xt7v416sz62t https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7v416sz62t/data/mets.xml Shuck, Richard H., 1851-1877. 1877  books b92f457o97s52009 English Kentucky Yeoman Office, Major, Johnston & Barrett : Frankfort, Ky. Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Ku-Klux Klan (1866-1869). Criminals --Kentucky. Confession of Richard H. Shuck : a member of the Owen and Henry county marauders, of the state of Kentucky text Confession of Richard H. Shuck : a member of the Owen and Henry county marauders, of the state of Kentucky 1877 2009 true xt7v416sz62t section xt7v416sz62t 
I

CONFESSION of RICHARD A Member H. Of SHUCK, The Marauders,

Owen and Henry County Of The

STATE OF KENTUCKY.

W r i t t e n by J esse F ears.

F r a n k f o r t , Ky.: P r i n t e d A t The K entucky Yeoman O f f i c e M ajor, Johnston and B a r r e t t . 1877

E ntered, a c c o r d i n g t o Act of C ongress, i n the y ear 1877 F or J esse F ears,

By Major, Johnston & B a r r e t t . In t he O f f i c e o f the L i b r a r i a n o f C ongress, a t W ashington.

  
CONFESSION

The author of t h i s c o n f e s s i o n and exposure m arauders l o c a t e d i n and near the l i t t l e K entucky r i v e r , I was of

of a band o f

town o f Lockport, on the

i s a n a t i v e of H enry c ounty, K entucky. My parents, t hough p ossessed

born i n the year 1851.

b ut a l i m i t e d e ducation, were h onest and f r u g a l , and obtained the by i n d u s t r y and perserverance, on the s m a l l farm on U n f o r t u n a t e l y , but few of seemed

c omforts of l i f e

w hich t hey have r e s i d e d f o r many y ears.

t he q u a l i t i e s t hat p rompted them i n t h e i r c ourse through l i f e to all d escend to t h e i r s on. At an e a r l y age

I showed t hat I f a r e x c e l l e d

t he r e s t o f the f a m i l y i n a p e c u l i a r low cunning, e s p e c i a l l y i n to have a s t o r y r eady f o r

t he f a c u l t y o f i n v e n t i o n , w hich e nabled me any e mergency.

B eing g u i l t y o f many a c t s of disobedience, I was s h a r p l y r eprimanded age all by my parents, and o f t e n r e c e i v e d the l a s h . A t an e a r l y

the remarkable o t h e r s , and

t a l e n t f o r l i v i n g w ithout work seemed t o overbalance

I r e s o l v e d t h a t , when f r e e d f rom the c o n t r o l o f my

p arents, I w ould a dopt some mode o f o b t a i n i n g a support other than d i g g i n g i t out of the g round. Time p assed s l o w l y away, b r i n g i n g me nearer and nearer manhood. T emptation a f t e r t emptation presented i t s e l f , and I o f t e n e ngaged i n

t he e v i l s p r a c t i c e d by the g ambler and v i s i t o r o f d runken h ovels, r e g a r d l e s s o f the constant rebukings and w arnings o f my parents to s hun bad company, as a p e r s i s t e n c e i n such p r a c t i c e s w ould r e s u l t i n my ruin. But I was i n c r e d u l o u s , and gave b ut l i t t l e heed t o their I

a ppeals;

and now,

with a heart ready t o overflow with sorrow, D isobedience to my

a cknowledge t h e i r p r e d i c t i o n s v e r i f i e d . -1-

father

  
and mother i s the p arent s tem f rom w hich s p r i n g a l l t he c rimes c ommitted, o r been a s s o c i a t e d with others i n c ommitting. heed t o t h e i r p ersuasions and a d v i c e , I w ould have e scaped and ignominious death t hat now a waits me;

I have

Had I g i ^ e n t he u ntimely

t he consummation o f w hich g ray

w i l l r ender t he r emainder h a i r s w ith sorrow

o f t h e i r d ays a burden,, a nd b r i n g t h e i r

t o the g rave.

About t he t ime I a r r i v e d a t manhood, t he n o t o r i o u s K u-Klux came i n t o n o t i c e i n my n eighborhood. i n v i t e d a l l grades o f p ersons I t b eing an i n s t i t u t i o n t hat

i n t o i t s ranks, an o p p o r t u n i t y was s oon I j o i n e d them i n the y ear 1871, b ut

a f f o r d e d me t o become a member. had l i t t l e

t o do w ith t h e i r r a i d s , e xcusing myself on a ccount o f the This

h e a l t h o f my w i f e , t o whom I was m arried d u r i n g t he same y ear. was an e v e n t f u l y ear o f my l i f e .

I t was i n t h i s y ear t h a t , by a c c i d e n t , Being o ut J oseph

I became a s s o c i a t e d with t he band h e r e t o f o r e s poken o f. s q u i r r e l h unting on S i x - M i l e Creek, I s uddenly came upon

G oodrich and R obert Goodrich, who were a bout completing t he murder o f a p eddler, t he name o f whom I c annot tell. I t was the f i r s t murder I

had ever witnessed, and i t made me s hudder and the b lood t o a lmost chill i n my v e i n s . I a sked them what was the m atter, o r what had

h appened. g et

They r e p l i e d , i t was n one o f my b usiness, and o rdered me t o o beyed;

away f rom there damned q uick, w hich o rder was i mmediately

b ut d e s i r i n g t o see the t e r m i n a t i o n o f the a c t , a nd t o l e a r n t he c ause of t he murder, I c r e p t round on the h i l l s i d e n ear them, b ut c oncealed v iew o f t h e i r work. I

f rom t h e i r s i g h t , t o a p o i n t commanding a f u l l w atched t h e i r m anoeuvers; it

saw them d ispose o f the body by t hrowing I t hen

i n t o a r a v i n e , and t hen s e c r e t e h i s goods i n a h ollow l o g .

s t a r t e d f o r home, a nd p a s s i n g near t he c opse where t he murder was c ommitted, I came upon t he same p a r t i e s a gain. e ntered my mind, o n m eeting life, The f i r s t t hought t hat

them a gain, was t hat t hey w ould t ake my B ut t hey had no weapons

i n o rder t o p revent me e xposing them. - 2-

  
e xcept

an axe,

and

I r e s o l v e d to use my

gun f o r p r o t e c t i o n .

They

s poke t o me and

f r i e n d l y , and s a i d :

" Dick, we

are good f r i e n d s o f yours,

i f you w ish t o e scape t r o u b l e , you must become a member o f our We k i l l e d t hat peddler f o r h i s money; and and we w i l l g ive you or

b and.

t wenty-five d o l l a r s now,

i f you d i v u l g e anything we

have t o l d , They

t hat you have s een us do, y our l i f e w i l l pay me when I was ready to.

the f o r f e i t . "

told

to be sworn i n to l e t them know and they w ould I accepted the p r o f f e r e d twenty-five dollars, r emained

have i t attended

p romised s ecrecy, and s t a r t e d f o r home. t here some t ime; t hat I had j u s t

I went d i r e c t l y home;

but nothing seemed t o enter my w itnessed.

mind b ut the s cene

I t hought

of the d angers a t t e n d i n g the s i t u a t i o n i n w hich I d angers t o w hich I w ould be e xposed a f t e r the more I t hought a bout i t , the

t hen stood, and the probable

b ecoming a member o f such a band; and more f e a r f u l I became.

I t seemed t hat i had l o s t my and

n a t u r a l mind. wife that willing,

I maginary f e a r took f u l l p o s s e s s i o n of me,

I s a i d t o my

I d i d not f e e l l i k e s t a y i n g at home t hat n i g h t , and we w ould go to a neighbor's n ecessary and s t a y .

i f she was

She consented, On the way

and we made t he

p r e p a r a t i o n s and s t a r t e d .

I t o l d my wife what if I

had happened, and divulged i t .

the t h r e a t s the Goodrichs

had made a g a i n s t me

She was

s u r p r i s e d to h ear i t , but t o l d me

to n ever s ay A long

a nything a bout i t , as they w ould c e r t a i n l y k i l l me and weary n ight was passed, d u r i n g w hich my

i f I did.

s l e e p was

b roken and had met an feelings,

i n t e r r u p t e d by the c r i e s and appeals f o r mercy o f him who u ntimely death. and to r i d myself

I t r i e d e very means f o r some t ime to c o n t r o l my of contemplating the d anger t o w hich I was

e xposed,

by being cognizant of the m urder, and b ut nothing seemed t o q u i e t me, and

the p a r t i e s t hat p e r p e t r a t e d i t ;

I r e s o l v e d to leave the n eighborhood.

-3-

  
I went t o E minence, H enry c ounty, i mmediately;

rented a h ouse, and moved Goodrich through

b ut I had not been t here long before Jos.

v i s i t e d me, and t o l d me he knew I had l e f t h i s n eighborhood fear;

and i f I w ould r e t u r n and become a member of t h e i r band, I and I c o u l d make money by d oing s o. I c onsented; made p re-

w ould n ot be m olested,

went down and was sworn i n by t h e i r c h i e f , and i mmediately p a r a t i o n s t o move on my f a t h e r ' s farm. The s udden and m ysterious disappearance

o f the p eddler was the

g e n e r a l t a l k o f the s urrounding country.

The s u p p o s i t i o n was t hat he

had been m urdered by the K u-Klux, w hich was g r a t i f y i n g t o the G oodrichs. The f a c t s c onnected with t he murder, a s r e l a t e d t o me by R obert Goodrich,

a f t e r I became a member of the band, a re as f o l l o w s :

He s t a t e d that

t hey were c l e a r i n g some l and near t he c reek, t he name o f w hich has a l r e a d y been g iven, and saw the p eddler a t a d i s t a n c e c oming down the r oad. money. They i mmediately resolved to k i l l him, i f he seemed t o have any

They s t a r t e d f o r the r oad on w hich he was t r a v e l i n g w ith an The

axe t o do the work, b ut by a r oute that h i d them f rom h i s s i g h t .

p l a n a greed upon t o draw f rom h im some i n f o r m a t i o n r e l a t i v e t o the amount o f means i n h i s p o s s e s s i o n was t o i ntroduce t he s u b j e c t o f K u-Kluxry, and the d epredations c ommitted by them; and i f i t drew

f rom him the d e s i r e d i n f o r m a t i o n , they were t o c a r e l e s s l y w alk a long w ith him t o n ear t he e ntrance o f a c e r t a i n t h i c k e t , and t hen a sk t o p urchase some of h i s g oods. Bob s a i d t he p l a n acted l i k e a charm.

A f t e r b eing t o l d o f some of the d epredations done by the K u-Klux, t he p eddler r emarked t hat he w ould n ot l i k e t o meet them i n h i s p resent s i t u a t i o n , f rom w hich i t was e vident that he had money. t hen n e a r i n g t he p l a c e sought p lans i n t o e f f e c t . They were

f o r as a s u i t a b l e p o i n t t o c a r r y t h e i r He r e p l i e d

J oe a sked him what he was p e d d l i n g .

t hat he had a v a r i e t y o f a r t i c l e s . p urchase

T e l l i n g him t hey w ould l i k e t o

some t h i n g s , he f ound a c onvenient p l a c e t o s i t down on a

  
l o g , w hich was near the edge of the copse spoken of above, and began t o u n f o l d h i s goods. Joe got h i s a t t e n t i o n c l o s e l y d i r e c t e d t o the

s a l e o f some a r t i c l e , w hile Bob c a r e l e s s l y s tepped to h i s r e a r and p repared t o s t r i k e him w ith t he axe, d e a l i n g him a blow t hat s erved o nly t o s tun him. He threw up h i s hands and i mplored f o r mercy, f o r the sake

b eseeching them t o t ake a l l he had, but to s pare h i s l i f e o f h i s w i f e and c h i l d r e n . desired effect    

A s econd blow was d e a l t him, which had the They

m ashing h i s s k u l l , and c a u s i n g i n s t a n t d eath.

h a s t i l y c a r r i e d t he body to the r a v i n e n ear the c e n t r e o f the t h i c k e t , s earched h i s p ockets, and o btained t hree h undred and seventy-two dollars. They h i d the goods, and a f t e r t he mysterious disappearance families. and, t o e t e r n a l

c eased t o be t a l k e d a bout, used them i n t h e i r Such was

the murder of an u nsuspecting man;

d i s g r a c e o f American j u s t i c e , n e i t h e r o f the p e r p e t r a t o r s h as yet been p unished; b ut the vengence of heaven w i l l n ot s pare them. The crime

was committed i n d a y l i g h t , u nder a c l e a r s ky and a b r i g h t O ctober sun. The weather was p l e a s a n t , and the l eaves were y et hanging on the t r e e s , b ut had begun t o assume t he hue t hat s addens the f e e l i n g s o f the n a t u r a l man at the r e c e s s i o n o f summer; w ith now and then one loosing

i t s h old o f the p arent s tem and s lowly g l i d i n g t o the e a r t h , s eeming t o announce the awe of the Maker o f heaven and e a r t h t hat t he workmans h i p o f h i s hands c o u l d become s o u t t e r l y v o i d o f humanity as to commit d eeds at which the demons o f h e l l w ould r e v o l t . I have g iven you the f a c t s , a s near as I can remember, t hat made me a member o f t h i s n o t o r i o u s band. From t hat t ime I became The d r i n k i n g -

r e c k l e s s , n ot c a r i n g what I d i d so I c o u l d e vade the law.

s a l o o n and the c a r d - t a b l e were my c onstant r e s o r t s , d epending almost e n t i r e l y on the means a ccumulated by r obbery and murder f o r a s upport; r e s o r t i n g t o l a b o r o nly enough t o keep the people from s u s p e c t i n g t hat I was o b t a i n i n g a l i v i n g by t h e f t o r r obbery. -5-

  
My f a t h e r ,

I t hink, s uspected I was a c t i n g b adly, a nd o f t e n I w ould r e p l y :

t o l d me he was f e a r f u l I w ould come t o some bad e nd. "0 hush, Father; do not t a l k t o me now."

H aving now g i v e n you a b r i e f h i s t o r y o f my l i f e f rom boyhood up t o the t ime o f my b ecoming a member o f the band r e f e r r e d t o , and t he means t hat c aused me t o become c onnected with a murder a s r e p l e t e

w ith a t r o c i t y a s any now on r e c o r d , I w i l l t r y t o g ive you a b r i e f h i s t o r y o f the w orkings w ith i t . B ut I know t he r eader's heart i s growing s i c k a t the d e p i c t i n g of t h i s murder c ommitted i n c o l d b lood. I w i l l t h e r e f o r e g i v e y ou some o f the i n s t i t u t i o n a f t e r I became a s s o c i a t e d

f a c t s r e l a t i v e t o i t s author, a nd t hen t urn my pen t o the r e l a t i o n o f one s t i l l more d a r i n g a nd h einous.

R obert Goodrich i s a n a t i v e o f H enry c ounty, State o f K entucky; i s a bout 35 or 40 y ears o f age; of i s a bout 5 f e e t 7 o r 8 i nches high; i s i n h i s appear-

f a i r c omplexion, with auburn h a i r , and has s omething

ance t hat d e p i c t s c owardice; one's l i f e ,

b ut when p ossessed o f power o ver any compunction.

he commits t he most inhuman m urders w ithout MURDER OF JOHN O'NAN.

On F r i d a y n i g h t , d u r i n g t he l a t t e r p art o f J u l y o r the f i r s t o f A ugust, 1871, a c o l l e c t i o n o f some t e n or t welve, i n c l u d i n g m yself,

g athered n ear Harper's F e r r y , where t he p roposed v i c t i m had been d ecoyed for t he p urpose o f d i s p o s i n g o f him, a nd, a f t e r c o n s u l t a t i o n , i t was him, a nd t i e

a greed t hat we w ould t ake h im t o the K entucky r i v e r , k i l l a r ock t o him and f eed him t o the f i s h . on o ur j ourney t o c omplete

T h i s a greed upon, we s t a r t e d The n ight was one of

t he h e l l i s h d esign.

u nusual darkness, a nd b efore we had p roceeded f a r on our way one of t he most f e a r f u l c louds t hat e ver c u r t a i n e d t he h eavens b egan t o a r i s e . - 6-

  
B ut

l i t t l e w ind b eing connected

with i t , i t r ose slowly and s t e a d i l y ,

and every moment seemed t o grow d arker, u n t i l n othing c o u l d be s een s ave t he f l a s h e s o f l i g h t n i n g t hat s o v i v i d l y l i t t he h eavens, f o l l o w e d by p e a l a f t e r a nother o f t hunder t hat seemed t o be s peaking t he d i s -

approval o f the c h o i r o f h eaven, i n t ones that were t r u l y a p p a l l i n g ; s o much so, t hat any o ther than heaven-daring demons w ould have r e l e n t e d ,

gave up t h e i r p urpose, and s ought s a f e t y i n some s ecluded p l a c e , where t hey m ight have a sked p ardon a t the hands o f Him who s eeth a l l t h i n g s . B ut nothing d aunted, h aving o ur b r a i n s w e l l charged by w hisky, we

f e a r e d n othing, b ut p ressed on t o c omplete t he m ission f o r w hich we started. c ompletion difficulty H aving a r r i v e d a t the d e s t i n e d p l a c e , p r e p a r a t i o n f o r the o f the work b egan. The n ight was so d ark we had some

i n f i n d i n g a s u i t a b l e r ock f o r the p urpose; and how t o p e r p l e x i t y . But How s hould i t

o b t a i n a r ope, n ot h aving b rought one, was a nother

we s oon f ound one; and now f o r d i s p a t c h i n g t he v i c t i m . be done was t hen t he q u e s t i o n . s hould he be s hot?

Should he be k i l l e d by a l i c k , o r " Shoot

A t t hat j u n c t u r e some of the p a r t y s a i d :

t he damned s o n - o f - a - b i t c h , and make q uick work o f i t . " f l a s h went a p i s t o l ;

A t t hat moment

b ut the s hot was not a imed r i g h t , and s t r u c k him

on t he arm and b roke i t . Then b egan t he most t ouching implorings that e ver I h eard f a l l f rom t he l i p s o f man to s pare h i s l i f e . He begged This

t hat i f we c o u l d n ot s pare h i s l i f e

t o g ive him t ime t o p ray.

was o nly a nswered, "Damn y ou, t here i s no t ime f o r p r a y i n g now." I t was t hen concluded, that a s the s hot had not k i l l e d him The r ock being a l r e a d y tied

t hey w ould p ut him i n t o t he r i v e r a l i v e . to t he r ope,

i t was s p e e d i l y lashed a round h i s n eck, and he was r oughly

h auled

i n t o t he b oat and c a r r i e d t o as n ear t he c e n t r e o f the r i v e r as h eadlong i n t o i t . H i s l a s t words were

c o u l d be g uessed, and p lunged a ppeals

t o us f o r mercy, and t hat we o ught t o g ive him t ime t o p ray. and the r i s i n g b ubbles seemed t o c r y t o God f o r mercy.

He s ank s uddenly,

  
T h i s c rime was now remember.

p e r p e t r a t e d by some, t he names o f whom I do lately

not

Some of the band o f w hich I had and I t hink that Jackson

become a member

were o f f i c i a t i n g ,

Simmons, D avid C a r t e r , i n the r i v e r . clouds had Our work

a s s i s t e d by myself, b eing c ompleted, we now and

were t he ones t hat put him s t a r t e d f o r o u r homes. The

b roken, w ith

then a s t a r p eeping

f rom t he c l e a r s pots i n the sky, whose The w ind t hat was audible

d a z z l i n g b r i g h t n e s s seemed t o b espeak o ur g u i l t .

w h i s t l i n g t hrough t he f o r e s t a ppeared t o be t e l l i n g i n more t han a ccents

the d i s a p p r o v a l of h eaven, and s e a l i n g us as demons n ot f i t to But I know t he reader i s

be the a s s o c i a t e s of the damned i n h e l l . w eary.

I w i l l t h e r e f o r e d i r e c t h i s a t t e n t i o n to s omething t hat w i l l revolting

p erhaps g et h i s mind i n a measure s u i t e d to l i s t e n t o the s cenes o f a m urderer's On Saturday, life.

d u r i n g the month o f A ugust, i n the year

1871, and,

t here being a number o f the K u-Klux a t Lockport, as was

H enry c ounty,

t h e i r c ustom, i mbibing f r e e l y o f i n t o x i c a t i n g l i q u o r , night.

i t was

d ecided that s omething must be done t he ensuing b e?

What s hould i t reached. addicted of

Many i deas were a dvanced b efore the f i n a l c o n c l u s i o n was a man i n the S i x - M i l e H i l l s who was i n d o l e n t and

T here l i v e d

t o d runkenness, g i v i n g h i s f a m i l y but l i t t l e w hich t hey g r e a t l y stood i n n eed. him that n i g h t , and see what he had upon, we We a l l left We

o f h i s a t t e n t i o n , and

concluded

that we w ould w ait upon

to say.

The p l a c e f o r m eeting and met according to no

a greed

f o r home, made r eady,

a rrangement.

t ook up our march f o r the p l a c e designated, s ave t hat of s t o p p i n g a few times

having

d e t e n t i o n s on the way t h i r s t w ith a l i t t l e at t he p l a c e , found

to a ssuage o ur We s oon a r r i v e d e asy by the

O ld B ourbon made i n Owen c ounty. the f a m i l y at home b ut a s l e e p . The

d oor was

t o e nter, being fastened with an o l d - f a s h i o n e d wooden l a t c h r a i s e d a string. We entered, w alked q u i e t l y t o the bed, The s udden c hecking and c aught him by the

n ose t o r a i s e him. manner i n w hich we

of h i s breath, and

hasty so

b rought him

to a s i t t i n g p osture, a larmed him -8-

  
d e s p e r a t e l y t hat he roared f o r h e l p . mouth and t o l d him he must n ot h a l l o o . a sked us i f we were g oing to k i l l him.

We p l a c e d our hands o ver h i s He then began t o beg, We and

t o l d him no, t hat we were to know what f o r , as little

o nly g oing to p a i n t h i s b ack a l i t t l e . he had b een q u i e t i n h i s neighborhood. t oo q u i e t i n some r e s p e c t s ;

He wished We

t o l d him he had been a

we wanted him to be more a c t i v e ;

i t w ould something

be good f o r h i s h e a l t h .

We w anted him to go to work and earn

w ith w hich t o feed and c l o t h e h i s f a m i l y . g otten up and was or mad and b ecoming a busive.

In the meantime h i s wife had We t o l d h er t o be q u i e t ,

we w ould p a i n t h er a l i t t l e We e s c o r t e d the man

t oo, w hich b rought her to a s t a n d - s t i l l . twenty or t h i r t y y ards from the house t hat he w ould

about

and began t o s t r i p him.

He implored us not to l a s h him;

c e r t a i n l y go t o work and do h i s duty i f we w ould e xcuse him t hat t ime. We t o l d him h i s promises were r easonable, but we thought a little

t rimming w ould buoy him up a l i t t l e , more t r o u b l e . We

and cause him not to g i v e us any We The work I t was

had prepared some w illows f o r the purpose.

a ppointed two to h o l d him, while another d i d the whipping. b egan, w ith the understanding t hat i t should not be severe. s oon completed, and we r e t i r e d ,

l e a v i n g him to s o l i l o q u i z e upon what The chastisement had a good e f f e c t ,

s hould be h i s f u t u r e c ourse of l i f e .

c a u s i n g him to q u i t t he t i p p l i n g - s h o p s and g i v e himself to i n d u s t r y , w hich was the means o f c a u s i n g him t o prosper. The K u-Klux d i d some

good a c t s , b ut overbalanced t h e i r good ones w ith some t oo damnable t o be countenanced by the heathen. MURDER ON SIX-MILE.

I presume t he reader's mind h as, by the r e l a t i o n o f the preceding, become s u f f i c i e n t l y composed t o hear the r e l a t i o n o f another of t he d eeds o f a t r o c i t y i n w hich t he author of t h i s c o n f e s s i o n a s s i s t e d . I t h i n k , I was at L o u i s v i l l e , i n company w ith

D uring the year 1872,

R obert Goodrich, Jackson Simmons, and David C a r t e r , t hree of the band -9(

  
of who

w hich I was

a member, and

there f e l l

i n company w ith a g entleman

had been t r a n s a c t i n g some b usiness f o r h i s widowed s i s t e r w ith the then

G overnment,and had drawn a c o n s i d e r a b l e amount o f money, and was on h i s way t o pay the same t o her. We T h i s was

j u s t s uch i n f o r m a t i o n as

we were w a i t i n g f o r and seeking. p l a n by w hich we

put our wits t o work t o devise a To rob him i n

c o u l d o b t a i n i t and e scape d e t e c t i o n .

t he c i t y w ould be a r i s k t hat w ould p robably r e s u l t c onsequently i t was

i n our d e t e c t i o n ; K nowing t hat

the work must b e done a t some o ther p o i n t .

h i s design to come u p on the t r a i n t he f o l l o w i n g m orning, and c hance f o r such work f rom the

i f he d i d , there w ould be but l i t t l e d epot to h i s home i n daytime,

we p roposed

to him to r emain u n t i l he fixed

e vening, and we w ould a l l go together. r e a d i l y c onsented, and r emained.

Being h i s acquaintances we

T hat much a ccomplished,

then

o ur plans as o p p o r t u n i t y o f f e r e d s o as not to e x c i t e h i s s u s p i c i o n . The usual time of the a r r i v a l o f the t r a i n a t P l e a s u r e v i l l e , a t w hich expected to get o f f , was a bout f o u r o'clock i n the was evening, some

p o i n t we and

the d i s t a n c e from that p o i n t to the home o f t h i s man

e i g h t o r nine miles, e n t i r e l y on the p u b l i c r oad;

but we,

being a f o o t , We

w ould b r i n g dark upon u s b efore we c o u l d reach S i x - M i l e C reek. t h e r e f o r e p lanned our work i n the f o l l o w i n g manner:

On the southeast to

s i d e o f the s a i d c reek, and near the s i d e of the road where we had p ass, was a noted cavern, and that was We

the p l a c e s e l e c t e d t o accomplish

o ur design.

landed at the depot at the usual h our, d isembarked, Having a good s upply of w hisky, we reached d rank

and s t a r t e d on our journey.

and t r a v e l e d s l o w l y , night c oming upon us before we Now was

the creek.

to rob him and l e t him e scape w ith h i s l i f e w ould n ot do, as he acquainted with us a l l , determined to k i l l and w ould c e r t a i n l y have us a r r e s t e d ; and c a s t h i s body, s a t c h e l , and a l l to be done i n the f o l l o w i n g heard so

i t was

him,

e xcept h i s money, i n t o t he cavern, w hich was manner:

When we came n ear t h i s c ave we were t o f e i g n t hat we - 10 -

  
s omething i n i t , and get him to l o o k i n g down i n t o i t , and while he in t hat act shoot him, The p l a n was rifle h i s pockets, and get away q u i c k l y . and w orked as we

was

complete,

a n t i c i p a t e d i t w ould.

A r r i v i n g a t the cave, we made a s udden h a l t as i f s u r p r i s e d , and r emarked t hat we all, heard s omething i n i t , w hich drew t he a t t e n t i o n o f

and some o f the b oys s a i d , " L e t ' s look i n i t ; " and so we marched and while he was i n a stooping

up t o i t , a ccompanied by t h i s man,

p osture, Jackson Simmons, b eing by h i s s i d e , s l y l y p l a c e d a p i s t o l n ear the r e a r of h i s head and k i l l e d him d ead a t a s i n g l e f i r e ; w hich h i s pockets were h a s t i l y r e l i e v e d o f a l l that was t he body, w ith h i s v a l i s e , were c a s t headlong It f e l l w ith a c r a s h that e choed b ack, and after

v a l u a b l e , and

i n t o t he y awning a byss. that w ould c onfew

i n s p i r e d an awe

have made t he blood run c h i l l

o f any but such as had had t h e i r Of such men

s c i e n c e s s eared by the r e p e t i t i o n o f crime. who had launched another

were t he

of t h e i r f ellow-men i n t o e t e r n i t y w ithout a i n the company o f h i s s e t out f o r home.

moment's w arning, and w h i l e , as he thought, friends. The H aving completed

the well-planned work, we

night was

c l e a r and unusually c alm.

The s t a r s seemed t o shine bark

w ith more t han usual b r i g h t n e s s . of

Naught c o u l d be heard but the

t he s l e e p l e s s w atch-dog w hich s a l u t e d our ears with i t s f a m i l i a r And the o wls and n ight-hawks seemed t o be unusually f u l l of

s ound.

g l e e , s a l u t i n g o ur ears with "Wa-o-o" and chantings that s poke i n t ones of solemnity the d i s a p p r o v a l of h eaven. But being a ccustomed t o e ven d ared the very

i mbruing our hands i n our f ellow-man's b lood, we

h osts of our Maker, and f rowned a t the d i r e p unishment w hich i s to be awarded t he wicked u nreasonable as being a f a r c e and wholly untrue; that there i s nothing of man and the one h a r b o r i n g the

notion

a f t e r he c l o s e s h i s no ah!

c a r e e r on the present e a r t h ; m atter my how

that l i v e s t he e a s i e s t , But

he procures the means, e njoys the most h appiness.

thoughts

have c hanged, w hich w i l l be f u l l y s e t f o r t h i n another - 11 -

c hapter.

  
H aving of

given the reader as near as p r a c t i c a b l e a t r u e d e l i n e a t i o n and 1872, i n connection the

t he m urders c ommitted d u r i n g the years 1871

w ith some o ther i n c i d e n t s s u i t a b l e t o amuse and draw h i s mind f rom

h o r r i d r e f l e c t i o n s t hat must c e r t a i n l y c h a r a c t e r i z e i t at the r e h e a r s a l of s uch d a r i n g and damning d eeds o f inhumanity as the three j u s t d es-

cribed,

I w i l l c a l l h i s a t t e n t i o n t o one e ven more d i r e , and one that on H enry c ounty that nothing but the stream of time

w i l l t hrow a s tigma

c an erase or wash away. MURDER OF THE SON OF JOHN JAMES.

Between L ockport and Hardin's B ottom -.- the two p l a c e s being a bout s i x m i l e s apart     meanders a s m a l l r i v u l e t , r unning almost crime

d i r e c t l y e a s t , and f l o w i n g from the w est. was

A t the season when t he

c ommitted t he scenes presented along i t s shores were e x c e e d i n g l y The t r e e s , w ith leaves almost f u l l s i z e , and m yriads o f man

picturesque.

f lowers w ith v a r i e g a t e d t i n t s , w ould seem t o d i r e c t t he mind o f

f rom e v e r y t h i n g that had the l e a s t s emblance o f s i n , and c ause t he e motions o f h i s heart to e x u l t i n thanks to an a l l - w i s e C r e a t o r who

had made them, and p l a c e d him as a s o j o u r n e r i n t h e i r m idst, and b l e s s e d him with the g i f t s r e q u i s i t e f o r t h e i r e njoyment. r eader's mind a l i t t l e n earer the scene L et us c a r r y the him.

to w hich I p ropose d i r e c t i n g l i v e d a man who,

A t or near the source of t h i s l i t t l e s tream t hough n ot p o s s e s s i n g the i n d u s t r y and perseverance t e r i z e one who lived proposes

that should charac-

t o get h i s l i v i n g by the sweat o f h i s brow, y et H aving been m arried the second she

i n a f r u g a l and q u i e t manner.

t ime, and h i s second wife not f i l l i n g

t he p l a c e of a s tepmother a s

s hould, i n a C h r i s t i a n p o i n t of v iew, t he son of the f i r s t w i f e , being some s eventeen years of age, felt u n w i l l i n g t o bear the i m p o s i t i o n s of B eing d e s t i t u t e o f means by Goodrich,

t he s tepmother, and r e s o l v e d to run away.

w hich t o d e f r a y e xpenses, he d i s c l o s e d h i s designs to Robert - 12 -

  
D avid C a r t e r , and Jackson Simmons, two of whom were b r o t h e r s - i n - l a w to his was father. They were c ognizant of the f a c t t hat t he f a t h e r o f the boy

the possessor of f i f t y - s i x d o l l a r s , and induced him t o s t e a l t he They p romised to a s s i s t him i n m aking h i s escape, d e p o s i t e d i n a bureau itself.

same f rom h i s f a t h e r .

The boy consented, and k nowing t he money was

d rawer, s ought an o p p o r t u n i t y t o get i t , w hich s oon presented He thought

i t w ould be too bad to rob h i s f a t h e r o f the w hole amount,

and t h e r e f o r e only took f o u r t e e n d o l l a r s and s e v e n t y - f i v e c e n t s , and s t a r t e d i mmediately to seek the company o f those t hat were d e s t i n e d to be h i s murderers. was ready. F i n d i n g them a t the appointed p l a c e , he t o l d them he

They t o l d him they w ould s ee him s a f e to a p o i n t t hat w ould

p revent h i s f a t h e r o v e r t a k i n g him, and immediately made p r e p a r a t i o n s to start. I t was then dusk o r t w i l i g h t i n the evening. they s e t o f f to

H aving decided upon a p l a n d u r i n g h i s absence,

make a boy only seventeen years of age the v i c t i m o f an untimely death, he having not the l e a s t a pprehension of h i s d e s t i n e d f a t e . s e l e c t e d was t he l i t t l e left The route

along the p u b l i c r oad, w hich t r a v e r s e d t he m eanderings o f H ere t hey

s tream before s poken o f, u n t i l n ear i t s source.

t he stream, and ascending the h i l l

t o i t s summit, a few moments' The route

t r a v e l b rought was now

them t o the p l a c e s e l e c t e d t o do the d eed.

along a n arrow r i d g e , on w hich was purposes,

a road used p r i n c i p a l l y f o r Skirt-

n eighborhood ing

i n c l o s e d on each s i d e by a d ense f o r e s t .

t he edge o f the f o r e s t , t hey soon reached a p l a c e w e l l a dapted to of men who were wont t o commit d eeds o f a t r o c i t y s uch as

t he wishes was now

meditated. B ut I hasten to the scene, f o r I know t he reader's mind i s We a r r i