Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1882-12-19
THE OLDEST NEWS.
Some of II Nearly 100 Years
How the Grand Daddies Committed
Crime and How They
Were Punished. a
The Old Records Sarched for Items 10
Amuse Our Christmas Readers.


lnne Editor Of TIE Inferior Journail
In this age Of telegraphs, telephones
and tell.tale tattlers-poIitely called
reporters-when the latest news brings
the highest prices and when, conse-
quently, every little incident, whether
interesting or otherwise, occurring no
matter where. is greedily gobbled up
and sent on the instant to all quarters
of the earth; when in fact great deal
of first-rate news is told before the
happening Of the events to which il
relates (which events sometimes don't
happen at all, in a time like this, !
apprebend that the intelligent public
will not be eager to peruse a report,
like mine, Of incidents occurring from
seventy.fve to one hundred years ago.
Yet IL seems to me that a little rehec
ton ought to remove any prejudice
against these "reminiscences, for really,
notwithstanding the antiquity Of the
events, the account Of them here Civ
en- will be news of the freshest kind to
perhaps every reader of your paper.
Why should not the Oldest news, if it
be news, be as much in demand as
the newest1 News 10 news; dare
anybody to deny that. There are
doubtless some of your readers Of ex
ceedingly industrious habits and of
such economical dispositions that they
will regard it a waste of precious time
to devote an hour TO the reading Of
matter which Is so utterly devoid Of
interest in pecuniary sense and Of no
little practical value in any sense.
Being mindful Of this, and anxious,
too, to meet the convenience, if not
the fancy, Of all, I have chosen the
season for its publication when all
sorts of folks, industrious and lazy,
generous and stingy, thrifty and un.
thrifty, workers and loafers, are sup
posed to be taking short recess from
their labors and can afford to spend a
few feeting moments without regard
to profit or loss. Whether this argu-
ment and apology for what am
about to infiict upon your patrons will
secure my pardon at your and their
hands, is more than l can foresee; but
there is one thing that do now plain
ly see, and that is that / have said
enough about it.
CRIMES COMMITTED BY THE PIONEERS.
Whether there was greater or less
amount of crime in this country in
the early days than now, in proper
ton to the population, l have not suf-
ficient statistical data to determine,
even Il. I had sense enough to make
the comparison; and, In fact, have
not made investigation of the records
with the view OF attempting the solu-
ton of that question. But in the
hasty and immethodical examination
which have made Of court records
respecting the prosecution of criminals
l have found the history Of some very
dsvilish deeds committed in the coun-
~ Of Lincoln in the latter part Of the
last and in the beginning of the pres
emit century. The accounts of these
crimes, as disclosed by the records.
are necessarily quite meager and in
some respects unsatisfactory, yet they
are sufficient to reveal the character
of the deeds committed as well as TO
portray the characters of the perpe'
traitors themselves, aud to reveal also
the pleasing fact that our ancestors, 80
50 far from encouraging or conniving
at violations of law, had healthy
hatred Of evil.doers and we're prompt
and rigid in the prosecution Of them
on all occasions. Murderers, robbers
and rogues were promptly arrested
and brought to trial and doubtless
punished as they deserved without |
much delay. Rogues, especially horse. {
thieves, were tracked through the viii. !
ierness for many miles and appre.
hended. Some instances Of detection, 1
pursuit and capture Of these rascals {
'eem almost miraculous-such indeed 4
n would make the keenest detectives '
If the present day ashamed Of them. i
selves.
rHE MURDER OF LITTLE JOHNNY BAR :
NETT.
One of the most shocking and bru- c
al murders was committed in 1896 by B
Polly. a negro girl slave belonging TO {
James Barnett. the victim being John B
Barnett. an infant four years Of age. s
The manner Of the killing is thus e
set forth in the indictment;
by beating the said John Barnett {
nth q rock or rocks which she then e
nd there held in her hand, and by
hoking him and holding him by the