The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1910-04-08
fatal shooting.
Oscar Waller Killed BY Ben
DlankGRshIp.
DsDloTabIs Ending Of Trouble Between
Two Young Cousins Of
This County.

That deadly combination, bullets
! and booze, got in its dlreful work
not far from this city on Thursday
7 evening last. A tragedy was then
and there enacted whose results
will be far-reaching and lasting
one young man. Oscar Waller.
sleeps IN new grave on the hill
side overlooking the home which,
in the flush OF stalwart young
manhood. he had left that morning,
only to bs brought back the next
day mangled. bullet-plerced corpse
His slayer, a youth not yet grown
20 mans estate, is fugitive from
justice. a hunted criminal, not dar-
ing 10 seek the light OF day, with
a reward for his capture, and, II
the story told is true, with punish
ment swift aud condign awaiting
him This hunted man is Ben Blan-
kenship, and. more's the pity. he is
blood relative Of the man whose
life he took.
OF course. this paper has neither
partlality for nor prejudices against
either Of these parties In common
with the entire public it lamentS
the tragedy and deplores the con.
dltions which made Il possible. The
NEWS has sought diligently TO gel
at the truth. the bottom facts OF the
homicide. and in relating what has
been told 10 II by disInterested
I parties II nothing extenuates. lay
, down naught IN malice
1T Is said that between oscai
Waller. son OF Lindsay Waller. ant
Ben Blankenship. son OF Moss
Blankenship. sort OF enmity hat
existed for years. in fact ever sinc'
they went to school together. The
bad feeling frequently broke ou
and showed Itself in quarrels ant
sometimes blows.
On Thursday. March Slst. IN,
two met near the mouth OF Blaine
Both, II is said. had been drinking
and they soon began to quarrel
Ben, so Il is alleged, struck a
Oscar with knife, and Oscar re
piled BY striking Ben with a stone
Mutual friends interfered and tn
young men separated, going differ
ent ways.
Waller lived Just this side o
Potter station, four miles west o
this city. A couple OF miles belo,
his home stands what is known a
the old Harmon Burke house, no,
occupied by Sid HensIey. walle
reached this place and stopped I
rest and get drink of water. Ho,
long he had been there befor
BIankenship came along and stoT
ped this paper is unable to say. Fl
was seen to go in the direction Q
z Buchanan.
When he arrived at Hensley h
Immediately approached walle
who was sitting on the ground |
front OF the house, and said, ID
you want to take this up again9
Waller said nothing and Ben agai
asked him II he wanted to TAX
II up again, Waller said no, b
didn't, but that he was not afrai
Of him. Blankenship immediatel
drew pistol and began to empt
II into the body OF the helplel
victim. Every shot took effec
One arm received two bullets, al
other went through the lapel
his coat and another pierced Il
bowels.
Waller fell back and was carrie
into the house. II is said tn,
after Blankenship had emptled h
pistol he broke the barrel and r
loaded, saying he had notion
80 into the house and blow Waller
brains out However, realizing VIII
he had done, he hastily went to Il
home Of his father. who lives
West Virginia, at the mouth
STabor Creek, and has SO far evads
arrest
The shooting occurred about III
o'clock, not long after the evenii
train for Ashland had passed. Me
ical aid for the wounded man W,
cent for. and DR., Jay Carter.
Fai'sburg, who was in the neie
horhood on professional businei
Ne soon found. Recognising Il
efasity Of the case he asked 4