Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-21

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE pisrArcH.I
| CATLETTsBURG, KY, April 20.-News
was received here this morning of combat
in Logan county, w. Va, in which two
desperadoes were killed and third des-
perately wounded. For the past Is
years the Baisden gang has been
terrorizing the law abiding citizens
of Pike, Boyd and Martin counties, KY,
and Logan county, w. Va, and the ex-
treme western counties Of Virginia. Re
wards amounting to over $4,000 have been
set upon the heads of John Smith and Will
| lam Basden. yet the reward was not sui
| fcient to tempt the bravest officers to at
| tempt their capture, so desperate were the
men known to be.
The trouble which led to the present kill
ing occurred some ten years ago, when John
Baisden was run out of the town of War
field by Jim Brewer Baisden fed with
only his night clothes on, and when there
was heavy fall of snow on the ground.
From that time Baisden has been the sworn
enemy of Brewer.
A HOT BATTLE.
On Saturday last John Baisden, with his
brothers, Smith and William Baisden,
maze raid upon the home of Brewer, which is
on Marrowbone creek. in Logan county, w.
Va. Brewer was notified before the outlaw
arrived. While hunting for the brothers hers and a
opened fire on his home Kidding it with bull
lets. Finding that their assault had avaied
them nothing they left only to run
into an ambuscade formed by the
Brewer crowd. The ambuscade occurred near
the residence of DR.. Baisden, a brother of the
desperadoes on Pigeon creek. about 80 miles
from here. In the fight two horses belonging
to DR.. Baisden were killed. Between 50 and
100 shots were fired.
When the smoke of the battle cleared away,
upon the ground. cold in death. and William
mortally wounded. He taken to Logan
Court House and placed in Jail. None Of the
Brewer party was hurt.
The Baisden gang have for two years been
outlaws. The first shooting done by John
Baisden was in Pike county, some Is years ago,
when he put a bullet through the face of Tom
Cecil, now of Cincinnati. 1t nearly cost Cecil
his life.
NOT THEIR FIRST TROUBLE.
Seven or eight years ago a fight occurred be-
tween the Baisden and the Hatfield crowd, in
which John Baisden fired Winchester ball
through the abdomen of the notorious Captain
Hatfield and another through the neck of
John S. Hatfield. Both recovered from
their terrible wounds. This fight occurred
on Lick Creek, about five miles from Sycamore
Postofice. w. Va. Two wears afterward John
Baisden was captured by the Hatfelds. Plead
ing was all that saved his life. Dr. Harry
Baisden, near whose house the last fight oc-
Cured, killed boy named Dowling several
years ago. near Pigeon creek He was the
only one of the entire gang who ever suffered
for their crimes. The penitentiary caught him
for ten years.
The last killing the Baisdens arc known to
have been engaged in was murder most foul.
In February last, near Grundy. W. Va an old
gentleman, Robert Orange, became the object
of their dislike, and one day, while seated
at the dinner ia BILE with his family. John Smith
and William Baisden shot him through the
window. After he had fallen they emptied the
contents of their guns into his dead body. More
trouble is expected, as the Baisdens have many
connections in Logan county, VIVA. The gang
has been accused of almost every crime in the
calendar