Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-11-17
BLOODY WORK.


Attacks Steamboat Bearing the Prison
ers Neal and Craft, Who Were Under
the Protection of the State Militia-The
troops Fire Upon the Attacking Party,
and Upon n Number of Spectators-Sev-
erai Killed and Many Others wounded
Both Sides OF the Story.
IRoNroS, O., November 1.
william Neal and Ellis Craft were convicted
some months ago at the Catlettsburg boyd
county, kyJ Circuit Court, of the murder of
hooert and Fannie Gibbons and Emma Car
rer They were granted a new trial by the
supreme Court George Ellis, an accomplice,
VINO confessed and was sentenced to imprison-
ment for life, was hanged by a mob, at Ash
Land, last summer
On Monday last Neal and Craft, guarded by
1wo hundred and twenty State troops, with
one section Of artillery, arrived at Catletts-
purg from Lexington, where they have been
neld Tor safe-keeping, to stand trial. 1t was
learned at Ashland, in some mysterious way,
mat Judge Brown was going to grant change
or venue, and the excitment there became in
tense. About eleven o'clock this morning
word was telegraphed from that place to
Cauettsburg 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
or them did arrive, and hard, determined
looking crowd they were. 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 a 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 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 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.
Soon there were but a 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.
This afternoon at 2:3O 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
jail, TO cont1ne the prisoners until trial.
after the Granite State, with the sold
and escort had left, the citizens took the train
and returned to Ashland. which is five miles
a min fog
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
ONO 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 a
numerous lire, piercing two steam pipes and
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
crowd of unoffending spectators upon the
wharf and Front street. All who were killed
and mortally wounded were shot on or near
The grade, whence not shot had been fired.
After all the shooting had ceased from the
'erry boat. the military kept firing as long
town. 1t looked like vengeful determine
ton to carry out Blackburn's threat to XII! ev-
erybody in Boyd County. The following
named persons were killed or MORALLY wound
ed: John Bass, James Mcdonald Colonel Rap-
part. George Keller Mr.. Dunlap's baby, Mort
Dunlap, Alexander Watt, John Gallagher,
Mrs. Jack Seerz, Graham Randall, Bob Lath-
erS.
Seventeen other persons were slightly
wounded.
CINCINNATI, November Q.
Mr.. Phister, clerk of the Granite State, says
Major Allen engaged their steamer Tuesday
night to convey the prisoners and troops to
hIIf NKraS lrxarlt
cret, even from the other boat officers, Major
Allen wishing to avoid collision with the
mob. They telegraphcd to Major Allen that
they would be at Catlettsburg at 1850, but
failed to reach there till afternoon. Hethinks
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 were placed in the
pilot-house to keep the pilots at their post. He
says that shots were fired ut the Granite State
both from the wharf-boat and the men on the
bank. Many of these were aimed at the pilot
house, and six balls struck the pflot-house.
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
ferry-boat to have overakeu them and had a
renewal OF the battle IL the troops had not
acted with promptncSs in returning the fire.
They speak In ccmmendation Of the action of
the officers, aud say there was no disposition
shown to be hlcodthtrsty or malicious
Upon the 70 urn of tho troops to Lexington a
reporter interviewed the commanding officer
Major Allen, and obtained the following state
ment: The motion for change of venue hay-
ing been granted by Judge Brown and the
case removed to Carter County, an order was
issued directing the Sheriff., i'm connection
with the State Guards, to convey the prisoners
back TO Lexington for safe confinement Dur
afternoon there 81 mo
mors TO the effect that large crowds were con-
gregating at Ashland preparatory to coming
TO Catlettsburg that night to take the prison
ers. Craft and Neal A telegram was received
by Major Allen from an official of the Chesa-
peake & Ohio Railroad stating that mob had
taken possession of the tools of the railroad
section hands at Ashland, and. as the telegraph
states evidently meaning mischief. Another
telegram was received by the Major stating
that the mob had torn up the track at Ash
land, believing that the troops would return
that night with the prisoners. Major Allen
had for his command return tickets over the
Chesapeake g. Ohio Railroad, and intended to
go back that way, but believing Il unsafe
made arrangements through his Quartermas-
ter with the Captain of the Granite State
which went up to Huntington that evening. to
take them on his return trip to MaysviIle. That
night the troops, in expectation of an attack
from mob from Ashland, were under the
strictest guard. Eighteen men, relieved every
two hours, guarded every street approaching
the courthouse, and mounted pickets were