The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-01-12
RoANE COUNTY vENDErrA,


Some Historical Information About tho Con.
s0lidAted Band.
Park@1buro Ssdte Journal.
This following abatement % to the origin
and hiOtOry OF tho vendetta was taken
down at The dlctation of Dan Cunning
ham, who is willing to stand responsible
for what he says:
1.-THE trouble dates back to long before
the war. In 1910 my father. Joel Cum
ninghSm, moved to Kentuck, Jackson
county, settled on O tract Of 4S8 acres Of
the old Bruen survey. He was Justice OF
the Peace for nineteen or twenty PEARS,
lacking but oneyear Observing long enough
IN this capacity to become High Sheriff OF
the county, according to the old law.
About thst time, or before, the skeaDs,
Counts, Kiserp, HRnmons and others had
come from CliDch river, Russell county,
Virginia, and "Equntted" on the Bruen
estate without either buying or leasing the
lend. Shortly siteI my father moved
there q number Of these men held &C.
crst mesting in an out-buildiDg on our
place and asked my father 10 join them in
a aeCret band which wGs to run the neigh
borhood aa it pleased and protect their
"righ;s" as tquatters. The first man 10 be
killed ~as Abel Sinnett, o surveyor, who
ia still living in KanawhR county and IL q
prominent Odd Fellow. Ny father reius.
cd 10 ioin them, and succeeded 10 warn
ing sirnats and saving his lie. The place
6xsd upon by them for his execution was
near the Halfway Houre between Ripley
and Charleston.
"silaa Slaughter came into that neigh
borhocd coon alter and he and father
went to work to get up public roEd from
Ripley toward OhGsleEton. Tho Band OPP
posed this; they didn't want any road. A
general trouble enaued and father had to
Fight the csowd, orc of whom hit him
with hoe ct enc time. Similar trouble
occurred over the building OF school
honaps; they didn't want anything OF the
kind-auy Of tho means OF civilization.
Litigation and trouble ever the Bruen
land aurvey followed and 10 not yet on
tirely settled. The Band fought against
the title and my father was in favor OF the
survey being established.
"In 1861 the band dUoIe that no Union
man world bs SLOWED to vote. John
BumgRrdner, Union man, was severely
injured by them because he attempted 10
vote. Some OF the band declared that
father should not vote and one OF them
CoCsed Iiha on him, bat father succeed
ed in voting. For references IS to the
truth OF this l reler your readers to John
BumEardner, Of Sissonville, kanSwha
county, and Harden Bostwick, Of Camp.
BELLS Greek, Kanawha county, both .still
living. The next day, my brother,
Nathan Cunningham, then young man,
waa ct work in the garden when Skesns
threw O rock as him and made at MIN with
knife. Nate picked up his gun and
fred at him, the second shot touching
him. Skeana followed him into the house;
Nate got the better Of him, but finally let
himFo. The next day gang Of fifteen
carne to our hcugs whore Nate and his
vile were, bringing rifles and muOkets. At
this encounter no one was gerl0usly hurt.
A few Days later two OF the band attacked
Nate while he was working the road, and
a hard fight ensued. Thus the leud was
kept nm and grew hotter. About this
time father organized company OF militia
by permission from Washington. The
Band were bushwhaoking, ahooling and
robbing Republican OF pnion men's
houses and stores. Gen. COX cent father
With q Euuad OF men to compel the Band
to take the oath 81 allegiance. Joshua
parsons, OF jackson county, who 10 still
living, carried the letter TO them from
father asking them to meet him at JEFF
rows, neGr Kenna PosEofiCe. Tho Band
said they would meet him at Oorbin's,
one mile above, and take tho oath re.
ouirod, Father started up the road tow
ards Corbin's and Nate took snothsrEauad
scross the fields towards the same place.
The Band we're concealed behind preci.
nice on Dirty Fork oud Fired on fathers
sousd, killing William Littou, wounded
James Hamilton, Of Glen Elk, and killed
several horses. HGrdin BostylCk recog-
n!zed Frank SkeSug, Alb Kiser, John
SkeRuB and others among the bushwhark-
era. Wiley Berry, OF Kanswhl county,
was also an eye witness to tho attack.
"shortly after this Nate moved to Will
liam Rsy'B farm on the Middle Fork Of
Pocs, This same gang made raid on
Rsy's house, captured William Ray, ]. NJ.
RAY, james Short and Lee CleRvenRer.
They also took several horses, some cloth.
ing, etc. / again refer your readers to j..
M. Raw, Abo LRnham and Noah Conner,
eli oil Kentuck, and F. N. Ray, John Ray
md William Ray, Of eisSonavllle. My
father Was In tho Seventh Virginia aud
died in 1852, the 7th oil January.
"a recent article in the Parkersburp
Sentinel says that Nate was deserter from
| the army. iTai6 :scards in the hands oil
Senator Rufus switzer prove that he was
honorsbly discharged.
"At the close OF the war the 'Consoli.
dated Band said that the Board of Regis
tration would not be allowed to do It's work.
Governor Plsrpont, now Of Fairmont, ap.
pointed Nate TO protect them in the per
tormanCe Of their duties. He took ten
men to Ripley and guarded the Board,
After that he was justiCe Of the peace fol-
four years and then County Assessor until
ha was appointed Deputy United States
Marshal.
"Bstween 1870 and 1874 the Band start.
ed roonshine distillery on Second
Greek in jackson county. The fine wsl
reported by NJ. A. Whiting to Marshal
Hedgemsn Slack, who put the matter into
Mates hands. BE arrested several Of the
Band, and arrests and trouble followed fol
several years. MoBt OF the arrests OF the
Band since then have been made by mem
bora Of our family and by the Dufs.
The Saloon in Politics.