Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1896-07-04

THE HISTORY OF A FEuD.

the less authentic record of legendary
tales, McNabb's cove had shared with
its scanty population the evil report OF
bad neighborhood. geographically,
it is a mere cash in the side of Murphy
mountain, with few acres of arabic
land in the center shut in on three sides
by steep wooded hills, whose submits
are the cliffs of the mountain. Prac-
tically inaccessible on three sides, en-
trance by the fourth is scarcely less
difficult. A narrow wagon road winds
up the sharp ascent which measures
the height of the cove above the level of
Harmony valley; and besides this there
are no means of ingress or egress for
vehicles, and none for pedestrians save
such as are afforded by two or three
rocky trails up the sides of the moun-
tain.
The isolation of McNabb's cove had
much to do with it's unsavory reputa-
ton. For many years the Bynums,
whose log farmhouse of "two pens and
passage" was the only human habita-
ton in the small valley, had acted as
go-between for the illicit distillers on
the mountain and their customers in
Harmony valley. In consequence OF
this, the cove had been the scene of sew
cral encounters between the revenue
officers and the moonshiners; and al
though the Bynums had usually MAIN
tanned an outward show of neutrality,
there was little doubt that they had al
ways given the secret aid to their
ncighbors on the mountain. 1t was
during the life of Col Latimer's father
that the Bynums had first brought
themselves within the pale Of the law.
A revenue officer had climbed the steep
road leading to the cove one afternoon,
and the next morning his dead body
was found at the foot of the declivity
with bullet hole in the skull. Old
Squire .Latimer was justice of the
peace at the time, and he was especial
lv active in pushing the inquiry which
finally fixed the crime upon one of the
Bynums. AS the evidence was mostly
circumstantial, the murderers got off
with Il life sentence; but for the
sources part in the prosecution the
Bynums declared war upon the Lati-
nler family, instituting series of per-
secutions which eliminated in the
burning of the manor-house in the val
ley. The ex-Virginian was law-abid-
ing man, and, although there was lit
tic doubt as to the identity of his enc
mics, he refused to retaliate in kind.
With each fresh depreciation he re-
doubled his efforts to obtain proof
which could be produced in court: but
his prosecutors were shrewd and crafty.
and he was never able to get conclusive
evidence against them. After the
burning of the manor-house the squire
quilt 1.-THE Laurels" on the plateau of
sfurphy mountain; but he did not live
long to enjoy his new home. The
plateau farm was reached by road
which climbs the face of the ascent
from Tregarthen. Beyond the Lati-
mer estate it skirts the brow of the
mountain, following the line of the
cliffs and doubling around the head OF
| McNabb's cove. One morning when
| the squire was riding along this road AT
a point where it comes out upon the
edge of an abrupt precipice command
| ing view of the cove, a
rifle-shot rang out, and the fright
ened horses galloped riderless back to
1.-THE Laurels." When the searchers
found him short time afterwards the
squire was quite dead; and before noon
John Bynum was in Jail at Tregarthen,
charged with the commission of the
crime. At this distance of time there
appears to be at least reasonable
doubt of his guilt. He was seen in the
village, and in fact was arrested there,
within two hours of the time when the
murder was committed; and while the
distance from the head of the cove to
Tregarthen by the road leading past
"The Laurels" is only three miles, it is
six by the way he must have gone tc
avoid meeting the searching party
This, and other facts, might have been
| brought out in a trial, but the Bynums
we're unpopular and their feud with the
Latimers was well known. The news
II the squire's death spread rapidly
through the valley during the day, and
Jail and secured the hapless prisoner
| VINO WAS hurried TO Une scene Oh the
murder and hanged to the nearest con
Tenient tree.
With the death of John Bynum the
feud smoldered for several years. His
only brother, Jed, who was absent al
the time of the lynching, moved to
Texas short time afterwards, anf
there were left only the widow and hel
four children ON the small farm in the
cove. 1t is to be supposed that The
woman, who was Bynum by blood a.
well as by marriage, did not fail to
teach her children the catcchism o.
vengeance; but, however this may be
hostilities were renewed as soon as tn,
boys were old enough to follow in the
footsteps of their elders.
Col. Latimer, the sqIIire's son anC
heir. inherited little of the peace-lovinf
temper of his father. The first time h
found his fences thrown down and tn,
cattle in his fields, he armed himsel
with a heavy riding whip and wen
; about nursing his wrath till his oppor
tunity should arrive Meeting JEFF
Bynum in the street of Tregarthen. thu
indignant colonel proceeded to met
out to the younger man such a measure
of chastisement as he thought the cas-
demanded, paying for his satisfaction
a few days later with broken arm
shattered by the bullet of an ambushet