The Portland daily press., 1889-10-24
STRIFE IN THE BLUE GRASS STATE.
Turner's and howards in a Battle
Near n arlan Court House.
Enraged Howard Men Threaten to
Take to the War Path.
United States Blue Coats Use Their
Bayonets on TrackLayers.

LOUISVILLE, KY, October 23-News has
been received here of an engagement be-
tween the Howard and Turner factions near
Harlan court house. The fight took place
yesterday and James Dean of the Howards'
party was killed and five others were wound
ed. Three of the Turner crowd were wound
ed.
A staff correspondent of the Times went
to Pineville last night. He writes his pa
per: "Wilson Howard and one of his prin-
pal henchmen named Jennings are ameRg
the wounded Howard's injuries are proba-
bly, fatal. The Turner's have been in pos
session Of the town more than week. Their
leader is John Turner, aged II years. How
ards forces have been in camp mile from
town. There are about 40 men in each
crowd, all equipped with Winchesters and
revolvers. Yesterday morning Turner led
his followers in an attack on the Howard
camp. S, The attacking party was finally yns dsiy;
Pineville at IL o'clock this morning that the
Howard forces in Harlan, enraged by the
battle yesterday and the probable fatal
wounding of their leader, left camp last night
and started for Harlan Court House Intend
position and burn the town. g. 9. Huff.
clerk of Harlan County Court at Pineville
is afraid to go home. He has no connection
whatever with the trouble"
The present trouble was brought about by
an event which occurred last Saturday after
noon when it was thought that all the trou-
bic was over. John Howard, 10 years old,
brother of Wills Howard, tie leader and
disturDer, was in Harlan Court House,
where the father Of the Howard brothers
lives Finley Smith, a son OF Wash Smith,
one of the wealthest men in Harlan county,
who is spoken OF as one OF the best OF citi-
Zens, was also in the tewn. The Smiths
were related by marriage to John Cawood,
the wealthy farmer, who with his hired man,
HeZekiah Hall, was killed on Friday, Octo-
Der II, by Wills Howard's gang. A nephew
of John Cawood. named Charles Cawood,
married daughter of Wash Smith and the
sister of Finley Smith. They belonged to
the Lawsand Order party.
John Caw0od was a br0ther-in-law Of
County Judge Lewis, and like the latter he
was active In the attempts to stop crime and
to bring all the desperadoes to the bar. Wills
Howard wanted him out of the way and he
and Hall were killed.
The Law and Order party were greatly ex-
ercised over this, and the good citizens were
considering means by which Cawo0d's and
Halls slayers could be brought to Justice,
when the last fight occurred. Just how it
was brought about no one seemed to know,
and the point is disputed as to whether Fin
ley Smith or John Howard fired first.
Each mans friends claim that the other
was the aggressor. There were no words
between the young men. The opportunity
to plug one of the hated enemies and escape
is all that either of the friends of Wills How
ard or his old time enemies, the Turner'S and
their friends require for shooting on sight.
John Howard was walking along the street
and Finley Smith was in the door Of the
Cumberland Hotel, when they saw each 9TH
er. Howard pulled his pistol and young
Smith seized Winchester rifle which was
near him, and both began to shoot. None of
the bullets were buried in the targets they
were intended for. but it was thought at first
that Howard was killed. One of Smiths
bullets grazed his temple, and the shock
knocked him down. While he laid there
stunned for the moment, Smith left, and
Howard did the same thing.
This shooting occurred about 3 o'clock on
Saturday afternoon. John Howard lost lit
tie time in communicating with his brother
wills, and the latter vowed vengeance. Ear
ly on Sunday morning word was brought to
the town that Wills had said that he didn't
he would wipe out his enemies this time, or
he would die trying. A little later the report
was confirmed from another source, when
the news came that the Howards were or
ganizing and arming
The seat of justice of Harlan county,
which is now converted into citadel by the
Law and Order party, is 80 miles from Pine
vile, which is the nearest railroad point. 1t
is on the Virginia border line. Some of
those who arrived here believed that Wills
Howard will post detachments SO as to shut
off all communication between the town and
the outer world and await the moment when
he can make his attack on the town with the
best chance OF carrying all before him.