The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-19
MURDER IN THE FAMILY.
4 QUEER DEVELOPMENT OF THE
DRAUGHON-HdLL PEUD.

Iia Uncic. ana IL New Under Arrest mt tho
Hands OF Hts Brothcr-in-I nv. -. =. DrcuEhon
DENvER, Col, Sept. 16.-The killing OF a saw.
mill hand in an isolated mountain camp in Park
county last month has developed the story OF q
Kentucky fcud full OF interesting and dramatic
incidents. Last week John A. Draushon. County
Commissioner and receiver OF the Circuit Coura
OF Knott county, KY, arrived in Fairplay for
tho purpose of arrestinR his cousin and brother.
in.lnw and taking him back to Kentucky
to answer tho charge OF murder. Tho
ordeal which the Kentucky official 10
passing though is not an easy one.
T @ man he was seeking lies in a hospital
recovering from q gunshot wound. lie is =
blood relative. and his wife is n sister Of tho
wife OF tho Kentucky official. When John
Drauehon arrived in Fairplay he was met W
Mrs. Jay Draughon, who threw her arms about
his mock and sobbed and pleaded for mercy for
her husband. She begged John not to take Jay
back to Kentucky. At the hospital Jay
Draughon on his bed also joined in the prayers
OF his wife for clcmency.
Don't take me back to Kentucky" he begged.
"for that will mean certain death. am doing
well here, and will bother no one any moro.
Here I can live a quiet life and keep my family
In comfort"
But John A. Draughon was obdurate. He had an
official mission to perform. His duty 10 his Office
demanded that he should take Jay DraughUn,
though a blood relative. back to Kentucky 10
suffer for a crime ommitte there, though the
crime was the outRrowth OF a feud in which the
DrauRhons were arrhyed against another fam.
fly. The fall campaign is about to begin in
Knott county. and the Draughons have always
been a power in politics in that county. No
official weakness could be tolerated even when
the life Of a member OF the Draughon family was
at stake. For this reason John Draughon re-
sisted the entreaties o. tho wife and the
wounded man, and he ordered the local author
tiles TO place a watch over Jay until he was
sufficiently we'll to be transported back to Ken
lucky. Another very potent reason why John
Draughon should bring Jay Draughon to justice
10 because the recent victim OF Jay Draughon's
aim, the saw i'll hand, was no other than
Johns father. r. A. L. Draughon. Some time
In 1891 Jay Draughon escaped from Kentucky
Immediately after killing a man named Cum
ningham. He settled in Colorado. He went by
the lame OF Hiram Baker and in time was es-
tablished near Grant, Park county. where he
has been running a small sawmill. Last year
his uncle, II. A. L DrauRhon, who had killed a
man as the outRrowth of the Draughon. Hall
feud in 1895. Joined Jay at the sawmil, and. as
John Caudell. worked for the Hiram Baker Of
the mill. But the two men never got on peace
ably. Ten years ago Jay Draughon tried to kill
his uncle. but was prevented by relatives. On
that occasion he came into his uncle's store at
Hindman, KY. and inquired:
Where do you keep that moonshine whis.
keyf'
This query in q backwoods country store isa
most dangerous one 10 PROFOUND. and the old
man was enraRed in q moment. He told Jay 20
shut up and get out. This made Jay angry and
he took aim with his shotgun and would have
killed the storekeeper rad not one OF the by
atnnAara lpnnkaI ~ Tho basal 1k;a 1ra-r.1
WAS patched up because of the intense excite.
ment then existing relative to the feud between
the Draughons and the Halls.
1t was not long after r. A. L. Draughon.
under the name OF John Caudell. had come 20
Colorado to work in the sawmill when the two
men tesan TO Quarrel: The subject Of a division
OF the profits arising from the sawmill business
became n bone OF contention. On Aug; ls'he
two men went down Grant, and while there
they, crank too muca whisSey. While uncer
tho influence OF liquor they renewed the old
quarrel. This continued during the ride home
10 the sawmi'i and became dangerous as they
approached home; Two women riding out 10
visit Mrs. hiram Baker We're driving up a steep
Hill in the wagon. while the two ouarreli.nG men
strobe behind. suddenly Csudell drew his rifle
and sent 4 bullet after Boxer; who was soma
and escaped with the women. leaving CsHdeii
TO make his way home afoot Baker PREPARED
now for trouble; and he was not disappointed.
made straight for Bakers home. Baker me, him
at the door with n revolver in his hand. ,CAnir.l
S.iOA ~ SIiS tx ibaAti , suOA4A'E
Caudell and q bullet from his revolver Looked n
his tent. where ne died the fol owing afternoon.
Baker was arrested and taken TO FaIrgIay.
ner's jury rendered a verdict that Ca.dell had
died OF a gurshot wound given by Bake! in SELF
d%ronped.
When the news of his fathers death reached
John DrauEhon he telegraphed TO the Sheriff OF
Park county TO hold Baker as a fugitive muir
derer under an assumed name.
The Dranghon Hall conflict originated in 1873.
The dead body OF John Adams was found on Tho
street OF CattellsburG one morning. He had
been beaten to death in a hotel and hs
friend Of the Draushons and a half hrother o:
Iinyiile Higgins. Who suspected that Henderson
Hail wa responsible for the murder OF ADAMS:
brother lay dead that Halls life would have 70
pay the penalty, and he WAS as good as his word;
killed in Floyd county. Popular sentiment was
with Higgins and he was never e1rgsted.
the feeling between the Halls and DrauchorA
Several attempts at killing were made, and tor
Halls publicly vowed their intenton OF avens-
Ing he death Of Henderson Han. HigSil rs vas
with his relatives, stood ready for battle a
moments warning. One day. Higgins's body.
T F6T ssi sis s4,S Snl'1 Rem ~S Isn tSn9 s,m nsH Wr H19Sim t1s
Washington Craft were arrested and indicted.
Graft was acquitted and the trials of the Other
two men were never held.
The next murder was committed by Jay
Draughon during a drunken QUAR- in PAINS.
named Cunningham, and the quarrel was over
woman. Jay fled the country and settled n
Colorado as the Hiram Baker whom this story
concerns most.
The next death WAS that OF Henry H. n
Hindman, his Asssilant being II 4. |. nraus~o n,
the prosperous merchant and polite i Leader II
Knott county. Draughon had TO get out ~ no
State, and he hunted up his nephew jaw ut the
sawmill near Grant in this State. John \.
Draughon, who succeeded his father In political
power and who has personally directed ne f,m.
enforced absence from home, is now the central
figure o. the Draughon-IIall feud. tie must -.
turn with his cousin and hro:hcr-in.law TO
murderer of his father. TO Kentucky and turn
him over 10 the authorities for trial for tAe
, murder of Cunningham.