This post is a work in progress, but it's been such a long work in progress (picked up and put down again for at least three years if not more) I'm worried about losing all the work on it I've done so far, so I'm publishing it now and I'll work on it more later....
this post is related to: Grove Kennedy Kills Elbert Kennedy in front of Courthouse, Garrard, 1877
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Leads I have not had time to follow up on:
- Separate out the out-of-state articles to insure I have located all Louisville Courier Journal, Danville Advocate, and Stanford Interior Journal articles (mostly separated out the out of state articles, haven't checked for continuity for each paper)
- Check governor's letters
- Check governor's letters
- check Cincinnati papers prior to Sept 4 for a statement published by Sellers
- look into 1874 U.S. District Louisville suffrage case filed by Luther Jackman against Eb. Kennedy
- check Louisville federal court case files, Sellers sued 20+ people over the burning of his house
- check Louisville federal court case files, Sellers sued 20+ people over the burning of his house
- Sellers moved to Terre Haute, Indiana, maybe check Indiana papers
- Sellers father allegedly participated in the Hill-Evans Feud (https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=70793648)
- See: http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/KYGARRAR/2010-09/1285606822
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[] "The Case of Robt. Salter." The Kentucky Advocate, Danville, KY. October 27, 1871. Page 2. Newspapers.com.
[October 27, 1871] -
From the Louisville Ledger.
- Sellers father allegedly participated in the Hill-Evans Feud (https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=70793648)
- See: http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/KYGARRAR/2010-09/1285606822
- look into this article from an out-of-state paper, four years after the 'Riot', exaggerates many details, but may provide leads on Kennedy family genealogy. "A Family of Murderers." The Stark County Democrat, Canton, OH. January 17, 1878. Page 7. LOC. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84028490/1878-01-17/ed-1/seq-7/
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[] "The Case of Robt. Salter." The Kentucky Advocate, Danville, KY. October 27, 1871. Page 2. Newspapers.com.
[October 27, 1871] -
THE CASE OF ROBT. SALTER
A Sample of the Suits Brought Against White Men by Negroes
From the Louisville Ledger.
In the United States Court yesterday the case of the United States vs. Robert Salter came up for trial. This was a prosecution under the Civil Rights act of 1866, charging the defendant with having assaulted one Moses Doty, a man of color, in Garrard county, Ky. The only witness introduced by the government was the said Moses, who stated in substance that on the morning of the August election, 1871, just before day, the defendant, with some other person, to the witness unknown, came to his (Moses') house, and brandished a pistol over him, and threatened him with death in case he voted at the election to be held that day; yet, notwithstanding all this, Moses voted.
Upon cross-interrogation witness stated that the stars were shining, and he distinctly recognized the defendant, who stood in the rear of the unknown man, though Salter neither spoke, took hold of or struck him, and there was no light in the house. He stated further that William Sellers, of Garrard county, Ky., had told the witness that if the jury should find a verdict against defendant in this case that the fine would be $5,000, and that Moses would get one half of it. These facts were drawn from Moses with the greatest difficulty, first saying that he did not know anything about it, then that he hardly knew Mr. Sellers, but being hard pressed by counsel for defence he acknowledged in full, and admitted that he knew Sellers well, and that he (Sellers) had been present in court during almost the whole of last week, and witness had had frequent conversations with him about the case during that time.
Defendant introduced four intelligent, honest, good-looking, black men, who all concurred in their testimony, stating that together with Moses Doty and others, they had been together the night of the alleged assault; that during the whole night it was very dark and continuously raining until day-light; that it was impossible for them, they being together, to recognize each other a few feet, except by the voice; two of them went to Mr. Salter's just before day-light and found him at home. Here defendant offered to prove that these witnesses were out watching for Ku-klux; that a party of men came from the direction of Moses Doty's; stopped at John Burdett's, threatened him, went on down the creek, and witnesses followed, keeping the K. K.'s in sight; that the K. K.'s passed Salter's gate; witness went on to Salter's, and found him at home, waked him up, and told him what had occurred, and asked his advice as to what they should do, and Salter told them "it was only an electioneering trick and to go on and vote." To this evidence the District Attorney objected. The court sustained the objection and excluded the evidence from the jury. After being instructed in the law of the case by his Honor Judge Ballard the jury returned a verdict of "not guilty." The jury were evidently impressed with the unfavorable personal appearance of the government witness, and his reluctance to state Hon. Wm. Sellers' connection with the case, (who by the way is the radical representative elect of the county,) and strengthened, no doubt by the bold and manly appearance of the defendant who is one of the first citizens of Garrard. -- W. D. Hopper, of Lancaster, and Harlan and Newman were attorneys for the defendant. []
Defendant introduced four intelligent, honest, good-looking, black men, who all concurred in their testimony, stating that together with Moses Doty and others, they had been together the night of the alleged assault; that during the whole night it was very dark and continuously raining until day-light; that it was impossible for them, they being together, to recognize each other a few feet, except by the voice; two of them went to Mr. Salter's just before day-light and found him at home. Here defendant offered to prove that these witnesses were out watching for Ku-klux; that a party of men came from the direction of Moses Doty's; stopped at John Burdett's, threatened him, went on down the creek, and witnesses followed, keeping the K. K.'s in sight; that the K. K.'s passed Salter's gate; witness went on to Salter's, and found him at home, waked him up, and told him what had occurred, and asked his advice as to what they should do, and Salter told them "it was only an electioneering trick and to go on and vote." To this evidence the District Attorney objected. The court sustained the objection and excluded the evidence from the jury. After being instructed in the law of the case by his Honor Judge Ballard the jury returned a verdict of "not guilty." The jury were evidently impressed with the unfavorable personal appearance of the government witness, and his reluctance to state Hon. Wm. Sellers' connection with the case, (who by the way is the radical representative elect of the county,) and strengthened, no doubt by the bold and manly appearance of the defendant who is one of the first citizens of Garrard. -- W. D. Hopper, of Lancaster, and Harlan and Newman were attorneys for the defendant. []
