The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1882-11-11
RLNODY WORK.

ers Neal and Craf, who were tndcr
the Protection of the state Mllitia-Thc
Troops Hire Upon the Attacking Party.
and Upon Number of Spectators-Sev-
erai Killed and Many Others Wounded
Both Sides OF the story. Hf.r#
IRoNroS o.. November I.
William Neal an Ellis Craft wcrr convicted
some months ago at the Caticttsburg Boyd
County, ky) Circuit Court, of the murder of
Robert and Fannie Gibbons and Emma Car
Tier. They were granted new trial 10y the
Supreme Court George Ellis, an accomplicc,
who confess ID and was sentenced to imptison-
ment for life, was hanged 10y mob, at Ash-
land, last summer.
On Monday last Neal and Craft 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. II was
learned at Ashland, in some mysterious way,
that Judge Brown was going to grant change
of venue, and the excitment there became in
tense About eleven o'clock this morning
word 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 en- Catlettsburg.
In an hour nearly one hundred and fifty
of them did arrive, and II hard, determined
looking crowd they WERE They carried no
HTuS hpOuC tnenl, nut were saiu To nave
weapons concealed out side of town. As they
marched sullenly about the sire It's, the ruIuors
of coming trouble increased.
At one o'clock the courthouse yard was,
Packed with a dense mass of men, most of
whom seemet to have come from the adjoin-
ing counties. Tue cour,-house was packed
when the soldiers marched in with the prison.
ers. The soldiers went inside the bar. sur
rounded the chat : of the prisoners. and pro-
ara1t 1afa
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 n fair trial, aud he
would have to grant 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 az hin gath
cred about the prisoners and marched them
back TO the Jail, the room just above the court
room.
Soon there were but few men in the yard
or near the building, and the dangerous-lool-
ing crowd had melted away. They could be
seen in groups about the street corners de-
nouncng Neal and Craft, and uttcring threats
of violence. Strange to say, His Excellency,
Governor L. p. Blackburn, was abused almost
as much as those two.
This afternoon at 2:3O Sheriff Kountz, with
the State troops and prisoners, boarded the
steamboat Granite State for Maysvile, intend
| ing to go thence by rail To Lexington to the
| jail, TO confine the prisoners until trial.
After the Granite State, with the sold ers
and escort had left, the citizens took the train
and returned to Ashland, which is five miles
| below Catlettsburg, arriving IA few minutes
| ahead of the boat. They disembarked, and
about thirty or forty, mostly wild boys, board
| cd the ferry-boat and started out TO hail the
| 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
regarded the ferry-boats signal to land, and
about this time some one on the boat dis
charged revolver. The military opened
murderous fire, piercing two steam pipes and
| the boiler mahhead. There was no further re-
| ply from the diSab ed ferry-bOat Several of
the mob had been wounded but none killed.
| The fire of the soldiers was still kept
| up, but was rned principally against tho
crowd of unofending spectators upon the
| wharf and Front street All who were killed
and MORALLY wounded were shot on or near
| the grade, whence not shot had been fired.
After all the shooting had ceased from the
| Terry boat, the military kept firing as long
| us they could see the boat or soul in
| town. 1t looked like vengeful determine
ton to carry out Backburn's threat to k IL ev-
| eryb1dy in Boyd County. The following
named persons were killed or MORALLY wound
ed; John Bass, James McDona'd, Colonel Rap
| part: George Keeler, Mr.. Dunlap's baby, Mort
| Dunlap, Alexander Watt. John Gallagher,
Mrs. Jack seerz, Graham Rainfall, hob Iath,
| erS.
Seventeen other persons were slightly
| wounded.
CINCINNATI, November 2
Mr.. Phister, clerk OF the Granite state, says
| Major Allen engaged their steamer Tuesday
| night to convey the prisoners and troops to
| Maysville. but this was kept profound Sc
| cret, even from the other boat officers, Major
| Allen wishing to avoid a collision with the
mob. They telngraphcd to Major Allen that
they would be at Catlettsburg mt 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 Mr. Williamson, oc-
cupied the pilot-house the latter being on
watch, says the soldiers 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-boat and the men CHI the
bank. Many of these were aimed at the plot.
house, and six balls struck the pilot-house. A
number of other bullet-marks appear on other
parts of the boat.
OF the firing from the bank and the wharf
| boat Dennis is certain Both he and the clerk,
| Phister, say 1t would have been easy for the
! ferry-boat to have oyertaken them and had n
renewal Of the battle If the troops had not
| acted with promptness in returning tho fire.
! They speak in commentator Of the action of
| the officers. and say there was no disposition.
shown to DO bloodthirsty or malicious
! Upon the re urn of the troops to Lexington a
| reporter interviewed the. commanding officer
| Major Allen, and obtained the following state
| ment: The motion tor change of venue haY-
| ing been granted by Judge Brown, and the
case removed 10 Carter County, an order was
| issued directing the Sheriff, in connection
| with the State Guards, 10 convey the prisoners
| back 10 Lexington for safe confinement, Dur
ing that afternoon there were good many ru-
! mors 10 the effect that large crowds were con-
| gr' eating at Ashland preparatory TO com ng
/ TO Catletsburg that night to take the prison
ers; Graft ana Neal telegram was received
by MAJOR Allen from an official of the Chesa-
| psaKe x ONO Rallroad, stating that a mob had