The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-11-04
HUNTING GILLILAND'S GANG.
A WAR OF DETERMINATION ON a
BAND OF COUNIEREEITER&

BAND OF COUN7ERFETTERS.
Thsir rert In the Meuntsins OF Pulaski
County. Keutucky-Two score Years OF
Crir,e ana the Ominous Climax.
SOMERSET. Ky. Nov. 3.-There has never
been. not even during the great civil war.
so much excitement in Pulaski county as that
caused by the apparently successful attempt
TO break up tho notorious Gilliland gang.
1t all begun with the assassination Of Sheriff
John McHargue six weeks ago. Before that
the people Of Pulaski endured tho Gilliland
gang without any very vigorous protest. boz
cause It was an incubus which they had had
for forty years. and to which they had grown
somewhat accustomed. But when Sheriff Nc
Hargue. one OF the best beloved men In the
county, was shot down in his own door they
resolved to put stop to what they had toler-
atcd 30 long. and the Somerset Jail is now
crowded with men believed to be members OF
the Gilliland gang. while detectives and depu-
ties are searching the mountains for others
suspected Of belonging to the same band.
The Gilliland gang has long history. 1t
has existed for exactly forty years. and during
all that period has done an apparently thriving
business in counterfeiting and horse stealing.
with an occasional murder The American
world has heard the story OF nearly all feuds
of the Kentucky mountaineers. but the story OF
the Gillilands and their friends is altogether
unique. The Gilliland gang had nothingto
do with clanship or family feeling. but was
organized entirely for profit, and was con-
Quoted as systematic business.
Pulaski is the largest county in Kentucky.
and. while IL was the first settled 1t remains
one ofthe widest Its entire surface is mass
Of mountains Of moderate elevation. tumbled
confusedly against each other. presenting no
very high peaks. but 50 rough that 1t Is never
visited by travellers, and portions OF 1t are
trodden only by the foot OF the lumberman or
hunter. Such country is a magnificent home
for tho counterfeiter or horse thief. Among
tie steep mountains. tho deep ravines, and
the thick woods 1t Is almost impossible to sue
ccssfuly pursue a fugitive. Many caves AFFORD
safe hiding places for thieves and moonshiners
who thrive In this and neiGhboring counties
Among these scenes the Gilliland gang found
an admirable base their operations.
In 1851 Harvey Gilliland founded the gang
which bears his name. He lived in the noun
tains. about ton miles from this place. in q
largo double log house which still stands In
little valley between the high hills Old man
Giililand was tho ideal mountain outlaw. tall.
strong. double-fsted. with long gray hair and
thick gray whiskers. He was curt OF speech
and manner. He came to Pulaski county from
the mountains Of West Virginia then por-
ton Of Virginia and built the cabin in the
mountain gorge. where he cultivated small
bit OF Lowell land and cut IN occasional rat OF
lumber to be foated down one Of the creeSsto
the Cum berland River Soon it WINS said by
merely q farmer and lumberman., but had
other MORE profitable and less l9wfni. ,occ9pa-
tons Nobody undertook to tel Giliiland the
Tint early date was held IN little respect n the
was LETT alone. although it was not long mat
ter Of doubt that he was good deal q scamp.
fer began to lr0 vhS 81
the proportion OF lead was much greater than
that Of silver began to circulate IN Pulaski
ished. and dehed public opinion and the law.
some Of his neighbors he converted to ms own
lie sro ugh In Others from distance. and in
w Rs 1f hs remained tie trusted and obeyed
oI.i man Gilliland and his gang soon ceased
stealing horses and uttering coanterieit money
Pulaski county iostheir home. Being almost
free from annoyance. the people made little
through the immunity thus secured. to become
powerful organization. having connections G,1s
T rs' p' t Georgia. Ohio aud iadiana it
ieaehed even as lar. East as New York State.
and it was ultimately extended as far West as
Giliiand. had siX sons who became efficient
IN his business. Two q them were lynched In
s ss fSa sss MSst
money was made in od man Gillilan td h9 ne t
IL this o r1n II tS S2eq yssed
~ BAUD; III; las a. sky g,.jI.. most sSd
seerse ara s in the walls DnS Of these
drawers extends down the wall under a win
dow where only a most careful examination
principal work Of ccnnterfeting was done.
ana the secret drawers were lntended f., for
i,es.. aud other tools in case 1t
sHond to to max Su 81 sudden 6es
oi plank, on the OUTSIDE: At the Gilliland
house the plank Instead OF BENG naied 70 the
the mousse is q square Of logs inside Of square
u plnnks. with abundant room between them
cea.ied between the plnnks and the logs. and
persons either on the Inside or TIE outsids OF
s not awMrS Of IT, T%s
space is reached By secret door. -,. =.
In the secret room up stairs airs the work OF OF
the s" GiIa aS Il house se' IN iaI set
a T y tS sl's % m'mse one eaD
Ills cousin. arrived at tiillilnnd's M0 one
vouchsafed no explanation. AM, the Cavignys
rarely loft the house, and when they did. asked
M questions and answered none. CuviSny.
il has since boon discovered. occupied tho
room with tho skyiight, and tno two women.
nt,r of whom IL believed to have been man In
disguise. wer. frequently seen drawing and
kketrhing in front Of the house. There is no
doubt that they were assisting CAviRny IN
making counterfeit money. CaviEny was owl
IDENTIFY IL Frcncllnan. although he spoke excel
lent English. He was also called Fusce. He
remained ut GilIilands about two years. and
then he and tho two women went AWAY; En-
United States Deputy Marsha! Robert
Fugnvs. VINO lives In this county. says
that he arrested Cavigny. IN Illinois about four
y..a,s ago iur countcrteitinE. had hin tried.
i.i,L .rI.trnccl to term of fifteen years. which
he i, iiuw serving in the pcnitcntiary at Joliet.
EuIiIs the I'll, war. owing to tho extremely
disuiLe condition OF society in this region.
the gang f!ourshcd. and after tho war 1t was
M We'll intrcnchcd that it seemed impossible
to dislodge IL 80 we'll organized wcro these
men that it was almost useless to attcuipt to
trace articles stolen by them. Tho stolen
goods worn sent to the houses of mem.
Lprs ct tho Gans-men who stood too
high in the community to be suspected
~ such crimes-and aftcr short time We're
,hipped by them to their confidential agents
~ other States Detectives and others some
times came here to discover the gangs resorts
and bring it e. punishment but they inynr-
ably failed. Two or three residents Of the
county tried the Same thing but they found
hu work altnnpthpf 100 hot for them OnR n