The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-31
KENTUCKY BANDIT
DFF|ES CAPTURE
Strange Career of Upton Day.
a Handsome Desperate of
the Blue Grass State

OWINGSVILLE, KY, July 30-At
the head of a deep, dark ravine, be-
tween two of the highest mountains in
Eastern Kentucky, in the Businesses of
Menifee county, Upton Day, a twenty
hve-year-oid outlaw, murderer and
moonshiner, lives and has his being.
Upton Day never goes to the nearby
towns because a reward of $500 has
been offered for his capture by the
state of Kentucky. But Upton Day
laughs at the law and its officers. He
says he will not be taken alive, and
those who know him say he will keep
his word.
Menifee county people say there are
six murders accredited to the account
Of this smooth faced young outlaw.
There are moonshine charges galore
against him, but Kentucky wants him
for murder.
Up to a short time ago Day was the
proprietor of moonshine still in the
dark ravine that he calls his home.
When bottle-of this liquid sunshine
was wanted there was a stump ON
which a quarter could be placed. Then
the owner of the quarter would leave.
When he returned some time later
pint of moonshine would be on the
stump and the quarter would have dis
appeared.
Gordon of Guards
A Gordon of guards watches over
Upton Day, and it would be impossible
for officers or any one else to pass
6 these lynx eyed mountaineers in an at
tempt to arrest the outlaw. These
sentinels are stationed at distances of
about quarter of a mile apart all
along the sides of the ravine and on
! the top Of the two big mountains near
| Days abode. At the approach of
stranger the sentinel first sighting him
i fires given number of shots from his
/ rifle. These shots are repeated by the
next sentinel in order until the reports
reach Day, who Immediately takes pre-
cautions to insure himself against
murder or capture. To guard against
the overzealousness of his sentinels,
who might in an evil moment attempt
TO win the $500 reward, Day wears
suit of armor under his clothing He
is said to be always armed, and certain
it is that he is always looking for trou-
BILE.
Wanted for Moonshining
Day was wanted for moonshining.
and in August, 1901, United States
Deputy Howard Wilson, of Mount Ster-
ling, accompanied by his brother, Chief
of Police Charles T. Wilson also of
Mount Sterling, and another man, went
to the Menifee county mountains to
arrest the desperate. After long
wait Day was seen coming along the
road in company with two women and
a man. The officers waited until Day
and his companions had passed and
then they called on the outlaw to sur
render.
In flash Day sprang in front Of one
of the women, and, drawing his revolt
Yer, opened fire on the officers The
rorscy. Il .
male companion of Day did likewise.
The officers and outlaws fired at each
other time after time, and only ceased
when Howard Wilson was stretched
on the ground dead. Day was then
lying on the ground shot almost to
pieces and his companion was badly
wounded. The women fed.
In Jail Some Time
Charles T. Wilson summoned help
and carried the body of his dead broth
er and the wounded outlaw to Mount
Sterling. Day was kept in Jail there
some time, it being thought that from
the nature of the wounds he received
In the battle, he could not live He
did live, however, and was removed
from the Mount Sterling jail to the
Jail at Frenchburg, Menifee county
The jaller Nvas warned that Day would
escape but he did not believe that
ened condition. If Day was weak,
he had friends on the outside of the
jail who were strong, and one dark
night gang of them galloped up to
the Jail and liberated their leader. Then
all rode to the mountains and Day has
not come out since. Days woman COM
panion before the battle took place was
Mrs. Belle Cole, who died few weeks
ago. She was the only woman moon
sinner in that section of Kentucky,
and had been under arrest many times.
1t was after his escape that Day es-
tablished his line of guards and his
fenoonshine still. His friends support
I'd him and guarded him then, as they
are doing now. The officers got so
close on his track that Day was com
PEELED to cease the manufacture of
mountain dew, and withdraw farther
into his ravine.
Officers Always Waiting
Two or three times Day has venture
ed to the road which runs by the side
of the mountains skirting the ravine.
Once he found an officer awaiting him
In the bushes, but Day heard the click
of the rifle as the sleuth cooked it.
Days hands flew to his belt and the
officer dropped his rifle. Day kept his
pistols leveied and told the officer to
git" and he got. The officer was one
of Days bitterest enemies, personally
and otherwise, yet the young outlaw.
who almost equaled Harry Tracey in
ferocity, spared his life.
Upton Day is said to be a handsome
fellow, and is we'll educated. Before
the battle with the Wilson's, Day walk
ed straight as an Indian, but after the
wounds that he received in that battle
had healed he walked with a decided
limp. and one of his arms is now
crooked beyond the possibility of its
ever becoming straight
Day, it is said, killed a man when
he was twelve years of age but re-
ceived no punishment. From that time
on he has been a desperate of the first
water Before the reward was offered
for him a favorite pastime of DAVIS
was to ride into small towns and gallop
up and down the streets in wild west
fashion, shooting with revolver in
each hand, and yelling like an Indian.
Putting on Style
Every symptom points to tendency
TO spread on style in Tombstone