return the fire, which they did, and a quick
and spirited conflict ensued for four or five
minutes. The smokestack and hur-
rlcane deck of the Granite State
we're well perforated by bullets
from the mob. Four soldiers were wounded,
though none seriously. The fire OF the
troops was directed entirely at the ferry
boat containing the mob, and not at the
crowd collected on the bank, which was
very large aud apparently very enthusiastic
in supporting the mob on the ferry boat.
In the engagement the ferry boat
was soon silenced, and after the mob
on her had ceased to FIRE not a
single shot was fired by the troops.
Inc commanding OudcerS while fegretttnQ
that he was compelled to take such strong
and deadly measures, feels that they were
forced upon him, and that the responsibility
for the unfortunate results rests entirely
upon the men who attempted to take the
law into their own hands. Many shots
were fred before and during the conflict by
persons on the opposite side of the river at
short range, but 1t was by individuals and
not by organized bodies, and their shots
were not returned by the soldiers.
FRANKFORT. November 2.-The McCreary
and Mickols Guards, on their arrival from
Cstlettsburg, were welcomed by a formal
address, in which their conduct was sp-
proved. Governor Blackburn SAYS he sent
the troops to Catlettsburg upon the applica-
tion Of Judge Brown, and, while deeply
sorry for the dead and wounded, he could
not lay the blame on the troops and that
II application is made in February, he will
send twelve regiments, If necessary, to up
hold the laws.
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