Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-09

Men Who Have Made fsrts of Ke.tucA
Truly = "Dsrk and Bloody Ground"

Men Who Have Made fsrts of Ke.tuca
Truly . Ozark and Bloody Ground"
Prom the Louisville cOuri,r, souru.l.
The sentence 90 death OF Tsitcn Hall the
mountain desperate. 10 another evidence that
the wild country extending along the borders
Of West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky and Ten
nesses and further south 10 making an slort 70
free itself from the various despsradces and
bands Of despcrsdocs who have lang giyon 20
those sections q character not in accordancs
with American civilization. For several rem
era;ions IL has BEEN impossible 10 secure the
conviction OF murderer there. II the courts
themselves were not Influenced BY partisan
ship the witnesses were afraid 20 testify. and
no man suffered for taking ano;her's life IN
loss the friends. OF that other took his own IN
payment This the case in the most
isoiaied neighborhoods which were almost -
completely shut oIs from the world 40 IL they
hsd oeen located IN the South seas.
bai slnce the miners and the railroad build
ers ana Others have entered these regions the
population s being gradually reclaimed
Many OF the worst despersdoes have been pun
ished Some have been hanged. others are IN
the penitentiary for lie. aud since the Law nov
gives some protection witnesses are not afraid
| to Offer their evidence. Thus moro ccnv,o-
tons are sure 20 follow, and in time the once
half Wild population of the Alleghanies will be-
come as quiet and orderly as the inhabitants Of
any other part Of the Union.
There have been many false impressions con-
corning these mountain fends and battles II
has often been said that they will offer rood
material for the future novelist when time
shall have thrown o little romance over them.
Perhaps they will. but there Is no romance
about them at present though the latter argu-
| incnt Is not valid against the novel writer, for
We have always believed that SCOTS pietur-
esque Highland outlaws were in reality the
eommonest sort Of cattle thieves and asssssins,
who wore dirty clothes aud sneaked around
the mountains because they were too lazy 10
work.
In the same manner the writer will have 70
give MS Imagination very vigorous exercise
when lie deals with the desperadoes OF tho
Aneghanies. They are an Idle. worthless set
VINO prey upon and bully the industrious and
1 orderly portion OF the community, while
nearly all their feGGs are generated and kept
alive oy deep potations at the Illicit distileres
| There 10 nothing picturesque or insuiriur in
| tne appearance o. these dcsperadoea II the
curious expect TO sec tall agile mountaineers
Win erect heads ana bold eyes ana the man.
mtrs OF Lob Roy. they can prepare them
selves Tor n disappointment Usually they are
small, hailow and shrunken, shutting OF gait,
unsteady OF eye and never erect Of form, aud II
| the truth must be told about them thew are
cowardly. The most notorious murderers
never night face TO face with their victims and
on equal terms. 49, the bold outlaws in the
story books do, but they seek every ADVANTAGE
lhe proper name TOR lt is not nghtine, but
assassination. Usually n maa 10 ambu shed and
shot whsn he ID least expecting danger, and II
tiere rs any open nght Mt ali it IL because one
party Is able 10 attack another IN ovsrw helmlng
! humbers
Frequently in these mountain feuds women
and children are killed rs mercilessly As AZ they
| we're men. and it has been a favorite method
Tor one faction to surround cabin ut night,
set II on ire and shoot the inmates ~ they run
out such things these show OF what stud
| the braves OF the AllcgLanios are made.
Ii should also be known that tho despcradoos
form but small fraction OF the mountain pop
ulhtIon. They nave hitherto carried things
with such high hand that they have given
their Dad tone, IN the eye OF the public outside,
| 81 the character OF all The great bull Of the
nountaineers OF the Alieshanies, whether In
THIS slate or another, are law-abiding ciiizeas,
and wien relieved OF the incubus Of the dec
peradoes, which they wall be. viii give 10 their
country reputation for peace and good bs-
hayior.