The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-03-27
MODEL
BREAKING UP A BAD GANG.
Prospect that People Along the Big Sandy
Will Be Permitted to Live In Peace.

HUNTINGDON, W. Va. March 26.-There is at
3ast some indication that the people of the couu-
tiss 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 more than 100 square
miles, during the last eighteen months, robbing
stores. postofices and dwellings, and not hesitat-
Ing to commit murder when that crime was nee
essary to secure the safety of themselves or
grasp the plunder they coveted. In Cabel,
Wayne and Logan counties. in this State, these
outrages have been most frequent. but Boyd
county, Kentucky, and the adjacent country has
suffered severely, and even the Ohio side OF the
river has been subjected to the unlawful excur-
sions. The gang was recruited from all
three States, and the number has been
placed at from, ten to thirty-fve by
those more or less familiar with them and their
operations And so successful were the out
laws in evadine arrest that little was known of
their strength or personnel Lately there has
been an exceptional number of robberies, and
officers were started after the gang. determined
not to stop pursuit until they had been put
under arrest The hand was known to be in
Wayne county. and there. after persistent effort.
two of the ringleaders. brothers, named Charles
and Stephen Kelley, were captured. The two
men were confined in the county JAIL and in the
hope of betterine their prospects at their trial,
they made a confession. which, although start
ling IN ITS nature, only confirms what has been
generally known. The Kelleys say they were
members OF band of twelve men recruited in
Ohio, kentucky and West Virginia, who had
INDUCED in robberies and murder q trade.
but their motto was: Never kill unless COM
pelled to do so TO gain your end" In the
fessions the Kelleys named a q member of their
band an old man named Merida Workman, who
has served his tins. They further said that
they shot and killed Edward Bush, near
Ceredo. last year. and that they had
robbed p. Lyman 81 Brother, at Dunkirk; the
store of J. b. Newman g. Co., at the mouth of
Berry Fork, and several private residences and
stores at Guyandotte. across the river from this
place. The gang robbed upon information fur
nished by woman named Melissa Badtram. the
house of NJ Fl. Bayard. near GuyandOtte. This
woman was used decoy to find outf Bay
ard had money In his house. The woman Is uu-
der arrest here The prisoners stated that on
the night General Walker was wounded. near
Huntington, they were their way home and
shot at some one supposed to be Walker. They
intended TO kill him. They recently robbed a
country store in Ohio. not far from the river.
and in the neighborhood of Huntington. besides
participating IN various other robberiee. hast
Thursday night they intended to rob NJ. Lander
a. Co. 3 store, at Round Bottom. and OF Monday
night they intended robbing Cox's store at Coxs
Landing. Cabe county, after which they would
have transferred operations to kentucky. The
names OF the gang are known, and more arrests
will be made In a few days.