The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-09
The Colonel Gives the Facts
About a Kentucky Shooting

AOCut O.
at is very fatiguin' to me-" said the
Kentucky Colonel, TO hesh all this talk
/. goin' the roun's about Dave Colson.
Il knew Dave Colson. Knew him pus-
sonally. Why, he was ono Of the finest
fellahs you evan laid eyes on, and the mos
mild mannahd man. Time in and time,
out have sat there at Chamberlin's, at
Washington, hughin' and talhin' and chin
min with Dave Colson. nevah saw Dave
Colson shoot at anybody what hadn't begun
to shoot at him fust. and that's mo than
you can say OF mos Kentucians.
4You remembah, don't you, the shootin'
OF the GalHgers at Harrodsburg, KY, when
you was little gurl2 Well, Dave Colson's
careah was somethin' like that mans what
did the shootin'. All the shootin' he done
was fo'ced upon him.
Il know you haven't forgot that shootin'
OF the Galligers because have heahd
you tell about it-how you was comm
down the main street Of the town when the
shootin' commenced. and saw 1t all.
sHarrodsburg Is q pretty lively town in
the shootin' line, I know. It's customa' y
for the women and children to drop haf
on the flo when the shootin' begins there,
and stay there till they quit not DARN to
60 neah a windah.
"You know. then. how the whole trouble
OF the Galiger shootin' come about. The
Galligers got that man up In a room. won
all his money away from him. then beat him
ovah the haid with hoss pistol.
THE mani forget his name-'was laid
up two or three weeks from the blows.
Then, as soon as he recovahd-hewss lame
man at that-he stood up In front Of his
barroom and shot the whole posse Of them
as they come out Of the Poteet House. across
the street. Cleaned out the whole en-
durin' family.
Yes, you're right there, he did spaah
one The youngest son. remembah
now, as he come out to see what the shootin'
was all about and saw his father and two
brothers layin' on the ground, shot thro'
the heart, the lame man he says to him,
says he:
I amt got nothin' agin you. Go on
back in
And the young fellah he went on back
in, and saved his life.
Now, call that shootin' under strong
provocation. What right had them there
Galligers to beat po' lame man ovah the
lodu WlON u HOoc piScSi' GNoho y Will
1T was the same way with Dave Colson.
The same way exactly.
sAs tole you befo', Dave Colson was a
fine educated, cultured man. He was a
college bred man and as meek as lamb
until he got stahted. This was how they
stahted him:
He was a membah OF the Legislature
in his own State. Then he was sent to
Congress. He threw up his position in
Congress to 20 to Cuban In the Spanish
American Wah. He was made Lieutenant
in that wah at little post called Admission,
in Alabamah.
"Now, at the same time there was young
man at Admission servin' in the army as
private. think, named Scott. He was a
nephew Of Bradley, who was Gov'nor Of
Kentucky.
This young fellah thought he would
run rough shod ovah Dave Colson and he
couldn't do nothin' with him on account
Of his bein' a nephew Of the Gov'nor Of
Kentucky. That was where he was mis-
taken. You can't run rough shod ovah
any Kentuckian with any sort OF spirit In
him. No. didn't say spirits; said
spirit.
young Scott made every sort Of trouble
he could for Dave Colson. There want
a mo- insubordinate young man at that post
ment, just to see how much Dave Colson
would stan.
After q while they all got together in a
barroom down there at Admission and Scott
began to insuk Dave Colson to his face,
he and some frien's of his. They was too
many for Colson that time, just as the
Galligers was too many for the man that
afterward shot them.
These young fellahs shot Dave in the
night s The hs shT tSes sn hit they
finally ended In Els insanity and suicide.
well, Colson he was laid up TO- about
three weeks with this blow on his head
and his bad aim. Then when he got up
But by that time his company had broke
So he went TO Frankfort, Ky.
AS It happened, young Scott went there.
too, and for the second time they met In a
was some hot words and the fight COM
menced
sAs tole you befo'. Dawes arm was
slightly disfggered by that pistol shot OF
young Scott's down at Admission. but he
half bad, 8 FAIRS shootin' goes, even for
Kentuokian.
sIts about the worst thing that could
happen to o Kentuckian TO have his pistol
aim "ri,lyzed. but, as I say, Colson, he
done the bes' he could undah the ciroum-
stances.
well, Scott, he began to shoot first
q fairs KIN get the right OF II; then Col
son. he lit in, and what he done was good
and plenty.
scott he was big giant OF q fellAh
like balm do to shoot Mt. Nevah no feah
Of not hittin' him, long's yore sight was
good. So what does he do but grab up O