The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-02-17
HIGH JINKS IN KENTUCKY
Church Affair Began with Shooting
and Ended with Dance.
Curious Phases of Mountain Life I'm
the bluegrass Statc--Evcry-
body shoots.

The best shots in the world are the
Kentucky mountaineers. The West has
nothing to compare with them. When It
comes 10 pulling a gun" quickly and
shooting accurately. the most expert Of
frontier bad men would appear slow and
clumsy by the side Of many OF these
mountain outlaws.
They learn TO shoot almost as soon as
they graduate from the cradle Many Of
their sports relate 10 shooting. The pro-
prietOr Of the crossroads store has a
shooting gallery I'm his establishment
where in other localities you might ind
a slot machine. in one store. says a
writer in Outing, I saw wheel about
half the size of a spinning wheel with
numbered peces Of cardboard on the dit-
fereut spokes.
The charge was ''nipence' 90 cents q
shot. and the participant picked his num-
Der The prizes ranged al the way
from box Of cartridges to a bag OF
c0rnmeaI or a side Of SOW bosom" ac-
cordiug TO the size of the piece Of card
board selected The wheel was given a
swift whirl by the storekceper. but judg-
ms from the shooting I saw I could not
md out wherein he derived any profit
from the contrivauce-
Probably the most respected citizen IN
Eastern Kentucky mountain districts is
old Shackleford. who lives at the head Of
Poor Fork Greek, in Perry County.
Saacklef0gd Is getting old now-he must
Doe about seveuty-but there Is no ad-
venturous. nre-oatng youth who cares
to try conclusions with him. Too many
have attempted that and died.
He has "a record Of thirty-eight killings
TO his c-edt. q record that 30 Western
desperate from Las Vegas 10 The Cana
dian line has ever oqualed. lie has
been shot from ambush. but he has sur
yivcd his wounds. although this much
cannot be said of the man that shot
arst.
His Heighbors stand in awe OF him and
he IS said 60 bear "a charmed fife. His
cabin IS decorated with coon skins and
over the front door IS nailed the skin
Of the biggest rattlesuake ever killed in
the Kentucky mountains
ShaCklefOrd's most dreaded antagonist
IN a fight was his wife. and iie killed her
several years ago En- ii domestic brawL
The militant old lady was given an inn
posing resting place She was buried on
the top OF Harlan Peak, and her grave
was dug eight feet deep. Shackleford has
directed that he be buried just above her
when he dies.
II want folks 20 know that I come out
on top, he said Gen giving his Instructions.
We had good chance 20 see how Ken
lucky religious controversies are settled
when we moved ~ into Perry County,
The Feet Washers and Muddy Heads
tb0th being varieties Of BaDtiSts) had
Joined forces and built a church on the
crest of d ridge the usual site for public
edifccs. Everything went well until ii
came 70 the quqestiou OF dedicating the
place Of worship, and on this point the
Earring sects could not agree.
Word Of impending trouble had reached
our camp. which was about half a mile
away from the new church. and we We're
on the lookout for developments The peo-
pie began streaming by our tents by day
break. although the hour set for the ser
vices was 10 O'Clock. II was a beautiful
Easter morning. and there was no lack Of
color I'm the print frocks of the women,
while the men were loaded down with
enough hardware TO have awed d regi-
ment Of militia
What amazed US was the utter lack Of
timidity shown by the women. They
knew there was likely 90 be "A clash. but
the possibility of wholesale shooting did
not prevent their going or check their
gayety.
And there YVES plenty Of trouble. Tho
Feet Washers captured the church mt the
start and began services. Then the Mud
dy Heads registered a protest
The shooting kept mp for thirty minutes
by the watch. but the execution was not
as great as might have been expected.
Three Feet Washers and two Muddy
Heads We're killed and about a dozen
wounded altogether. The Muddy Heads
came out victorious, but they were mag
unanimous.
They postponed the dedication and pro-
posed a dance instead, TO which their
opponents were invited. The dance lasted
until early Monday morning