Man Kills Brother-in-Law Over Livestock Eating His Wheat, Laurel, 1887

Previously:

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

-----------


[February 8, 1887] -

Hiram Glass shot and killed Mat Waggoner, near the Knox county line, Thursday evening. A difficulty had arisen over some cattle of Glass', which were breaking into Waggoner's wheat field, when Glass drew an ax upon Waggoner, striking at him, Waggoner warding the blow off with a small stick, which he held in his hand, and knocking the ax out of the hands of his antagonist, who ran immediately into his house, returning with a pistol, firing upon Waggoner without effect. The latter drew his little boy, who happened to be with him at the the time, to his right side, turning the left toward Glass, who fired again, the ball entering the hip, ranging downward and passing out on the inside of the thigh, severing an artery, from which the life blood flowed steadily, until in three hours the unfortunate man was a corpse. For one long, dreadful hour the doomed man lay in rain and mud within a few steps of Glass' door, being refused even in a dying condition admission to his slayer's house. The cases looks extremely black for Glass, who, however, surrendered himself to the authorities at once. The examining trial was fixed for Saturday, but after the examination of two witnesses the case was continued till next Thursday, the prisoner being placed under a $3,000 bond for his appearance at that time, with William Elliott, J. C. Jones, Joe D. Faris, Benjamin Magee and J. R. Hardin as sureties. Glass and his victim were brothers-in-law and both men of good standing in the community where they lived. [1]

---

[February 15, 1887] -

The case against Hiram F. Glass for the killing of Mat Waggoner, set for Thursday, was called in the examining court, Judge Vincent Boreing, and passed till next day, for the convenience of the Commonwealth in obtaining witnesses. The examination was had Friday evening only two witnesses being used by the Commonwealth and one, the defendant himself, by the defense; the case was briefly argued by Col. Ewell and Mr. Catching for the defense and prosecution, respectively, and given to the court, who, in a rather elaborate opinion, held the accused in a bond of $5,000, for his appearance at the May circuit court. The opinion is pretty general that the testimony did not warrant the raising of the original bond of $3,00. Judge W. L. Brown and Col. J. W. Jones assisted County Attorney Catching in the prosecution, the defense being conducted by Col. R. L. Ewell, of this bar, and Hon. James D. Black, of Barbourville. [2]

---

[February 25, 1887] -

H. F. Glass, confined in jail in default of $5,000 bail for the killing of Mat Waggoner, was brought before Police Judge Baker Tuesday on a writ of habeas corpus, the committing magistrate, Judge Boreing, being absent, and executed bail in above sum. [3]

---

[June 3, 1887] -

The case of the Commonwealth against H. F. Glass, for the killing of his brother-in-law, Mat Waggoner, was called for trial Wednesday. Commonwealth's Attorney Clark, County Attorney Catching, Judge W. L. Brown and Col. J. W. Jones represent the prosecution, while the defense is conducted by Col. J. W. Alcorn, Hon. James H. Tinsley, Hon. James D. Black, Col. R. L. Ewell and J. A. Craft. This case will probably consume a couple of days, then comes the murder case of Sam Bernard, whom the newspapers have lately given considerable notoriety on account of his tramp from Louisville here to answer the charge. If the juries in these cases reach verdicts this will wipe the murder cases from our docket with the single exception of the Thompson case and we hope and trust the "fair escutcheon" of Laurel county will never be blackened by another. [4]

---

[June 7, 1887] -

The cases of Bernard and Glass, murder, were called and continued until the next term; so, after all, the next term will necessarily begin with three murder cases. [5]

---

[June 5, 1888] -

Circuit Court adjourned here Saturday morning. Only one murder trial of importance was tried, that of Hiram Glass for killing his brother-in-law. The jury failed to agree. [6]

---

[May 29, 1891] -

The case against Hiram Glass for killing Matt. Wagoner resulted in an acquittal. [7]

----------------

[1] Excerpt from "London, Laurel County." Semi-Weekly Interior Journal, Stanford, KY. February 8, 1887. Page 1. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85052020/1887-02-08/ed-1/seq-1/

[2] Excerpt from "London, Laurel County." Semi-Weekly Interior Journal, Stanford, KY. February 15, 1887. Page 2. LOC. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85052020/1887-02-15/ed-1/seq-2/

[3] Excerpt from "London, Laurel County." Semi-Weekly Interior Journal, Stanford, KY. February 25, 1887. Page 2. LOC. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85052020/1887-02-25/ed-1/seq-2/

[4] Excerpt from "London, Laurel County." Semi-Weekly Interior Journal, Stanford, KY. June 3, 1887. Page 4. LOC. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85052020/1887-06-03/ed-1/seq-4/

[5] Excerpt from "London, Laurel County." Semi-Weekly Interior Journal, Stanford, KY. June 7, 1887. Page 6. LOC. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85052020/1887-06-07/ed-1/seq-6/

[6] Excerpt from "London, Laurel County." Semi-Weekly Interior Journal, Stanford, KY. June 5, 1888. Page 1. LOC. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85052020/1888-06-05/ed-1/seq-1/

[7] Excerpt from "London, Laurel County." Semi-Weekly Interior Journal, Stanford, KY. May 29, 1891. Page 2. LOC. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85052020/1891-05-29/ed-1/seq-1/

.