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[June 22, 1880] -
1880 census page for Magisterial District 4 of Wayne County, Kentucky, shows:
1. Jarvis Buck, head of household, age 35, white male, farmer, cannot read or write, born in North Carolina, both parents born in North Carolina;
2. Ellen Buck, age 31, white female, sister of Jarvis Buck, keeping house, cannot read or write, born in North Carolina, both parents born in North Carolina; and
3. Lias L. Buck, age 2, white male, (Ellen's son), born in Kentucky, whose father was born in Kentucky and mother in North Carolina. [1]
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[October 31, 1886] -
TWO HORRIBLE MURDERS.
A Young Man Enticed Into the Mountains to Have His Throat Cut.
His Sister in Turn Shares His Fate, Her Little Son Only Escaping the Murderers.
(Special to the Courier Journal.)
MONTICELLO, KY., Oct. 30. -- One of the most shocking murders that ever happened in this vicinity was committed in the southern part of this county last Tuesday night. Out in the mountains, ten miles from this place, lived a very humble family composed of Jarvis Buck, his sister, and her ten-year-old son. On Tuesday night this family was visited by a man whose name is Grand Prewitt. He ordered supper, which was prepared for him. He then told Buck that if he would go up on the mountain about a half mile that a fellow was up there who would give him a drink of whisky. They went off together, but Prewitt soon returned and when asked where Buck was by his sister, replied that he would be back soon. Immediately he seized the woman, and the little boy fled to a neighbor's house and gave the alarm. The neighbors immediately went to the house and there found the heroic little boy's mother dead, with her throat cut from ear to ear and her skull terribly mashed in three places.
Search was instituted for Buck's body, but it was not found till Wednesday. When found the body was frightfully lacerated and the head almost
SEVERED FROM THE BODY.
The scene of these two innocent persons, brother and sister, as they lay in their humble little hut, with their heads almost hacked off, was enough to raise the spirit of mobism in the hearts of the most tender-hearted, and a posse of men searched the country for Prewitt, and found him Wednesday night. He made no resistence, but denied the murder until brought before the little boy, who told him that he was the man who murdered his mother, and that he need not deny it. Prewitt then made a full confession of the whole affair.
PREWITT'S CONFESSION.
He said that he was approached by Jim Tuesday morning and offered a large sum of money to kill Jarvis Buck, and he agreed to do it. That night he went to Jarvis Buck's house and persuaded him to go out after a drink of whisky. When about 100 yards from the house Jim Jones and Bill Simpson met them, and he then cut his throat with a case knife. As soon as he did this Jones rifled his pockets, pulled off his boots and took his hat. Prewitt and Jones then went to the house to kill the sister and her son. He cut her throat and Jones made
JELLY OUT OF HER HEAD
with the washboard. He said they tried to catch the little boy, but could not.
This is the sworn confession of Grand Prewitt. Jones and Simpson deny having anything to do with it, but Prewitt calmly talks of the affair as though it amounted to nothing more than a hog killing.
Yesterday there was strong talk of mobbing Prewitt, but after he confessed the excitement cooled down. All three of the brutes were brought to town to-day and lodged in jail. The exam[in]ing trial will come off next Monday. At present there is much excitement over the matter, and the universal opinion is that all three will certainly be hanged. They are
VILLAINOUS LOOKING MOUNTAINEERS,
badly dressed, and judging from their appearance, they are capable of doing any kind of crime. They are poor and without influence or friends; so it is very certain that at least two of them will hang. The evidence is sufficient to convict Prewitt, apart from his confession, and there is strong proof against Jones, also. It is the most atrocious crime ever committed in the county, and the whole people are shocked.
The object of the murder was money. Buck had sold a horse a few days before for $60, and it is supposed that he had a little besides. Besides the money they took several articles of apparel and plunder of the house.
There is no danger of a mob now, as it is quite certain that they will be convicted in court in November. [2]