Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-04-16
-hlCharu ItHTY SIVHU"IU'
A MOUNTAIN TRAGEDY.


ance on Eocum creek immediately after
the surrender at AppOmattoN and bought
a small tract Of rough land on Squirrel
ridge BY dint of much labor he cleared
away the heavy timber and thick under
brush and erected small cabin. "A COW
shelter, and the other rude shantes that
go to make up the buildings of rldge
farmer
His nearest neighbOr was Squire Dink
Hanna and one night, much to the
1 'Squire's indignation and every one else 5
surprise, Crippled Bill and his neighbor's
youngest daughter, CapitOla, mounted
their horses and rode across the country to
the Ohio river and we're married. About
year after the elupement "A daughter
was born TO the strangely matched couple,
and three days after the little one opened
its eyes the mother closed hers in death.
To everybody's surprise the child lived.
Her father called her Kate and aS she
grew older the adjective little" WAS added
to her name because of her fairy like grace
and deliCacy of limb and feature, and
when she was years old everybody on
Iocum knew crippled Bill's Little Kate.
She loved her rough old father, and he
lived only for her. About this time, or, I"
be more precise, in 1874, Crippled Bill fell
i'll with the Alfrey boys, and then induced
him To join them in running a moOnshinc
| still. The profits of the business were
something enOrmOus-it you didn't get
caught-and Crippled Bill became their
partner For upwards of ten years they
conducted their illicit business and -detied
capture.
Yocum creek is one of the most peculiar
streams in Mountain kentucky. II heads
in Morgan county and emp.ies into the
Licking nearly opposite MOrel cad. For n
distance of five miles it runs through the
NarrOws of GOcum, IA deep and gloomy
canyon through which trends a rough
wagOn-rOad This road crosses the little
stream l57 times and the gorge is one of
the most weirdly picturesque spots in
America Cliffs whose tops lower hun
dreds Of feet above the bed of the stream
wall il on either side Their faces are GOV.
cred with thick growth Of laurel bushes
and tall frs and pines overhangiug theiI
submits. Professor Henry of the Smith
sOnian institute visited the NarrOws once
and made careful examination
of the cliffs on both sides. He found be
hind the screen of laurel bushes rOomy
caves, and i'll the depths of these csverns
the bones of the great cave bear and traces
of that curious prehistoric race, the cave
| dwellers. 1t WAS in one of these caverns
! that Crippled Bill Elliott and the Alfrey
boys carried on the business of Illicit
disti1ling. They disposed of the product
Of their still 10 the lumbermen on the
river aud divided among themselves the
profit. The gang had numerous encOunt-
| ers with the revenue officers and one after
| another of the Alfreys were killed until
! only Dick remained. There were warrants
out for his arrest charging him with
killing revenue officer, and with Illicit
| iistilling. Armed with his long squirrel
rifle he rOamed through the mountains
and freely visited the towns hoasting that
| he would kill the first man W made a
warlike movement toward him. He spent
| his money freely and had hundreds OF
! friends scattered around the country, who
warned him whenever a marshals posse
| approached.
! Once in 1880, while visiting his fathers
! louse on the Licking river road, a party
| revenue officers rode up and surrounded
ne house, keeping. however, at a respect
nj distance, for they knew that Dick was
dead shot, and none of them wanted tu
! Iake martyrs of themselves. Every door
al window Of the house was barricaded,
Id when the marshal's men cautiously
| bproaChed Dick voice was heard order
| ~ them 10 halt
~le all dassent make a rush for I'll kill
half dozen nv ye ature We git hyar. The
e mans well puFvided with rashuns
| a | ken stand We off Tor a month. Dad
! a I'll take turns standin' guard, an We'll
eep it up night an day"
The marshalS party, after consulting
,mOng themselves, mounted their horses
nd rode away. and Dick went back to his
mountain eyrie TO distill more whisky
| 'rippled Bill Elliot was the factor Or 90
,etween of the Alfreys, and when only
| Dick remained to carry on the business he
md the old man shared the profits of the
still equally. Crippled Bill saved his
money TO spend il literally on Little Kate
| whom he decked in the handsOmest gowns
that could be purchased at the crossroads
store. She was of finer clay than he, and
from making occasional visits 10 Morehead
and Liberty, and once as far down the
country as Mount Sterling, new and
. higher life was opened up to her She
kept her secret lOngings 10 herself and
never divulged the hiding place of tht
still. In the early summer of 1884 Little
Kate celebrated her 18th birthday
She was daughter of the mountains
-bright-eyed, curly haired, fresh faced
with rounded limbs and good digestion
and able to shoot rifle or ride a horse with
the best man in the country. 4 score OIL
more of the young mOuntaineers endeav
ured, in their hOmely fashion, to make
Katy their sweetheart, but she repulseC
them all. One hot August day, when the
little underground stream that supplied
the mOOnshine still in the cave behind tn,
! thick laurel bushes on Iocum cliffs haG
run dry, and Crippled Bill and his partner
had removed their business TO secluded
spring branch where they were busily en-
gagged making rum" Little Kate sat OF
the rude porch whose roof overhung tn,
door Of her fathers cabin. busily engaged
in spinning, singing like lark mean
while.
A man, young and strong-l -limbed as
. Hercules, wearing clothes whose teXtur
and color were hidden beneath thicl
coating of dust, and carrying light pacl
on his back, strobe up the mountain roaG
which led from the NarrOws. He pause<
for moment in front of Crippled Bill
cabin, cast an sdmiring glance at the CIR
on the porch and then boldly unlatchet
l the ruue gate set III the pdllnS renee, WnlCt
inclosed the little garden, and marched VI
to the steps OF the porch.
a beg your pardon" he began, and Lit
tie Kate dropped her distaff with fright
ened cry and turned TO the intruder will
flushed cheeks and eyes big with appre
hension. 1T is very dusty" continued th'
stranger, "and am very thirsty. Would
you kindly give me drink Of water,"
"Sartin' sure" answered Kate. IN gi
We fresh drink from the spring" snC
seizing wooden pigeon which stood on
shelf beside the door, she ran Quickl,
down the mountain path leading TO tn
spring, while the stranger dropped hi
pack on the porch and with a gratefu
sigh seated himself in the rush-bottomet
chair which Kate had motioned him Il
take.
If you have no objection, he said, wher
she returned with the water, and prof
fered him gourdful. which he drank il
teep uTaugnLs. i Will rest here B. nIIe.
have Travelled long distance and | am
very tired"