The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1882-11-15
The Battle on the Ohio.

The reports of the battle at Ashland, Kyy
between the State militia and the mob which
rurposed to lynch William Neal and Ellis
Craft, the accomplices of George Ellis in the
atrocious murder of the Gibbons family,
caused intense excitement Kentucky. Five
of the troops engaged in guarding the two
prisoners from the fury of the crowd were
wounded in the battle on the Ohio. One of
the soldiers, through fright, refused to go
on guard duty, and was court-martlalcd and
sentenced to receive thirty lashcs anu thirty
days Imprisonment. One of the Killed
at Ashland was Il babe in its mothers
arms and another was Colonel 7 w. Repro,
sixty-fivc years old. who was standing OH the
rivers bank watching the battle between
| the crowd on the ferryboat and the soldiers
| on the steamer. At Ashland after the fight
the people lost nil control over themselves
and became perfectly frenzied. Five of her
citizens who we're merely witnesses and took
no part in the conflict had been instantly
killed and eighteen were wounded, seven OF
| them very badly. 1t was somewhat danger
Gus for a stranger to appear on the streets
Tho military were cursed and threats maze
to 90 to Lexington and mob Neal and Craft,
one man making u long %inccndiary speech,
saying he would 60 Il little further ana
shoot Governor Blackburn and the Judges of
the court of appeals.
Upon the return of the troops to LeXlng-
ton, Major Allen, their commander, made
the following statement: "Them motion TOR a
change of venue having been granted by
Judge Brown and the case removed to Carter
county, an order was issued directing the
sheriff, in connection with the State guards,
to convey the prisoners back to Lexington
for safe confinement. There were many rn-
mors that large crowds were congregating ut
Ashland preparatory to coming to Catletts-
burg that night and taking the prisoners. An
official of the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad
teleuraphed that a mol had taken possession
of the tools of the section hands mt Ashland
and had torn up the track, believing that the
troops would return that night with the priS-
that way, but believing it to be Unsafe, made
arrangements with the captain of
the Granite State to take them to
Maysville. That night the troops, i'll ex-
pectation of an attack, guarded every street
approaching the courthouse. and mounted
pickets were posted at different points of the
town Nothing occurred that night except
the firing of pistols and guns III the
neighborhood, which caused the troops TO
turn out four or five times, believing an at
tack imminent. At ~ o'clock on Wcdnes-
day, after Allen had disposed the troops to
command the depot, the prisoners, undcra
strong guard, were taken to the Granite
State. The position of the troops had hardly
been taken before Il train arrived with tie
mob from Ashland. A delegation of some
twenty-five or thirty men approached thc
troops and called for Major Allen. He adj
vanced toward them and was told that the
mob came for the purpose of taking Neal
and Craft, peaceably, if possible; if not,
then by force: that they we're 1000 strong in
the train and could overuower the troops
easily. Their demand was refused, and Major
Allen stated that the troops came simply to
uphold the law and in obedience to or
ders, and not to bulldoze or impose upon the
rights of any county they did not desire n
difficulty, especially with kentuckialis, and
would not participate in any unless it was
forced upon them, and that the response
bility must rest upon the mob. The COM
mittce then stated that if the troops escaped
from Catlettsburg with the prisoners they
would be met at Ashland. TIC interview
then ended, and the troops were Withdrawn
to the steamer. just rs the Granite State
approached Ashland a ferryboat containing.
it is supposed, about 100 men armed with
muskets, rifles and shotGuns, steamed from
the land, and the battle began when the
mob saw that the Granite State was not
going to stop. Tile fire of the troops
was directed entirely ut the ferryboat,
not at the crowd on the bank, which
was very large and apparently very enthusi-
astic in supporting the mob on the ferry
boat. If persons standing OH the bank
were injured it was through carclcsSness in
being so near to n lawlcss mob attacking
State troops, and not because the troops
fired ut them. The ferryboat was soon
silenced, and after the mob on her had ceased
to fro not Il single shot was fired by the
troops. Many shots were fired Before and
during the conflict by persons on the Ohio
side of the river at short range. but it was by
individuals and not by organized bodies,
and the shots were not returned by the sol
diers. One of the Nichols guards was struck
from that side. The Nichols guards. all
little fellows, were stationed on top. They
caught most of the fire. The pilot of the
ferryboat was shot and fell out Of the wheel
house. Another man was shot and fell over
board. After passing Ashland there was no
more trouble.