New-York tribune., 1905-11-06
MILITIA FIGHT OUTLAWS.
R4TTLE IN KENTUCKY.
uopntaineers Establish Reign Of
Terror in Mining Tozon.
rBy Telegraph to The Tribune.l

1,nor,,ille Tenn, Nov. 5.-The feud rldoeh
-.,.t,g town Of Middleshoro KY, about sixty
- niles north of this city, is tonight in the
.,-ooe Of reign Of terror that borders on actual
'or4are and looks if it will surpass in vio-
W. end disorder. even the noted Breathitt
-orntv feuds. This afternoon the Middiesooro
1,,ia company which has been patroling the
-, and its vicinity for three days and nights
80 in conflict with a band of mountaineers,
al some five hundred shots were dis
charged
rr,a tro,,lie began with the murder of John
ro,an Middlesboro barber by Frank Bell
ahor+ Two weeks ago. Bell has defed the au-
.to-ties for two weeks Efe is said to he leading
Gang Of forty Iawless mountaineers who have
,.en committing depredations and robbing trav-
nr,ers on the public highways. On Thursday
rgft this gang boldly came into town on ram
mage and shot Bob Bryson, railroad watch
man Business was paralyzed and the COM
,nunity thrown into a state of terror.
The local militia company was ordered out
end a law and order committee of 100 citizens
1o-ned on Saturday the mountaineers made
soveraJ demonstrations. and trouble appeared
certain On Saturday night they remained
o,,iet hut on Sunday they appeared several
times and threatened to begin the battle To-
dav Captain George ". Albrecht who is charge
of the situation learned that the mounta1neers
,sra entrenched in a blind tiger building in the
gan of the mountains three miles east OF Mld-
6esboro AT . O'Clock this afternoon he sent
out q platoon of troops. who ran across several
~ the 1nountaineers and volleys We're eX-
changed Two hours later a second detachment
NOS sent out to reinforce the first. About =
o'clock according to reliable telephone informa-
,ton the entire body engaged the mountalneers
4. rag-,Iar hattie formation on the side of the
mountain
The troops attacked the blind tiger and rid
died il with bullets. Several mountaineers We're
in the house but they succeeded in escaping.
Two nountaineers We're discovered only apout
$50 feet from the soldiers. who fiEed VoiIey
.+ .re7, and one OF the mountaineers dropped
wounded. but crawIed off in the underbrush'
and fhe troops failed to search for him Al an
ether noint citizens saw two armed men cross
the State line into Lee County. Va. carrying
wounded man. The troops at another time en-
aged body of the lawless gang and were hred
on nearly . hundred times 1t is certain that
two Of the mountaineers were wounded out
none of them could be captured
Tonight the troops returned TO MldoIesoofo
after securing the mountains and sending scouts
g. Gil directions when the roll was called three
members of the company were missing, ara
faars % to their fate are entertained. The COM
many is patrolling the town tonight, and has
been on constant duty for thirtysix hours They
are aided by citizens of the law and order
league The latter has received large con-
sienr7ent of guns and ammunition that are be-
ing guarded 81 town ready Tor Instant use, 4
estachment Of officers and W. ". Pare, spe-
ciaI agent. are guarding all Louisville and Nash
Vile express trains. Governor Beckhan1 is in
constant communication with the local authorl-
ties. and is expected to send another militia
company TO Mid6lesboro Monday.
a crisis in the strained situation is expected
within the next twenty-four hours Although
worn out, the troops are game and viii go out
again Monday in an attempt to arrest Bell and
his gang. The troops are armed with rifles and
Colts revolVers. They say they have a large
store Of ammunition and will give battle at the
least move by the mountaineers The noun
taineers are desperate and swear TO submit to
no authority. The community is in a state OF
terror. business is paralyZed. and il is regarded
IS dangerous to appear on public roads, or out
OF the town, especially at night. All the tele-
phone wires have been cut by the mountaneeIs
except the TO Knoxville