The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1910-08-31
RIVER CAPTAIN
KILLED ON BOAT
BY Blow Struck by Derrick
Engineer.
TWO HAD QUARRELEO BEFORE
Homicide Claims Self. Defense
Brought to Hartford
and Now In Jail.
A VERY DEPLoRABLE AFFAIR

Herman (nicknamed Brigham
Young, engineer on der
rick boat, was brought to Hartford
early Friday morning and lodged in
Jail, charged with killing Capt. T. X.
Bowles, of the towboat Samuels, of
Evansville. The trouble occurred at
Morton's Landing, not far from
Smallhous, on Green river, last
Thursday.
BY the kind permission of Jailer
Midkiff, The Herald scribe went up
into the jail and interviewed Young.
He is an open-faced, frank young
man and seemed very willing to talk
and tell about mis- trouble. He says
he is twenty years old and his faith
err, ]. H. Young, runs lock No. 6, on
Green river. His mother is dead,
but he has step-mother and several
half-sisters and brothers. He gave
his version of the affair, which was
as follows:
Young says he is a steamboat en-
gineer, struggling for a license,
which is obtainable only through
long and tedious work. The tow
boat Sam1els is owned by Capt. Peter
H. Johnston, of Evansville, who also
owns other towing craft and derrick
beats, which he keeps in charge of
various boat men. The first trouble
between Young and Capt. bowles oc-
Cured several weeks ago, says
Young, when the latter was fireman
on the Samuels under Capt. Bowles.
Young says that for some reason
, Capt. Bowles formed a dislike for
him and they did not get along we'll
together. This trouble brought
about Young's resignation, he says,
and Capt. Johnston later put him In
charge of the derrick boat, which
was in tow of the Samuels when the
fatal ARRAY occurred. Young says
Capt. Bowles continued his dislike
for him and came across upon the
derrick boat and commenced order
ing him around, also abusing him In
harsh language. This was resented
by Young, who then informed Capt.
Bowles that he (Young) had been
put in charge of the derrick boat and
he intended to assume full authority
over everything about the little craft.
This language, Young says, threw
Capt. Bowles into terrible rage and
he sprang at the young engineer.
grabbed him by the collar, threw him
upon a pile of coal and told him to
get off the boat. Young says he felt
that Capt. Bowles was trying to beat
him up, and as he arose from the
coal, he grabbed a stick of wood
about as large as a policeman's club
and hurled it at Capt. Bowles. Just
at this instant Capt. Bowles had
turned towards the engine and the
missile struck him on the side or
back of the head. knocking him
down. The stricken Captain never
moved after he fell and was lifted
and taken by the boat crew from the
derrick boat onto the Samuels.
Young says he had no intention of
killing Capt. Bowles, but aimed to
defend himself.
Young then left the derrick boat
for awhile, going ashore and walk
ing to Smallhous, distance of about
a mile and a-half, to telephone Capt.
Johnston, his boss, of the trouble. Up
on returning he says he was inform
ed that Capt. Bowles was coming
around all right, but later was told
that he was dead. Capt. Bowles new
er regained consciousness after be-
ing struck.
Sheriff T. H. Black. of Hartford,
was informed by telephone of the
affair and left Immediately in bug
gy for the scene of the. trouble. ac-
ycompanied by Deputy Sheriff Sam
Keown. They arrived about mid
night and found the young homicide
in bed. Young got up Immediately
and came along willingly with the
Sheriff. They arrived In Hartford
Friday morning. Young's examining
trial is set for next Saturday. before
Judge Wedding.
Capt. Bowles home is at Roches-
ter. He was SO years old and had
long been in the river service. Her
man Young was born in Bowling