The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1915-05-26
MEN ACCUSED OF
DOUBLE MURDER
At Handy Station Some
Time Ago,
INDICTED At jacksonville
Alleged Leaders of Organiza-
tion Formed to Combat
"P0ssum Hunters"
NINE OWNERS ARE IN BUNCH

Madisonville, KY. May 22.-Two
men, one of whom is under arrest,
were indicted by the grand jury
here Friday, charged with the dou-
BILE murder of Demmet Woodruff,
storekeeper at Handy Station, and
his clerk, Glover Hoard, on Febru-
airy 26, and three others-one of
whom is the wealthy president of
the Carbonate Coal Company-are
charged with being accessories be-
fore the fact. The five men are al
legged to have been leaders of an
organization formed to combat the
"possum hunters" with the main
object in view of getting rid of
Woodruff and Hoard, who are alleg-
ed to have been largely responsible
for lawless conditions.
Jim Robinson and Floyd Crayner
are accused of willful murder. Rob-
inson was arrested at Handy Sta
ton Friday and lodged in Jail here.
Crayner left the county several
months ago and has not been heard
from.
C. s. Bookwalter, president of the
Carbonate Coal Company, a veal
thy man; Otto Hamilton, formerly
guard at the company's mines and
now police officer in Paducah. and
Grover Todd, also former employe
of the Carbonate mines, are charg-
ed in the true bills with being ac-
cessories.
Evidence that resulted in these
indictments being returned was
worked up by VIII Powers, former
deputy sheriff, who has been work.
ing under County Attorney G.. w.
Sypert since the crime was commit
ted. Believing the case could be
best worked out by one man, Sher-
if Logan left the matter in the
hands of the County Attorney and
Mr.. Powers was put on the case. He
has been in the neighborhood of
where the crime was committed for
the last two months. About seven
ty-five witnesses were before the
grand jury in this case alone.
From the information obtainsble
the crime was the result of pos
sum hunter" troubles in that section
of the county last fall. The rumor
has it that Woodruff, who was a
prosperous merchant at the little
town of Handy Station. and his
clerk, Glover Hoard, were friendly
to the "possum hunters" and it ap-
pears that an organization known as
the anti-Woodruff faction, compos-
ed of about twenty men. was organ
lied, the object being to get rid of
these two men. believing that in do
ing SO, it was claimed that the
troubles caused by the "possum
hunters" would come to close.
This was accomplished, for on the
night of Thursday. February 20, at
about o'clock. both Woodruff and
Hoard were assassinated. shotguns
being used. Bullets were fired
through their brains after they
were brought down with revolvers.
Cayenne pepper prevented blood
hounds following the trail. II has
not been shown who composed the
so-called Woodruff faction.
Bookwalter, president of the coal
company. is said to be worth $751;
900. He and Grover Todd We're in
The boarding house at Carbonate
he night the raid was made in
which the building was shot full of
holes. Bookwalter escaped without
injuries. Todd was badly wounded
md spent several weeks in hospit-
al at Darlington. A small boy was
llso injured in this raid. Following
his several negroes were whipped
md II is said here that the troubles
ed to the formation of the little
band of twenty as mentioned. II
has been generally rumored that in
lictments would be returned by the
yraDd jury. but when the announce
nent was made that the president
of the carbondale Coal company
was one Of the men, It ersated a
sensation.
woodruff. one OF the victims Of
ne Handy station tragedy had
Aeen In business IN that little town
or several years and had prospered