The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-09-27
LEFT THEIR FEUD
TO GO TO WAR.
Bakers, Hatfelds and Whites Enlist
in the New Volunteer Army.

Peace reigns in the mountains o.
Clay county, Ky, for the fighting mel
of the famous Baker family, knowing
themselves overpowered, beaten and
Outnumbered, resolving not to stand
and be killed nor to sue for peace with
the HOwards, have enlisted in the
United States army. The fighting
strength of the Baker family is gone
the boys have Joined Company NJ ol
the new Thlrty-first United States Vol
unteer Infantry, and are now at San
Francisco waiting to go aboard the
transport bound for Manila.
Forty OF the most famous Of the Ken
lucky fighters-Bakers, Hatiields and
Whites are in Company NJ. The Whites
of Company NJ, although related to the
Whites, of the Howard family, are
friends of the Bakers and related to
them through marriage, and are exiled
with them through fear--if the word
can be used in connection with these
men-of determination. The boys are
marching to war, but they vow to re-
turn when the two years Of service in
the Philippines is over, and one of
them, a corporal, says when they do
they will rally and there viii be left
no Howard in all Kentucky.
The Thirty-first Regiment under Col.
Petit, was recruited at Fort Thomas,
in the highlands back of Newport, KY.
When the call for troops to suppress the
rebellion in the Philippines came and
recruiting of the new Thirty-first COM
menced, blue-eyed handsome noun
taineer, armed with a revolver came
and announced his intention of enlist
ing. He was examined and accepted.
He was Bob Baker, one Of the nerviest
men and one of the best shots in the
mountains; and everybody in the ken
lucky hills can shoot.
Within a week he was Joined by a
dozen of his brothers and kinsmen,
and when the regiment moved on Au-
gust Is there were A. Of the elan en-
rolled in Company NJ, aud peace was
assured in Clay county for the next
two years at least. OF those A men
every one is crack shot, but they long
for their pistols, and will not be recon-
ciled with Krag-JorgensOn.
A few days ago when the company
was on tie rifle range Bob Baker shoot
ing over 400 yards, scored 96 out of a
possible 100, and when his lieutenant
congratulated him onihis ms.rksman-
ship be said: "That amt nOthin'. If
/ only had my Is Winchester l reckon
could shoot some"
The Baker and White boys, of Com
pany NJ, as they elambered for the first
time in their lives-into the sleepers
that were to carry them TO San Fran
cisco, and gazed for the last time in
two years, perhaps forever, at the Ken
lucky hills, went hopefully. One Of
them, talking to his lieutenant just as
the train moved said:,
"We'll come back, and when we do
them fellows had better watch out"
Outnumbered and driven from home,
the spirit Of the feudists still held
strong in the mountain lads.
They declare the Bakers are not yet
whipped, and that they will revenge
themselves yet. They say they can
not hope to contend with the Howards
unless they secure allies, and they hint
that the Philpots-One of the strongest
clans in the mountain eOuntry-are
friendly to the Bakers, and that if the
Philpots ever come out openly against
the Howards the feud will end in the
determination of the Howards and the
Griffin-Morris families. The PhilpOts
and Griffin-Morris clans have been at
war for five years.
The history of the Baker-Howard
war has been written many ii Is. The
trouble started originally in a dispute
over the ownership of some logs, and
in the fight which followed Tom Baker
killed w. Howard and b. Storer-
From that day to the departure of the
Bakers for the army there has been no
cessation of hOstilities. During the
last two years four Bakers and nine
HOwards have been killed.
Bob Baker, a corporal in Company
NJ, is the leader of the Bakers in that
company. His father, one brother and
three cousins have been killed in the
last four years. His cousin, Tom Bak-
er, was killed recently while in the
guardhouse of a Kentucky militia reg
iment, surrounded by soldiers He was
being held for the killing of Will
White. John and Sid Baker are the
best shots and the nerviest men Of the
clan. They are brothers, but have ar
rayed themselves on differant sides OF
the feud, for Sid Baker married a
Howard and since has fought with the
clan of his wife against his own fam
lily.
Bundy Green, private in Company
NJ, is cousin of the Bakers, and in the
recent rifle practice on the range at
Fort Thomas made the best score of all
the shsrpshOOtersof the company. Two
days ago he scored So out of possible
100 at 400 yards. Heis. known as the best
shot with Winchester in all the noun
tains, and last Christmas killed II turk
eys straight at 800 yards, and every
turkey was hit in the head.
Corporal Bob Baker, the military
leader Of the clan, seems to bear j
charmed life. He has been the especial
object of dislike of the HOwards fol
several years, and half dozen at.
tempts to kill him have failed. He has
never been scratched by a bullet. He
and his brother, who afterward was
killed, were with their father when be
was fired upon and killed, and togeth'
er the boys killed their fathers slayer
John Wilson.
Among the recruits in Company N
is another famous Kentucky fighter,
Jim Hatfield, a nephew of "Old Cap
Hatfield, who enlisted, so he says, be
cause he hates peace. Hatfield carrie:
bullet in his thigh which was buried
there when he was but l3 years old
and be quietly adds, in telling the
story. that a year later he killed the