Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-04-18

"I3e suro and como up 10 the hanging, y
Is tho parting admonition of every leading
citizen OF Jackson, KY, as tho stranger
turns his face toward the city. They ar,
as proud up there OF the fact that Bad Toi.
Smith Is going To be hanged on May 81
next as boy with his first pair OF trousers.
This first execution marks the dawn OF
new era for eastern Kentucky. Hen
criminal class has heretofore almost wholly
controlled public affairs.
Bad Tom Smith Is confined In the
Breathitt county jail awaiting his execu
ton for tho murder Of Dr. j. E. Raden
last January. He Is below the medium
height, but possesses we'll knit figure
Mrs. Catherine McQuinn'was convicted
as an accessory to the murder and sen
fenced to the penitentiary for life.
Thomas Smith, murderer OF eight men,
incendiary, horse thief and robber, was
born in Perry county, KY, Of humble but
respectable parents, 30 years ago. Owing
TO tho poverty Of his father no received nc
education. From his earliest boyhood ne
was classed among the widest boys Of the
neighborhood. He possessed a daredevil
nature, and he was always getting into
trouble. He began stealing when "a mere
boy.
When 90 years old, he engaged In his first
serious fight In the town OF Hazard, the
county seat OF Perry county 1t was on
election day, and several of his friends were
being fired upon by their enemies. Smith
had no weapons, and he began throwing
stones. He knocked one man down with "a
large stone and secured a musket from
him, with which he seriously wounded Eli
Combs and several others.
From the day of this fight he seemed to
have burning desire to shed human blood.
Soon he was the acknowledged leader OF
the French forces in the famous French
Eversole feud of Perry county. In 1887 he
decoyed Joe Hurt, young man, to his
house and shot him dead. No one saw him
commit this crime but Hurts wife and
little children, and although an effort was
made to bring him to justice 1t proved
abortive.
On April Is, 1888, Tom Smith, his
brother Bill, Joe Atkins and Elkana Ker-
net learned that Joe Eversole, the leader
of the Eversole faction, was to pass along
a certain road that day, and they secreted
themselves five miles from Hazard.
The road leads from Hazard to Haden,
Ky. Their action was the result Of a plan
conceived by the chief Of the French fac
ton and two or three Of his trusted ad.
visers.
Without suspecting any danger, joe
Eversole and a young man named Nicholas
Combs approached the ambush. When
they arrived opposite the place Of conceal
ment, three winchesters and q shotgun
belched forth, and Joe EversOle fell.
Young Combs pitched over his horses
head, bleeding from three wounds.
Tom Smith, springing from the bushes,
was soon at the side Of Combs The boy
had tainted, and believing him dead Smith
4. stopped over the body Of Eversole and rified
it. AS he finished searching the pockets
Of Combs the latter opened his eyes and
said:
"Oh, Tom, why did you do this awful
deedY'
For answer Smith took aim at Combs
head. The boy, who was dying, looked
Smith in the 9ace and In q weak voice
pleaded:
"Oh, Tom, Tom, don't shoot me any
more, for I am killed and am dying fast
,enopgh!'
Smith, with his pistol still leveled, said:
'"Nick, can't afford to leave any wit
nesses"
AS the last word was uttered he pulled
tbe trigger, and the bullet entered the
boys right temple and came out through
the left temple.
For this crime he was tried before a
magistrate, Zack Fugate, as the county
judge, brother Of Joe Eversole, was
afraid to hold court The county attorney
was also absent, nad as Smith spirited
away the witnesses Squire Fugate could
do nothing but release him.
After killing Combs, Smith continued
bushwhacking friends of Evcrsole. He and
his brother Bill secreted themselves in a
cellarsof house in Hindman, the county
seat of Knott county, and in broad day
light sssassinated Ambrose Amburgy.
This crime occurred in 1880. In the latter
part Of that year everything was quiet in
Perry county, and French having removed
to Winchester, KY, the grand jury re-
turned several indictments against Smith
for his crimes.
This alarmed the murderer, and, gather
Ing crowd of his friends he visited Haz-
ard one dark night and set fipe to the Per-
~ county courthouse. All acknowledgements
and court records were destroyed except
some documents which were saved by Cole
man Reed Of Mount Sterling. BY threats
and by spiritAng away witnesses Smith
once more evaded the law.
After the courthouse was burned, a reign
Of terror prevailed In Perry county. Men
who had denounced his crimes deft the
county.
The county superintendent Of schools,
lAbner Eversolc, also had to leave. Several
other friends Of Eycrsole were notified 60
leave the county or die. Among these was
Robin Cornett, who lived just beyond Haz-
ard. He owned q very poor farm, on which
he was unable to make q living. On this
account no worked during the winter get
ting out logs One day, whilc he was 80
engaged, and while in sight Of his own
door and surrounded by his four little
boys, Tom Smith, Jesse Morgan and Bob
Prophet surrounded him and from the
bush shot him to death. Smith was In
dicted for this crime, but evaded trial by
having the case put of from court to court
and by forfeiting his bond.
During the session Of the Perry circuit
court In the fall of 1880, the French and
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