June 22, 2014

Mt. Victory Preacher Killed After Church Service, Pulaski, 1922

Previously:

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[August 12, 1922] -


2 DIE IN GUN BATTLE AFTER CHURCH RITES

Preacher, Armed By Friend in Flock, Meets Men Who Tried to Stop Service.

ANOTHER MAN WOUNDED

Pulaski Officers Believe Pastor's Fight on Moonshine Led to Attack.

Special to the Courier-Journal.

Somerset, Ky., Aug 11. -- Two men are dead and another is near death in the hospital here today as a result of a gun fight which occurred at the close of a religious service at Mt. Victory, about twenty-five miles east of this city.

The dead:
Ester Dykes, farmer, Pulaski County.
Abe Nolen, lay pastor of the Mt. Victory Church.

Wounded:
Ellis Richardson, Pulaski County farmer.

Pulaski County officials today were told that Dykes and Richardson, with a number of other young men, went to the church service, which was being conducted by Nolen, with the intention of breaking up the meeting. They were unsuccessful in their effort and departed, it was reported.

Preacher Given Shotgun.

One member of the congregation, fearing trouble, slipped out during the progress of the service and secured a shotgun, bringing ti back to Nolen.

On the way home after the service Nolen, according to the reports received here, encountered the young men who had created the disturbance at the church. The men are alleged to have opened fire and Nolen fired back. When the brief battle ended Dykes lay dead and Nolen was so badly wounded that he died a few minutes after arriving at the hospital here. He made no statement about the shooting, it is said. Richardson was shot several times and is not expected to live.

Nolen, according to residents of the Mt. Victory vicinity, only recently had organized the church and had been preaching regularly. He had been active in the fight on moonshining in Pulaski County, and the officers are of the opinion that this led to the attempt to break up the church services. [1]





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[August 12, 1922] -

Two Dead After Gun Fight Following Church Service

Pastor of Pulaski County Mission Slain by Youths Who Attempt to Break Up Worship

ANOTHER EXPECTED TO DIE

SOMERSET, Ky., Aug. 11. -- Two men are dead and another is near death in the hospital here today as a result of a gun fight which occurred at the close of a religious service at Mt. Victory, about 25 miles east of here.

The dead:  Ester Dykes, farmer, Pulaski county; Abe Nolen, lay pastor of the Mt. Victory church.

Wounded:  Ellis Richardson, Pulaski county farmer.

Pulaski county officers today were told that Dykes and Richardson, with several other young men, went to the church service, which was being conducted by Nolen, with the intention of breaking up the meeting.  They were unsuccessful in their effort and departed from the meeting it was reported.

One member of the congregation, fearing trouble, slipped out during the progress of the service and obtained a shotgun, bringing it back to Nolen.

On the way home after the service Nolen, according to the reports received here, encountered the young men who had created the disturbance at the church.  The men are alleged to have opened fire and Nolen fired back.  When the brief battle ended Dykes lay dead and Nolen was so badly wounded that he died a few minutes after arriving at the hospital here.  He made no statement about the shooting, it is said.  Richardson was shot several times and is not expected to live.

Nolen, according to the residents of the Mt. Victory vicinity, only recently had organized the church and had been preaching regularly.  He had been active in a campaign against moonshining in Pulaski county and officers are of the opinion that this led to the attempt to break up the church services. [2] 





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[1] "2 Die in Gun Battle After Church Rites." The Courier Journal, Louisville, KY. August 12, 1922. Page 1. Newspapers.com.

[2] "Two Dead After Gun Fight Following Church Service." Lexington Herald, Lexington, KY. August 12, 1922. Pages 1 and 5. Genealogybank.com.

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