Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-01-06
THE ASHLAND FIENDS.
A Narrow Escape from the Hands
of the Mob. 1n
The ScoundreIs Placed on Steamboat and
Started for MaysviIIe-The Mob
Take Possession of Another r
and Pursue.
A LONG AND EXCITING CHASE.
First Dispatch.

CArIHrrssusG, KY, January 5.--A special
says: Judge Brown, fearing the great crowd
from Ashland would prevent the hearing OF
the cases of the Gibbons family murders
ordered the steamer Mountain Girl to get
up steam and take the prisoners to Mays
vile, KY, for safe keeping. Owing to the
difficulty of getting the prisoners on board
the sheriff put them on the ferry boat and
started down the river. The mob took
possession of the steamer Mountain Girl,
and started in pursuit. 1t Is thought that
the prisoners. will not get. to Maysyille
alive.
IRoNToN, Ohio. January 5.-The trial at
Catlettsburg, of the Ashland murderers,
was set for o'clock Judge Brown, fearing
the action of the mob, about 1000 strong,
had the prisoners placed on ferry boat
which transferred them to the Mountain
Boy at the Sheridan's coal works, three
miles below Catlettsburg. The moi. hearing
this, captured the steamer Mountain Girl,
and are in hot pursuit. Mountain Boy
passed here, ten miles from Catlettsburg,
with prisoners, at , P. NJ, the Mountain
Girl not here yet.
Mt is supposed that Mountain
Boy will be overtaken before she
reaches MaySville, as the Mountain Girl
stopped at Ashland, and the mob are
now making efforts to secure train to
head off the Mountain Boy at Portsmouth
or the nearest port below.
Another Account.
CINCNNATI, January 5.-The Gd.cttes
Ashland, KY, special says: Judge Brown.
upon hearing that mob was coming from
Ashland to lynch the prisoners, issued an
order for the removal of the prisoners To
the Mason county (Maysville) Jail, and
Craft having waived an examination he
adjourned the Circuit Court till January
10th.
Citizens here are very indignant at
Brown. They had gone TO protect the pris-
Oners, and the prosecuting committee had
asked the Governor for troops to assist III
keeping order, and it was in response to
this that the troops were started up from
Maysyille. The citizens sent committee
10 Judge Brown to ask him to reSCind his
order, but he refused.
A dispatch has been sent Senator Moore
10 get an act passed, tomorrow, appointing
a session OF the court next Monday for the
trial.
NAxCEBURG, KY. January 5.-Thc steam
cr Mountain Boy arrived here at 7:3O with
the Ashland fiends on board, expecting to
reach their destination, the MaySVille jail,
about midnight.
Sheriff John Kounz left Greenup at six
o'clock and embarked on the Il. +. EnoS for
Catlettsburg, arriving there at lO:3O, In
time TO attend the preliminary examination
of Ellis Craft. Craft waived an examina-
ton.
The excitement was rife, and the rapidly
growing crowd threatened violence. Word
was received that train, loaded with
lynCherS, had started from Ashland, and
was expected at any time. Fearing the
mob, the Mountain Girl, which was lying
at the wharf, was chartered to convey the
prisoners to Maysvillc.
While the Girl was raising steam, the
train from Ashland rolled in, with about
500 determined regulators Oh board. The
Sheriff, with party Of ten guards, by an
adroil movement, removed the prisoners
from the Jail to the wharf.
As soon as the crowd behcld the prison
ers, they started down the bank with loud
yells of indignation, gathering arms and
missiles ready for an assault. The Sheriff,
seeing the mob descending and the Girl
not yet having steam up, boardeded the
ferry boat with his party, and turned her
down stream. The mob took possession Of
the Mountain Girl, cut her loose and COM
menced a determined chase.
The Mountain Girl not having sufficient
steam pressure, soon fell behind, but in q
short time she got in shape and COM
menced gaining rapidly on the slow ferry,
and in Short time the Girl approached so
closely that a capture seemed imminent,
but fortunately the Mountain Boy, faster
boat than the Girl, approached on
The scene, on her regular trip
up from Ashland TO louisa, She was
hailed by the Sheriff and pressed into ser
vice, and the party rapidly transferred to
her. When the transfer had been success
fully made. the girl Black with an excited,
enraged andLhowling mob, was right on
their heels, and the exciting chase was re.
sumed. But the Boy, flying light, showed
her clean pair of heels.
Near Ashland, the Hudson with the
Kentucky militia was met in mid stream.
Capt. A. c. Respess, of the Mason County
Guards and twenty-five men were transfer
red to the Boy and took charge of the
prisoners. The pursuing vessel was still
in sight, but when they learned that the
militia had arrived the chase was aban-
Goned.
MAYsv1LLE, January 5-Thc Ashland
murderers arrived here at 10 O'Clock to-
night and were safely lOdgedin Jail.