Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-11-16
BLOODY WORK.

BLOODY WORK.
The Recent Troubles in Kentucky tn Com
nection with the Ashland Horror-A Mob
Attacks q Steamboat Bearing the Prison
ers Neal and Craft, Who We're Under
the Protection of the State Militia-The
Troops Fire Upon the Attacking Party,
and Upon Number of Spectators-Sev-
eral Killed and Many Others Wounded
Both Sides of the Story. ~ ss p
IRoNroN, O., November L.
William Neal and Ellis Craft were conVlcteo
some months ago at the Catlettsburg tboyo
County, Ky.) Circuit Court, of the murder OF
Robert and Fannie Gibbons and Emma Car
rier. They were granted q new trial by the
Supreme Court. George Ellis, an accomplice,
who confessed and was sentenced to fmprfson-
ment for life, was hanged by a mob, at Ash
land, last summer.
On Monday last Neal and Graft, guarded by
two hundred and twenty State troops, with
one section of artillery, arrived at Catletts-
burg from Lexington. where they have been
held for safe-keeping. to stand trial. 1t Was
learned at Ashland, in some mysterious way,
Of venue, and the excitment there became in
tense. About eleven o'clock this morning
word was telegraphed from that place to
Catlettsburg that most Of the men had quit
work in the iron works, and that the nail fac
tory had closed down. All the men, so the
dispatch said were marching ON Catlettsburg.
In an hour or so nearly one hundred and fifty
of them did arrive, and hard, determined
looking crowd they we're. They carried no
arms about them, but were said to have
weapons concealed out side Of town. As they
marched sullenly about the streets the rumors
of coming trouble increased.
At one O'Clock the COURTHOUSE yard was
packed with dense mass OF men, most OF
whom seemed to have come from the adjoin-
ing counties. The courthouse was packed
when the soldiers marched in with the prison
ers. The soldiers went inside the bar, sur
rounded the chairs of the prisoners, and pre-
pared to defend them to the last. The evidence
for a change of venue was overwhelming.
Judge Brown said he was sorry to say. for the
honor of his old home, that Boyd County could
not give the accused men q fair trial, and he
would have to grant a change of venue, and in
compliance with the law he would have to
select an adjacent county. He selected Carter
County, and the trial would be set for the third
day Of the Carter County Circuit Court, which
begins on the first Monday in February.
A few moments later the soldiers again gath
cred about the prisoners and marched them
back to the jail, the room just above the court
room. Af-
Soon there were but few men in the yard
or near the building, and the dangerous-look-
ing crowd had melted away. They could be
seen in groups about the street corners de-
nouncing Neal and Craft, and uttering threats
of violence. Strange to say, His Excellency,
Governor L. P. Blackburn, was abused almost
as much as those two. -..s. te.f
This afternoon at 2:30 Sheriff Kountz, with
the State troops and prisoners, boarded the
steamboat Granite State for Maysville, intend
ing to go thence by rail to Lexington to the
Toll m firnnf nat NV rnfti fpIo
After the Granite State, with the soldiers
and escort had left, the citizens took the train
and returned to Ashland. which is five miles
ahead of the boat They disembarked, and
about thirty or forty, mostly wild boys, board
Granite State, which was hurrying by near the
Ohio shore. The ferry had reached mid-river
as the Granite State passed her. She had dis
about this time some one on the boat dis
charg a revolver The military op ned a
the boiler manhead. There was no further re- re-
ply from the disab ed ferry-boat. Several of
the mob had been wounded but none killed.
up, but was rned principally against the
crowd OF unohend1ng spectators upon the
Wnar ana from wer shot "n or near
the grade, whence not q shot had been fired.
After all the shooting had ceased from the
ferry boat, the military kept firing as long
as they could see tue boat or sour IN
town. 1t looked like vengeful deter.nina-
tlOn TO carry out BiackDurnS threat TO XIII cV-
erybody in Boyd County. The following
named persons were killed or MORALLY wound
ed: John Bass, James Mcdonald. Colonel Rap-
pTrt, George Keeler Mr.. Dunaps baby, Mort
Dunlap, Alexander Watt, John Gallagher,
Mrs. Jack Seerz, Graham Randall. Bob Lath.
ers.
Seventeen other persons were slightly
wounded.
CINCINNATI. November ..
Mr.. Phister, clerk OF the Granite state, says
Major Allen engaged their steamer Tuesday
night to convey the prisoners and troops to
Maysvilie. but this was kept a profound Sc
cret even from the other boat officers, Major
Allen wishing to avoid a collision with the
mob. They telegraphcd to Major Allen that
they would be at Catlettsburg at II 80. but
failed to reach there till afternoon. He thinks
if they could have arrived there promptly the
whole trouble would have been avoided.
Brose Dennis, who, with MIR. Williamson, oc-
cupied the pilot-house, the latter being
watch, says the soldiers were placed in the
pilot-house to keep the pilots at their post. He
says that shots were fired at the Granite State
both from the wharf-boa and the men on the
bank. Many of these were aimed at the pilot
house, and six balls struck the pilot-house. A
number of other bullet-marks appear on other
parts of the boat. at
OF the firing from the bank and the wharf,
boat Denuis is certain. Both he and the clerk,
Phister, say it would have been easy for the