Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1902-02-14
KENTUCKY ] GANG CREMAIEl RI "A D
Sensational Report Of a Severe Battle
Between Sheriff's Posse and
Mountaineer's.
Reported that Several Men Perished
in the Flames Caused by Firing
"Blind Tiger"
Over Sixty Men Participated in the
Conflict, the Sheriff's Posse Num-
bering at Least Forty.

MlddleSbOrO,5 KY, FED l4.-AccOrd-
ing to the latest reports from the
scene Of Wednesdays fight at Lee
Turner's quarter house." between
sheriff's posse and mountaineer
eight men were killed and one was
mortally wounded in the conflict. The
dead are: Charles Cecil, deputy sher-
iff, and the following monntaineers:
Charles Dye, negro; March Wilson,
Perry Watson, Frank Johnson, Tur-
ner's bartender; Mark Welch, Turner's
chief lieutenant; jim Prado and a
man named Hopper. John Doyle Of
the sheriffs posse was mortally
wounded. It is also claimed that an
unknown moonshiner perished in the
flames when Turner's saloon was
burned and several other persons are
reported to have been burned to death,
although there is no confirmation OF
this rumor. Over so men were en-
gagged III the conflict. The posse, it
is claimed, numbered 40, and it was
opposed by 22 mountaineers. Lee
Turner, who is now at the Mingo
mines, denies that he took part in the
fight y as; =. s. 3..i5.5 t5ss 5
Although the scene of the fight be.
tween the sheriff's posse and Lee
Turner's men is only four miles from
this city it is still impossible to ascer:
tain the exact casualties on the Tur:
ner side. On learning that the officers
were coming toGhis blind tiger" Tur
ner called in his mountaineer follow
ers, who kept up a hot fire till their
building was burned. It is not yet
known definitely how many were il
the log barracks when the posse
made the attack or how many were
killed, wounded or perished in the
flames. Those who escaped into The
Cumberland mountains are still de
fant and the victims were cre1nated
There are reports of wounded Turner
men being
Cared for in the Mountains.
AS many murders for years have beer
reported in and about the noted los
house. surrounded by barricade 3(
feet high, there are many expressions
of satisfaction over it's destruction.
A month ago some mules owned by
Turner were levied upon because of q
debt due Giles Colson A week age
Turner, with bodyguard; went tc
Virginia where the mules had been
taken and regained them. While es
Gaping, Boone McCreary, one of Tur
ner's aides, was mortally wounded
Wednesday afternoon Deputy Sheriff
Thompson of Bell county swore in q
posse of SO citizens of Middlesboro tc
arrest Turner and the men implicated
in the Virginia raid. Turner heard OF
this and gathered the mountaineers
into his fortress for the fight.
When the posse arrived a demand
for surrender was refused, and firing
almost at once began. Cecil was shot
down. Cecil's body lay in front OF
Turner's gate. Doyle tried to get it.
but was shot down.
Enraged at this the posse set the sa.
loon and fortress on fire. AS the
buildings burned a steady stream Of
bullets was poured into them The
blame for the killing of Cecil and
Doyle is. being laid onto Welch and
other Turner men who are dead
Trouble is expected, however, before
any arrests are made on the charge of
numbering Cecil or Doyle.
There were no new developments
up to noon. Everything is quiet on
the surface. Lee Turner telephoned
to his wife, who lives in Middlesboro
that he is all right. Charles Cecil, the
slain deputy, will be buried at Bar