Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1895-05-23

gave them The key; they took tie
keys, and keeping those pistols on me,
they made me 70 along with them to
the Jail doors, there they demanded
that | unlock the doors, | told them
that they had the keys and If the
doors was unlocked they must do l.,
that | would not. Finally they sue
ceeded in getting the doors open, and
then wanted to know where Hover
ton was; about this time one Of the
prisoners val Sed around to where We
we're, and they demanded of him the
whereabouts Of HoNerton, he declined
10 say, and by this time they had dis
covered Bowerton sleeping soundly
in his cell. After demanding that |
open the eel door, { refused, and they
finally opened the door, went in,
caught hold Of Howerton's arm, and
shook him to wake him; when he
reused up, they said: "John, come
and go with us +" he got up, sat down
in chair and said: "Wait, boys,
until / get on my shoes" Nobody
appeared to be excited but me; while
this was transporting was standing at
the outside door, and when all of the
party was standing locking in How
erton's cell, slipped out, locked the
door, put the key in my pocket, pull
led of my shoes, run around the house,
told my wife not to be alarmed that
had them locked up, | then went to
arouse the sheriff, but went to the
wrong house, but finally found him,
and told him the situation, ] then
started alter the town marshal, but
when | got to Weldon's corner, i
heard crowd coming up the streets,
aud then ] knew the thing was up,
and went back TO the Jail, and
found that the six men | had locked
in Jail were trying 10 break out by
knocking hole through the brick
wall; | saw then resistance was useless
there was a mob inside trying to
break out, and mob outside trying
to break in. gave up the keys TO
those on the outside and asked then
10 protect the Jail, not to turn any Of
the other prisoners out. also told
them that | bad some of their men
locked up, they told me to unlock
the doors and as ] did so, told them
| did not know whether their men
were up stairs or on the first floor;
they sIid they wanted no one but
howerton, aud then | knew that the
men on the outside knew nothing
about those on the inside, and there
were two distinct mObs after Hover
ton, and up to this time neither knew
nothing about the other; as | opened
the door, one of the men who had
been locked up, came up to me with
his pistol drawn and uttering unmen-
tionable oaths said Hard, you did
me a mean. dirty low down trick, -
| thought be was going TO shoot ne.
and while another member Of the last
mob was expostulating with him | slid
down the railing and went into the
house. BY this time they had tied
dowerton and brought him to the
front door Of the Jail, There he gave
two or three unearthly yells that made
my blood run cold, then they all left
From the time they first knocked at
the door until they lett with Hover
ton was about an hour, according t.
the clock but to me it seemtd like
ten days. Some OF the men in the
last crowd were not disguised in any
way; some of them put their faces
close to the light, aud said: Hard do
you know me?" said, "no, | never
saw you before and hope to God l
will never see you again Most of
the men had their faces blackei, one
had handkerchief tied over his face
| never before spent such night, no
sir, | did not go to bed any more that
night, aud to tell you the truth |
have not slept good since then, /
thought the first mob was composed
of HoweitOns friends and that they
had come to rescue him.