Proposed Fair Fight Ends in Violent Murder, Rockcastle, 1883

Previously:

Click here for a list of my other Pulaski/Rockcastle/Laurel County KY articles

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[November 26, 1883] -

Wake Roberts and Whitton Rice had a difficulty at Livingston Saturday.  Roberts was, perhaps, fatally stabbed. [1]

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[November 27, 1883] -

On Thursday evening, Wake Roberts met a man named Whelon Rice and proposed to have a fair fight with him.  He got off his horse for that purpose and got ready for a fight.  Rice picked up a rock and Roberts seeing that he would throw, made a motion as if he would draw his pistol, and Rice caught him and began to cut him with a knife.  He stabbed Roberts in each lung and in several other places, from the effects of which he died Sunday evening at 3 o'clock.  Roberts was drinking when he proposed the fight, and Rice was sober.  Rice has not been arrested yet. [2]

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[November 30, 1883] -

Whitton Rice, the man who killed Wick Roberts, at Livingston, was captured by John Stewart and J. L. Arnold, in Owsley county; brought him back here and lodged him in jail yesterday. His examining trial was set for Friday. [3]

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[December 7, 1883] -

Whitton Rice had his examining trial before Squires A. J. Pike and M. E. Mullins and was held over under a bond of $700.  Judge Forbus, of Jackson, signed his bond and he was set at liberty. [4]

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[January 16, 1885] -

The case of the Commonwealth vs Tilford Black, charged with murder was filed away and the case against Whiter Rice, same charge, was continued. [5]

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[1] Excerpt from "State News." Daily Evening Bulletin, Maysville, KY. November 26, 1883. Page 2. LOC. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn87060189/1883-11-26/ed-1/seq-2/

[2] Excerpt from "Mt. Vernon Department." Semi-Weekly Interior Journal, Stanford, KY. November 27, 1883. Page 2. LOC. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85052020/1883-11-27/ed-1/seq-2/

[3] Excerpt from "Mt. Vernon Department." Semi-Weekly Interior Journal, Stanford, KY. November 30, 1883. Page 2. LOC. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85052020/1883-11-30/ed-1/seq-2/

[4] Excerpt from "Mt. Vernon Department." Semi-Weekly Interior Journal, Stanford, KY. December 7, 1883. Page 3. LOC. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85052020/1883-12-07/ed-1/seq-3/

[5] Excerpt from "Mt. Vernon Department." Semi-Weekly Interior Journal, Stanford, KY. January 16, 1885. Page 3. LOC. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85052020/1885-01-16/ed-1/seq-3/

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