Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1888-03-30
THE HATFIELD Mccoy
FACTION
NOT ALONE IN THE cUTRAGES
MURDERS, RoBRER1Es &c.,
COMMITTED ALONG THE
BIG SANDY.

HUNTINGTON, w. Va, March 90
There is at least some indication that
the people of the counties of West
Virginia and Kentucky lying along
the Big Sandy river will be released
from the domination of the band of
robbers, murderers and outlaws
which has ranged up and down the
country over an area of over one hun
drcd square miles during the past
eighteen months, robbing stores post
offices and dwellings, and not hest
tating to commit murder when that
crime was necessary to secure the
safety to themselves, or grasp the
plumber they coveted. In Gable,
Wayne and Logan counties, in this
State, these outrages have been most
frequent, but Boyd county, Kentuc-
ky, and the adjacent country has al
so suffered severely, and even the
Ohio side of the river has been sub
jected to the unlawful excursions.
The gang was recruited from all three
States, and the number has been
placed at from ten to thirtY-ive by
those more or less familiar with them
and their operations. And SO success
full were the outlaws in evading ar
rest that little was known of their
strength and personnel. Lately there
has been as exceptional number OF
robberies and officers were started af-
ter the gang, determined not to stop
persuit until they had been put under
arrest. The band was known to be
in Wayne county, and there, after
persistent effort, two of the ringlead-
ers, brothers, named Charles and
Stephen Kelly, were captured, The
two men were confined in the county
Jail, and in the hope of bettering their
trial, they made confession, which
though startling in its nature, only
confirm what has been generally
known.
The Kellys said they were members
of a band Of twelve men recruited in
Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia,
who had INDUCED in robberies and
murder as a trade, but their motto
was "never kill unless compelled to
do so TO gain your end"
In the confession the Kellys named
as the members of their band an old
man named Merida Workman, who
has served his time. They further
said that they had shot and killed
Edward Bush, near Ceredo, last
year, and that they lad robbed p.
Lyman & Bro, at Dunkirk the store
of j. b. Newman Il Co, atthe mouth
of Berry Fork, and several private
residences and stores at Guandotte,
across the river from the river from
this place. The gang robbed, upon
information furnished by woman
named Melissa Badtram, the house
of NJ. III. Bayard, near Guandotte.
This woman was used as a decoy to
find out if Bayard had money at his
house. The woman is under arrest
here.
The prisoners stated that on the
night Gen. Walker was wounded
near Huntington they were on their
way home aud shot az some one sup
posed to be walker. They intended
to kill him. They recently robbed
country store in Ohio, not far from
the river, and in the neighborhood of
Huntington, besides participating in
various other robberies. Last Thurs
day night they intended to rob NJ,
Lander ~ Co.'s store at Round Bot
tom, and Monday night they intend
ed robbing Cox's store at Cox's
Cable county, after which
they would have transferred opera
tons to Kentucky. The names of
the gang are known aud more ar
rests will be made in few days.