Man Kills Another at Campaign Rally Over Political Newspaper Article, Pulaski, 1915

[August 8, 1915] -

KILLING IN PULASKI.

J. H. Taylor Shoots Frank Summers in Election Quarrel.

Somerset, Ky., Aug 7. -- (Special.) -- The first trouble growing out of the political campaign in this county occurred last night at a public speaking at Bourbon. J. H. Taylor, a lawyer of this city, shot and killed Frank Summers, a farmer. Taylor was a supporter of Judge Bethurum, Republican candidate for Circuit Judge, and Summers was for Kennedy, Bethurum's opponent. Taylor gave himself up to the officers this morning and is in the county jail. [1]

Woman's Paramour Kills Her Husband In Their Own Home, Rockcastle, 1907

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[November 29, 1907] -

On last Friday afternoon at the dead man's home near Wildie, Woolford Adams shot and instantly killed Will Hayes a son of J. H. Hayes.  Adams had gone to Hayes home with a shot gun and the proof at the coroner's inquest showed that Hayes, who had just come in from his work was standing by the stove and from the range of the shot, which was from a shot gun which tore Hayes chin off, that he was looking down at the time the shot fired.  The seven year old child of Hayes says her father never spoke to Adams when he walked into the room.  Hayes on a former occasion had told Adams to stay away from his home.  Adams is only 16 years of age.  Some rather sensational evidence will no doubt be brought to light when the trial comes. [1]

Man Kills Neighbor Over Drunken Reckless Gunfire, Laurel, 1888

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[September 21, 1888] -

A man named Larkin Byrd, a miner at East Bernstadt, was shot and instantly killed near that place last Sunday afternoon by an Italian boy named Milis.  Byrd, having become incensed against Milis from some cause, having previously breathed threats against the boy, sought him out at his boarding house and fired at him while the latter was making no hostile demonstrations, whereupon young Milis armed himself with a shot gun and advancing on his antagonist, emptied the contents of the gun into his abdomen.  These are the post inquisitorial facts, the examining trial before Police Judge Baker not having been completed at this writing. [1]

Family Ambushed While Planting Corn, Mob Lynches Suspects, 1870

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[May 20, 1870] -

A KENTUCKY TRAGEDY.

Four Men Taken from Jail in Laurel County and Hanged by a Mob--Effect of a Family Feud.

[Special Mt. Vernon (Ky.) correspondence (May 10) of the Louisville Commercial.]

A large portion of the county was thrown into a state of great excitement some days ago over a terrible murder committed just above Rockcastle river, in the border of Laurel county.  The victim's name was P. H. Bullock, a young lawyer of Laurel county, and of good standing as a citizen.  Young Bullock resided on his father's farm, between whom and some of his neighbors and relations, by the name of Parker, there has, for over a year, existed a mortal feud, which culminated as above stated, in the death of the young Bullock and the wounding of his little brother, sixteen years old, five times.  The Bullocks were planting corn in a field adjoining a very dense wood, and when within fifty yards of the wood, advancing toward it, they were suddenly fired on out of the brush by five or six persons; two of the party in the field escaped unhurt.  There was no positive proof against the Parkers, but a great many strong circumstances pointed to them as the  murderers, and accordingly they were arrested, and after some delay tried before an examining court and committed for further trial without bail.  On Saturday morning last (14th), at about one o'clock, the guard state that from 100 to 200 men, all in disguise, suddenly surrounded the jail and demanded the keys, telling the guard they did not intend them any harm, but unless they surrendered the keys they would tear down the jail." (I have neglected to say that four of the Parkers were arrested and in jail, and a man by the name of William Shelter, an accomplice making five in all).  The guard readily gave them up, [...illegible...] of the party went in, took out the five unfortunate men, and carrying them some half a mile from town on the Manchester road, hung four of them to one tree, where they were found next morning by the citizens, stark and cold in death, with a notice pinned to one of them, "Don't cut them down before twelve."  The youngest of the five, Allie Parker, is missing.  It is unknown what became of him.  Some think he probably escaped the mob.  All four of the doomed victims have left wives and little children to bewail their terrible fate.  While in all probability they had forfeited their lives to the laws of the country, still, all good citizens condemn the act of hanging them.  Thus, within the short space of two weeks, out of one little neighborhood five human beings, hurled into eternity without warning and unprepared, and five families of women and little children, besides gray-haired fathers and tottering old mothers, bowed down in sorrow, heart-broken, bereft and refusing to be comforted. [1]

Ku Klux Group Raids Mt. Vernon Jail, Hangs Four Prisoners, Rockcastle, 1877

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Also, this post is related to several others, including:
Emmett Snodgrass Kills James Bethurum, Rockcastle, 1878
Double Fratricide in the Snodgrass Family, 1890-1892

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[July 2, 1877] -

MOUNT VERNON.

Four Alleged Robbers Taken from Jail and Hanged by a Large Mob -- One Man Killed in an Attack on Bethurum's House.

[Special Dispatch to the Courier-Journal.]

MOUNT VERNON, KY., July 1. -- Last night about midnight a party of men, between fifty and one hundred in number, attacked the house of Jim Bethuram, a noted desperado in this county. Bethuram fired upon the attacking party with a shot-gun, and killed one of the, named Charles Burton. Though some fifty shots were fired at him, Bethuram escaped. The same party came into town, and, visiting the jail, took therefrom James Smith, Andrew Cummins, Kirk King, and J. O. Gibbs, all confined on the charge of robbery, and, taking them a mile from town, hanged them. Their bodies were taken down this morning, and an inquest held, which resulted in a verdict in accordance with the above statement. There is considerable excitement, but no outbreak is feared. [1]

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[July 6, 1877] -

JUDGE LYNCH.-- Our Mt. Vernon correspondent furnishes us with full particulars of the lynching at that place on Saturday night last.  We more deplore the sate of affairs that calls forth the exercise of mob violence than we do the violence itself. The administration of our laws is so lax and the delays so freighted with benefits for the law breakers, that the people are almost forced to take the law in their own hands for their better protection.  There are organized bands of thieves and desperadoes all over the country, that have grown exceedingly insolent, because they know the law will hardly be enforced against them, and if mob law will better protect us from them than the laws of the land do, then the average citizen, while not openly approving the deeds of a mob, is bound to thank them, at least for an improved condition of affairs. [2]

Double Fratricide in the Snodgrass Family, Rockcastle, 1890-1892

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[April 11, 1890] -

Another tragedy to report.  This time it's one brother who slays another.  Wednesday afternoon Emmett Snodgrass shot and killed his brother Squire.  The shooting took place at Wm. Collier's, the home of Squire Snodgrass.  The brothers had a dispute last Monday over some business matters and when they parted it was agreed that they would not speak to each other afterward. Wednesday afternoon Emmett, who lives a short distance from Mr. Collier's, went over there.  When he arrived Squire was at the barn.  His mother, fearing that the brothers would meet, had the Squire to go around by the back way before entering the house.  While they were standing on the porch talking Emmett came around and called to Squire and opened fire upon him.  Squire returned two shots and fell, expiring instantly.  One ball entered his left and one the right breast.  Emmett was hit in the leg and shoulder.  He got on his horse and rode home.  Squire Snodgrass was a young man aged about 22 and unmarried.  Emmett is about 32, married and has 5 children.  The shooting cast a gloom over the neighborhood and the people are dumbfounded.  Emmett Snodgrass, it will be remembered, killed Jas. Bethuram near this place in 1878.  He afterward moved to Illinois but returned here two years since.  He is a brother of Mrs. J. J. Brown, of this place, and of Rev. E. Snodgrass, a missionary at Tokyo, Japan. [1]

J. Frank Cox kills James Sutton, Rockcastle, 1917

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[June 29, 1917] -

Frank Cox shot and killed Jim Sutton near the mouth of Long Branch on Rockcastle river, Tuesday.  Particulars not learned.  Sutton only lived a few hours after being shot.  Cox surrendered to the authorities and was taken to Mt. Vernon, Wednesday. [1]