Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1895-11-26
THE CONVICT'S BRIDE.
A RoMANcE IN REAL LIFE THAT ENDED
IN A WEDDING.

Man of Good Family who Becsmes
Convict-Devotion Of His sweet
heart--His Pardon end
There is good deal Of romance
connected with the marriage Of Hy
Skinner last Wednesday at Eddy.
vile. In fact the whole career OF
young Skinner has been eventful
enough to furnish material for
novel.
He was born in the town of Eddy
vile adjoining the, court house in
which he was afterwards convicted
and under the shadow Of the peniten-
tiary in which he spent two years Of
his life as convict.
The elder Skinner was one of the
prominent citizens of Eddy ville, and
at the time of his death year or two
ago, was the richest man in Lyon
county. He lived on the principal
street in the little town of Eddyville
and on the lot adjoining that upon
which the county court house is stu
ated.
In war times Gen. Fl. B. Lyon, him
self citizen of the county bearing
his name, was in command of the
Confederate forces in possession of
the town of Eddyville. When the
little town perched upon bluff on
the bank of the Cumberland river be-
gan to get too hot to hold, Gen.
Lyon decided to burn the court house
and take his departure. He accord
ingly sent force of men to do the
work. Benches were split up, chairs
stacked in piles and everything was
in readiness to apply the torch when
Mr.. Skinner went to Gen. Lyon, who
was his neighbor and friend, and
asked him as personal favor not to
burn the building. He told him that
baby had that day been born in
his residence next door to the court
house and that the mother was in no
condition tobe frightened by a fire,
Of moved from her bed. Gen. Lyon
was moved by the plea thus made
and gave orders to spare the
building, which still stands as a di-
lapidated eye-sore looking more like
an old brick stable than temple OF
justice. The boy thus ushered into
the world, and whose advent has kept
Lyon county from having decent
court house all of these years, was
named Hylan Lyon Skinner, in hon.
or of Gen. Lyon, who had shown such
delicate consideration for the vel
fare of the babe and his mother.
The boy grew to manhood in his
native town and his indulgent parents
gave him every advantage that wealth
and social position could afford. He
was splendidly educated and fitted
for career of usefulness and honor.
But Hy soon showed disposition to
engage in the cultivation of wild oats
and it was not long before he had
sown large crop of this cereal often
so troublesome to harvest. His faith
er's hopes were not realized and the
young man soon got to keeping COM
pany that caused his friends to shake
their heads and prophecy bad end
for the hopeful scion of one of the
best families in the county.
There came a time when the 81
told. you-sos, "were given subject for
excited discussion. A man was kill
ed and Hy Skinner was lodged in
Jail charged with murder. Martin
Bigwood, a well-known citizen of
Eddyville, was the victim. They be-
came engaged in an alteration and
when it was over Bigwood was dead,
shot by his youthful antagonist. Ac-
counts differed as to the facts in the
case. Skinner claimed that Bigwood
knocked him down and that he shot
him in elf-defense. The prosecution
charged murder. foul and unprovok
ed, and Bigwood's wife had carved
upon her husbands tomb. stone,
which can still be seen in the Eddy
vile cemetery, these words: