Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-12-07
AKGNIUCK YTHAGEnN-


1t will be remembered that a disturbance
took place at the polls, at Bryantsvllle, Ky.,
at the last September election, in which five
negro voters were shot by members of the
shot gun democracy, who are maintaining
white mans government in Garrard county
Of that State. The county has been closely
divided politically and ten years ago lead.
Ing Republican lawyer, Mr.. George Denny
was elected county judge. Subsequently he
was prosecuting attorney Of the county /;
and he was recently employed to help the
prosecution OF the Bryantsville rioters
Prominent among these was one James
Anderson. Anderson, as a Louisville de-
spatch of November Goth states boosted that
he was n dead pistol shot and that he killed
most OF the niggers who were shot at Bry
antsville, and he threatened Judge Denny
with u like fate, If he pushed the prosecu.
ton. The telegraph tells the rest OF the
story as follows:
Yesterday Denny was warned by his
brother-in law and Others that Anderson
meant murder. Denny remained In his Of.
flee oil the afternoon until o'clock when he
started home. Messrs. Tomlinscn and Brown
tried to prevent him from going out but
Denny said he would avoid Anderson and
shun any trouble. 81 can not be kept a pris.
oncr In my office, he said The three men
started. Denny took his shot gun, loaded IN
both barrels. When they had got half way
down the stairs Anderson passed the doorway.
Messrs. Tomlinson and Brown again tried
to persuade Denny to go back into his office
and wait until Anderson could DO got away.
Denny would have agreed to this probably,
but that moment his young wife and child
appeared at the doorway and called to him
N a nd yD IL
the door TO speak TO his wife and explain
the situation to her. AS he reached
the door he saw Anderson standing few
feet away with his right hand on his pistol
pocket Seeing this Denny told his wife to
60, that Anderson intended TO kill him. Mrs.
Denny seized her child and ran into an ad.
joining store. As she did so Anderson start.
cd toward Denny with rush, and the latter
attempted to take aim with the shotgun
Anderson came on so rapidly, however that
Denny could not get the gun down IN line,
and when he pulled the trigger the charge
was fired in the air over Anderson. Denny
dropping the gun seized Anderson by the pls
toll arm, and then began struggle to the
death.
Anderson had his pistol out, but he could
not use it, 50 terrible grip did Denny have
on his arm. The wrcstlcrs struggled into
the stairway and the door, which opened in
wardly, swung closed. At that moment a
shot was heard on the inside Following
the first came three more shots in rapid quo.
cession. After the shots came a moment of
silence, and then steps were heard ascending
the stairs. The door was pushed open and
And rson was found dead on the floor at the
foot of the stairs He was shot once in the
head, once in the neck, and twice in the
chest. Either of the last two wounds would
have proved fatal, as the jugular vein was
severed and the heart touched. His pistol
was found clenched in his hands with all
the chambers loaded. He had not been able
to fire shot.
Judge Denny was fourd up stairs seated
in his office. He said that after he and
Anderson had struggled into the doorway
wrestling for the pistol he found he could
not get it. ~ backed up the steps then" he
said, "and pulling my own pistol fred at
him until he fell" Denny Immediately sur
rendered to Sheriff Higg,nbo,ham, and was
taken before the county judge and put in
custody.
1t is stated that there have been 275 muir.
ders in GIrrard county since the war, and
only II convictions of capital crime. As
Judge Denny is a Republican he will I'm.
doubleday be prosecuted, and perhaps con-
vicled, though he seems to have used his
firearms in self defence.