May 9, 2015

One Killed in Quarrel Between Horsebus Drivers, Pulaski, 1886

Previously:

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

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[December 21, 1886] -

Still another fatal shooting occurred in Somerset, Beddow, the driver of a rival bus line, firing a centre shot into Hodgecraft, another driver. [1]



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[December 21, 1886] -

Two 'bus drivers named Hedgecraft and Beddow got into a fight at Somerset and Beddow fatally shot Hedgecraft. [2]





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[January 21, 1887] -

In the writ of habeas corpus case of Charles Beddow, who was sent to jail without bail for the killing of Hedgecroft, at his examining trial, Judge Morrow reversed the decision of the Lower Court, presided over by Judge Tartar, and fixed his bail at $2,000. The bail was afterwards reduced to $1,500. It is probable now that Beddow will give bail. [3]




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[July 8, 1887] -

Charley Beddow, charged with the murder of Win. Hedgecroft, and who has been in jail since the crime was committed, was discharged on bail, last Saturday, the bail being lowered from $1,500 to $1,000. [4]




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[April 19, 1888] -


TWO MURDER TRIALS.

Charles Beddow Gets a Seventeen Years' Sentence at Somerset -- The Sidebottom Wilson Case.

Somerset, Ky., April 18. -- (Special.) -- The jury int he case of the Commonwealth vs. Chas. M. Beddow, charged with killing Winfield Hedgecraft, a boy of eighteen, in December 1886, brought in a verdict of guilty, and sentenced him to seventeen years in the penitentiary. At the time of the shooting Beddow and Hedgecraft were conductors on rival bus lines and became involved in a quarrel over a passenger. Hard words were passed, and Hedgecraft struck at Beddow with a knife. They were separated and Beddow went back to North Somerset, got a pistol and returned to the depot. Hedgecraft was standing in the ladies' waiting room when Beddow came. Mr. and Mrs. White, of Fargo, Dak., were the only witnesses to the shooting, and they claim that Beddow walked into the room, laid the pistol on the stove, and without saying a word pointed it at Hedgecraft and fired. Hedgecraft was shot in the abdomen, and died the next day. Several of the jurymen were for hanging him on the first ballot. 

The case of Manna Sidebottoms, who so foully murdered James Wilson in March of this year, was called to day, but they could not impanel a jury from this county, as every one summoned had expressed an opinion. Judge Morrow sent Sheriff Elrod to Boyle county to summon fifty jurors. The case will be called at 9 a.m. tomorrow. The G. A. R. posts in Kentucky and Tennessee are doing all they can to convict Sidebottoms, as Wilson was a member of their order. [5]



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[April 20, 1888] -

Mr. T. M. Pennington, who came up from Somerset yesterday, tells us that Beddow, for killing Hedgecroft, got 17 years in the penitentiary. Steve Pennington's case was continued. [6]





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[April 27, 1888] -

Sidebottom, the Pulaski county murderer whom a Boyle county jury sent to the Penitentiary for life, last week, came very near having his neck broken by a mob on Friday night. The mob had been well organized for work, and were preparing to march upon the jail when an alarm of fire was given. They dispersed and went to work to save the burning building, and while thus engaged the Sheriff with a well-armed posse quietly took Sidebottom and Chas. Beddow from the jail, and after making a quick run struck the north bound midnight express at Science Hill, thence to Frankfort. The mob after doing work at the fire went in a body to the jail to get their victims, but found that they were too late and quietly dispersed. Sidebottom brutally murdered an old man named Wilson, and no doubt the gallows was cheated of a good subject when he was condemned to the penitentiary for life. [7]




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[May 8, 1888] -

Chas. M. Beddow who was sentenced for seventeen years for killing Win Hedgecroft in December, 188[7], has been put to work in the varnish department of the penitentiary. -- Republican. [8]





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[September 6, 1889] -

Three more convicts, making 40 in all, were paroled this week: Charles M. Beddow, sent from Pulaski county in 1888, for 17 years for manslaughter; H. C. Haynes, sent from Laurel county in 1888, for two years for malicious shooting and wounding; N. B. Taylor, sent from Pendleton county in 1888, for three years for horse stealing. [9]






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[1] Excerpt from Column 2. Semi-Weekly Interior Journal, Stanford, KY. December 21, 1886. Page 5. LOC. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85052020/1886-12-21/ed-1/seq-5/

[2] Excerpt from "Kentucky Knowledge." Semi-Weekly South Kentuckian, Hopkinsville, KY. December 21, 1886. Page 2. LOC. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86069394/1886-12-21/ed-1/seq-2/

[3] Excerpt from "Our Neighbors - Pulaski." The Kentucky Advocate, Danville, KY. January 21, 1887. Page 3. Newspapers.com.

[4] Excerpt from "Our Neighbors - Pulaski." The Kentucky Advocate, Danville, KY. July 8, 1887. Page 3. Newspapers.com.

[5] "Two Murder Trials." The Courier Journal, Louisville, KY. April 19, 1888. Page 5. Newspapers.com.

[6] Excerpt from "Somewhat Personal." Semi-Weekly Interior Journal, Stanford, KY. April 20, 1888. Page 3. LOC. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85052020/1888-04-20/ed-1/seq-3/

[7] Excerpt from "Danville and Vicinity." The Kentucky Advocate, Danville, KY. Page 5. Newspapers.com.

[8] Excerpt from "Our Neighbors - Pulaski." The Kentucky Advocate, Danville, KY. Page 1. Newspapers.com.

[9] Excerpt from "News Condensed." Semi-Weekly Interior Journal, Stanford, KY.  September 6, 1889. Page 2. LOC. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85052020/1889-09-06/ed-1/seq-2/

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