Dan Kyle Kills Railroad Clerk E. W. Prentiss, Pulaski, 1876

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[March 24, 1876] -

Last Thursday morning a Mr. Prentiss, the "head clerk" on Smith's work, on the C. S. Railway, was very severely, if not fatally, cut in the abdomen, by a negro named Dan. Kyle. Kyle ran off, but was subsequently captured at King's Mountain, and brought back to this place [Somerset] and lodged in jail Thursday night. Since the above has been put in type, the unfortunate man has passed into another world -- his death occurring last Monday evening, inflammation having set in. We learn that his home was in Virginia. His remains were deposited in the cemetery at this place [Somerset], last Tuesday evening. Rev. J. R. Peeples and Elder D. Wilburn, visited Mr. Prentiss just before his death, and prayed and sung with him. He was asked if he was a christian, to which he replied in the negative, but he had been brought up in a religious family, of the Episcopalian Church. -- [Somerset Reporter.

We were well acquainted with the deceased for several years and can testify to his many virtues. Always unassuming and polite, his death by the hands of a worthless negro, was to us a very great surprise. Mr. Prentiss was from Norfolk, Va., and comes from a time honored family, whose hearts will be wrung at the news of his untimely death. --[Editor Interior Journal. [1]

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[March 31, 1876] -

The negro murderer of young Prentiss, has been held to bail in the sum of $500 at Somerset. [2]

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[April 14, 1876] -

The negro Kyle, who murdered young Prentiss, the clerk of P. F. Smith, Railroad contractor, was sent to the Penitentiary for 16 years. Mr. Denny says that while it was the general impression that the negro should be hung, no stronger case than manslaughter could be made out against him. [3]

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[April 21, 1876] -

The Sheriff of Pulaski, with the following batch of recruits for the Penitentiary, took the train here for Frankfort one day this week: Jas. Gillispie, sentenced for 7 years for manslaughter; Mose Barnett, for hog stealing, 2 years, and Dan Kyle, manslaughter, 16 years. [4]

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Mr. E. W. Prentis[s] is buried in the Somerset City Cemetery, in Somerset, KY. Date of Death inscription reads March 13, 1876. [5]

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[1] Excerpt from "State News." The Interior Journal, Stanford, KY. March 24, 1876. Page 1. LOC. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84038328/1876-03-24/ed-1/seq-1/

[2] Excerpt from "State News." The Interior Journal, Stanford, KY. March 31, 1876. Page 1. LOC. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84038328/1876-03-31/ed-1/seq-1/

[3] Excerpt from "Local News." The Interior Journal, Stanford, KY. April 14, 1876. Page 3. LOC. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84038328/1876-04-14/ed-1/seq-3/

[4] Excerpt from "Local News." The Interior Journal, Stanford, KY. April 21, 1876. Page 3. LOC. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84038328/1876-04-21/ed-1/seq-3/

[5] Photo by Tricia N., Somerset City Cemetery. Used with permission.

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