The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1912-05-22
PAYS A TRIBUTE
To Ed CALLAHAN
Mountain Preacher Paints
a Picture of
THE FAMOUS FEUD LEADER
Co attributed to the Urlift of
HiS Community By Build
ing a Church.
WAS DESTROYED By AMBITION

Alaysville, KY, May 1S.-The
Rev. Joseph NJ. Evans, of this city,
the Southern Presbyterian noun
tain evangelist, who has been per-
sonally acquainted with nearly all
I':e good and bad people of the
mountains of Eastern kentucky,
has This to say of Ed Callahan, who
died recently from the effects of an
assassin's bullets
with the death of Ed Callahan,
the last of the leaders on either
side, it seems that the most noted
feud of Kentucky should only be a
memory. The public knew him as
a desperate, a murderer, an assas-
sin. a fiend incarnate. With no de-
sire TO excuse, palliate or condone,
] only desire to do him evenhanded
Justice. His was a unique charac-
most without any education, his
surroundings devoid of any refine
ment or anything that ennobles or
elevates, be had absolutely nothing
10 develop or encourage him to fol-
low the path of rectitude. From
infancy he was taught to avenge by
physical force any insult or injus-
tiCe. He learned his lesson well.
Brave, manly, shrewd, executive,
ne fought the battle of life success
fully. No obstacle hindered him.
Poor, by untiring energy and indus
try he amassed a fortune of goodly
proportions.
His wife was a member of one
OF the best families of the noun
tains. Their home was one of most
generous hospitality. Some years
ago DR.. f. o. Guerrant, under a
tent, held a meeting on Galatians f.
premises and near his residence. Ed |.
Callahan, his wife and neighbors, |.
in number more than 100, united |.
with the church. The question pre- !
scented itself at once: What must |
be done for a house of worship? |
Ed Callahan said: One church |
will be built in Breathitt county
without aid from abroad. Collect
what you can and | will give the re-
mainder." And he did, at a cost
of hundreds of dollars. 1t was in
this building that l saw him first.
For years he lived, so far as is
known, an upright and useful life.
His home was the minister's home.
He dispensed an abundant hospital
ity. He educated his daughter at
Oxford, o. She became an accom-
plished scholar, musician and retin-
by myself there she presided at the
organ and led the singing. All was
well in the home.
Alas! an evil genius came and
entered Galatians life. A
thirst for position and notoriety
took possession of him. He be-
came allied with one of stronger ,
will, and the old feud spirit of his
ancestors was aroused. Men stood
between him and the realization of
his dreams of position. He receiv-
ed instructions from some who said,
Dead men tell no tales 1t was
the beginning of the end-one deed
demanded another. Like the sleuth
hound, he never bolted the track
when once he Tapped the blood. The /
deeds that followed are history and a
cannot be changed. Let us throw a
the mantle Of charity over them 4
and thank our Heavenly Father '
hat We We're more fortunate in our g
early surroundings and our later 4
associations. Nothing that could h
be written will change an iota what 2
S numbered with the eternal past 7
Whatever any one may think of Ed &
Callahan, but for him Witherspoon
College, in the mountains of East
srn Kentucky, educating hundreds
,f mountain boys and girls, where
ne died, would have had no exist
ance. There never was a man so
,wfully bad that he had not one
GOOD trait or never did one good y
hing in his life; so it was with Cal G
ahan."