The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1889-06-01
A WEIRD, WllD STORY,

AMEla9, W1lD STORY,
Of South Georgia Tragedy Whic
/ Was Finally Expiatsd
| In the early forties, in one of tn
southern counties of Georgia, say
the Valdosta, Ga, Times, lived thre
of the most illustrious families il
South Georgia, whom I will cal
respectively Salter, Hemphill ant
Battle. The heads of these familie
were honest, hard-working sons o
toll, and were possessed of an am
pie share of the necessaries of life
each having small families, from
whom have descended some nobl.
men and women. Salter was tn,
most well-to-do of the three, anc
possessed a large herd of cattle
At the time called by all Southern
ers "penning time," when the cattle
were to be gathered from the woods
which were then rich with luxuri
ant vegetation, and carried to the
pens to be parted out and kept fol
the purpose of enriching a "cowpen
lane" as it is familiarly called, ar.
rangements were planned between
the herders as to where each should
hunt, where they should meet, etc.
Accordingly each set out, old man
Salter should go out in one direc-
ton, the oldest son up one side OF
the creek, and the younger son on
the other side of the creek, each
hunt over his territory and drive
his stock, if he should find any, to
the ford of the creek. which was
the place appointed for meeting,
and there wait till the other should
come. Some half mile from the
ford of the creek above mentioned,
lived the
BATTLE FAMILY.
It 50 happened that one of the
sons took out his hunt and rode up
to the ford of the creek some time
in advance of his father and brother,
and according to the agreement was
sitting on his horse waiting for
them.
The Battle family had decided to
kill beef that morning, and as the
Battles and Hemphills were on good
terms, Mr.. Hemphill was requested
to come over that morning, bring
his rife, which was of the ancient
flint and steel order, to kill the beef
and assist in butchering it. All
this was complied with, and at the
time young Salter rode up to the
ford of the creek and stopped, the
two men and Battles wife were at
the cowpen where the beef had been
killed, some $50 or 200 yards from
where the young man had stopped.
After Salter had been sitting there
some time their minds naturally
wondered what was his business,
and they concluded to speak to him
and find out what he was waiting
for. The boy being young, and Of
timid disposition, did not notice
them or answer them back.
Then they repeated the call and
be still did not answer them.
Being rather of a quick, impul-
sive turn of mind, Hemphill sug-
gested that he reload his old rife
With half load, and Battle shoot
The boy, as Hemphill affirmed that
The gun would not kill at the dis
lance of twenty-five yards with a
half load, and they would therefore
scare the boy and make him notice
hem.
Accordingly the load was put
lown and Battle raised the gun,
pointed it in the direction of the
BOY and fred.
WHAT WAS THEIR HORROR
When, at the crack of the gun, they
Jaw the horse jump, the boy reel in
lis saddle and fall to the ground,
md their fear was heightened when
hey saw that he had failed to rise
Igain.
With the fleetness of deer they
capped the fence, and with a few
apid strides reached the spot where
ay the insensible form Of young
,alter, the blood flowing from an
Ugly gunshot wound in the side of
lis head.
Here, after it was too late to undo
he mischief, the terrible truth
lawned upon them that they had
ommitted q cold-blooded murder
n the person of an innocent and
|nsuspecting youth, and the first
hought was to set about some plan
y which they might conceal their
trocious deed, committed in a mo-
aent of thoughtlessness.
It is said that fear and excitement
ill drive men to desperate deeds.
Ie this as it may, it seems as if the
ruth was verified in this instance.
What should they do? This was
be question that puzzled their
ainds almost to distraction. They
ow aunnoaad ha must have been