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Archiver > KYLAUREL > 1997-09 > 0873158557


From: "Gerri Sutton" <>
Subject: EXCERPTS from the MOUNTAIN ECHO 1899
Date: Mon, 1 Sep 1997 20:02:37 -0400


Reprinted with permission of the Laurel County Historical Society
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DECEMBER 1899

Mr. Robert Root, a citizen of Clay county all his life, is now a citizen of
London. He says that Wednesday night was the first time that he ever slept
outside of Clay county as a citizen that on that night he never heard a gun
fire, something unusual.

BADLY WOUNDED-At Manchester last Monday a general fight ensued in which Mr.
D. P. Wilder, his son John, Wes Whitaker and others were probably engaged
and when the smoke of battle cleared away it was found that John Wilder had
a bad gun wound in the neck.

MARRIED-At the court house yesterday morning by Rev. W. F. Bray, Mr. Elijah
Foley to Miss Milda Faris.

Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Johnson have returned from their bridal tour to Texas,
and seem to be as happy as two big sunflowers.

NEW PHONES-The London Telephone Co. have put in the following instruments
since our last report:
No. 26 Herbert, J. G. Store
No. 25 Mason, Dr. J. B. Residence
No. 54 Bastin, J. W. Residence
Ring three short and one long.

INSTANTLY KILLED-At Benge, Clay county, sixteen miles east of London, late
last Friday afternoon, Ned Rodgers, was shot and killed by Sam Philpot.
just the origin of the difficulty or just how it was brought about we are
not fully advised. We have the version of one side of it, but we have not
been able to hear from the other side, and as there are usually two sides
to all controversies and difficulties, we hardly think it fair to either
side to give the version of one side without giving both. As usual,
accepting the version of the friends of the dead man as true, the killing
was murder, but probably, when the other side is heard from, it may change
the phase of matters materially, and as both parties are friends and
patrons of The Echo, we hesitate to give an expert statement of the affair;
that is give the version of one side until the other is heard from. However
we do not think there can be any question to the fact that Ned Rodgers
and Henry Hampton were together when they met Sam and Jim Philpot in the
road, and immediately the difficulty came up with the above result. Mr.
Rodgers had, just a few days prior to the killing, returned home from
Indiana, where he had been for about eight months. We are indeed sad to
report these sad occurrences and hope the day may soon come when there will
be no more of them.

Born-To the wife of Mr. George Hayes, a nine pound girl. All doing well.
Dr. Mason, attending.

Henry Clay the little son of our townsman H. C. Thompson, is a musical
prodigy, He is only five years old and can play on the piano almost any
tune he hears. Mr. Thompson is quite proud of his little son, and will at
once have his musical education begun, under the direction of competent
instructors.

TWO SHOT-Down below the Swiss colony, ten or twelve miles west of London
last Wednesday, a difficulty came up between some parties and quite a
number of shots were fired and when the smoke had cleared away it was found
that William Strong had been shot through the thigh and John Ball, son of
Mr. Nick Ball, was shot in the face, the ball entering at the mouth and
came out at the jaw. It is not known exactly who did the shooting but one
report says that it was one of the Mason boys, but this is non confirmed.
the wounded parties are resting well and will recover.

RUN IN-At about noon last Saturday two young men, Joseph Warren and James
Brewer, of the Western portion of this county, having been to Pittsburg and
filled up on corn juice, thought they would take London as they passed
through especially was this the case with young Warren, who when they
arrived near the center of the town, drew his thirty-eight revolver and
fired a crack at creation, and at the same time turning the elements blue,
so to speak, with profanity, cursing everybody he could see and flourshing
his pistol in the air. Soon after they had passed the center of town they,
both riding the same horse, met Town Marshal Eb Moren who commanded them to
surrender, but instead Warren leveled his gun at Moren and fired, a general
fusillade between the Town Marshal and Warren began in which nine or ten
shots were fired, but no one was hurt from the fact that the two boys were
running their horse at the top of his speed. They then rode out of town as
fast as their horse could carry them. The Marshal went to the very stable
and secured a horse and summoning a number of others to go with him started
in hot pursuit and after riding about two miles they overtook the boys, and
after the exchange of several more shots without effect they arrested the
boys, brought them back to town and locked them up. Later they were given
trials when Brewer was acquitted but Warren was not so successful, as he
was fined in three cases for shooting in the town and held over to Circuit
Court for shooting with intent to kill in a bond of $500, in default of
which he was locked up.

News reaches here that in Clay county last Saturday Pleas and Alexander
Fisher, brothers and both friends of the Philpots in their recent trouble
with the Griffins, fell out while discussing the feud, whereupon Pleas shot
and killed Alexander.

CHRISTMAS GIFTS- County Court Clerk has issued marriage license to the
following parties during the Christmas holidays:
White: John Smith to Mollie Bruner; John D. Cromer to Lucy Moore; Oscar
Wiggins to Millie Cromer; Kimper Ward to Pollie Brown; Geo. Moore to Rosa
Belle Dooughty; Harve Patton to Lousia Houston; R. A. Jones to L. J. Jones;
H. B. Whitson to Lora C. Herron; and W. G. Taylor to Dory Poynter.
Colored: Samuel Snider to Hattie Fis

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