Garrard County, Kentucky - Chapter with an unread heading (no. 1 of those read), 1854

Chapter with an unread heading (no. 1 of those read)

Time rolled round several peaceful cycles, without any words between the two parties, till Dr. Hill began to practice medicine. Dr. Hill, notwithstanding the difficulty with his father, bad hitherto professed perfect friendship for Dr. Evans. But this shallow and pretended friendship was doomed soon to have an end. Dr. Hill was attending on a sick lady by the name of Ellen Whicker. He had lost all hopes of her recovery, given her up to die, and told her friends that he could do nothing more for her. Dr. Evans was then called in to see the patient. The Doctor knew it was a delicate point to touch upon, and refused to go at first ; but when he was sent for the fourth time, lie went, not expecting to do any good more than the gratifying of her relatives. He examined the lady and found that she was curable. Under his prescription she soon got up and was able to go about. From that time forth, only enmity existed between the two Doctors. In a few days they met in the road - Dr. Evans gave the salute, but Dr. Hill refused to return it. This circumstance happened a second time, which was the first intimation that Dr. Evans had of the hostile state of feelings, without knowing the cause. Dr. Hill made it convenient to slander Dr. Evans on all occasions, calling him ad - d quack, and all other ugly names, and saying that he would kill every fever case that he chanced to be called to see. But actions always ppeak louder than words, and Dr. Hill, seeing hi3 good success, could not refrain from saying, He is a d - d lucky fellow ! " tl What luck he has ! " u He never gets hold of any bad fever cases!" These slanders became so multiplied and common that several of the neighbors informed Dr. Evans of them, and advised him to put a stop to them, even if he had to kill the perpetrator. The reply was, " Let him alone, he will soon kill himself. I care nothing about him, and will say nothing about him. He may yelp around a3 much as he pleases, bo he keeps it out of my face."

Affairs continued thus some time, till one day when Dr. Evans went to Lancaster. He met there several of his professional brethren, but none of them deigned to speak to him. This was a mystery he could not solve. He was in town shortly after that, on one court day, when Mr. Quin, a man living in town, called him to see his sick children. He told Mr. Quin that he could not dare do such a thing in the midst of so many professional enemies - that they would whip him before he could leave town. But, finally, upon further entreaty, he went and gaw the children. Dr. Hill saw this, which so infuriated him that he resolved to attack the bold foe who would thus dare to take a bone out of his lair. Dr. Evans returned to the courtyard, and was conversing with Col. Ray, when he heard some one behind him say - *

" Sir, you have got to quit talking about me ! I say, sir, a second time, you have got to quit talking about me ! " (Dr. Evan3 turned round and sawT Dr. Hill shaking a stick at him.) " You, sir, you - I say, sir, you have got to quit talking about me ! " shouted Dr. Hill at the top of his voice.

" I have not been talking about you ; I never thought you W'orth talking about, nor no such ad - d puppy as you are. I have never said anything good, bad or indifferent about you - you are below the notice of any honorable man ! "

" Yrou lie, sir ; I have never talked about you or any other physician in this town ! It does no good to be disputing in this manner ; bring up your witnesses and prove what you say. It is a d - d lie, and you can 't prove it, save by a low' dog like yourself ! "

Dti. Hill And The Law Suit

This last tragi- comic display produced quite a sensation in the crowd, and an opening was made through which Dr. Evans slipped into the court-house. 'When he got to the door he observed, "You d - d scoundrel, you can't say that when you have not a gang of your puppies around to catch my arm ! "

Here the quarrel ceased. The reader will perceive that the Hills were well trained to this kind of work ; - there were eight or ten of the young stock standing around, ready to seize Dr. Evans by the arms and disarm him if he had any weapons, then leave him to the merciless foe. Dr. Evans knew their plans of attack, and as he had no weapons, thought it best to make a safe retreat. Thus, it appears that Dr. Hill had been slandering Dr. Evans to the physicians of Lancaster, which explains their refusal to salute him. After this circumstance they treated him perfectly like a gentleman and friend.

The two Doctors had their next rencounter in 1840, when Dr. Hill appeared at court as a witness. Dr. Evans had brought a suit against the heirs of Major Burnsides for medical attendance. Through the instrumentality of the Hill and Salter families, the idea of a steam-doctor bringing a suit of indebitatus assumpsit on a medical account, produced quite a little excitement in the famous town of Lancaster. It made all the old revolutionary doctors wink and blink and shrug up their shoulders, while the young diploma-pill-bags ogled wisely and pulled down the corners of their mouths, as if to say, " you can 't come it , old fogy" The two learned lawyers employed on the opposite side, tried to laugh the case out of court - thus endeavoring to non-suit the Doctor. They are excusable for this ; for, when these precocious giants of the green bag get hold of a quick-sand case, upon which they can build no argument, they generally support their side by " laugh-and-grow-fat " ridicule. They tried another trick - argued that Dr. Evans was not a doctor because he had not a regular diploma, for which reason they argued also that his charges were illegal. But the court ruled out these schemes and proceeded to try the case according to its merits. The opposition then demanded a review of

The Hill And Evans Feud

" Who under heaven ever heard of a person's private character being brought into court for suing on an open account? " But the Doctor told them to go ahead - that it was not money but character that he was contending for - that he would have cared little for the money, had they let his reputation alone. They then went into trial with the liberty of investigating his character to the utmost extent. The trial lasted two or three days. On the account the Doctor recovered $175, and a character worth more than gold - worth more than a whole El Dorado. Not a single black spot was proven in either liis* public or private life.

Dr. Hill stated to the court, in giving his evidence , that Dr. Evans had been attending a certain Mrs. Sherley, a sister of Dr. Dickerson, of Nicholasville - that she had gone deranged under his treatment, and that she had been taken to Mr. Welch's and cured by Dr. Dickerson. lie was asked -

"Arc you not mistaken? Did not Dr. Dickerson wait on her and pronounce her incurable ? Was she not then carried to Mr. Swapshire's and cured by Dr. Evans ? "

Capt. James Murphy w*as then called to the bar and sworn. He stated that the lady did recover - that she lived some time after that and bore two children. Thus you see how nicely Dr. Hill was caught in a falsehood - and that, too, when he desired to blacken the character of another. Seeing himself thus caught in the intricate meshes of a lie, he went back to the court to explain, stating that Dr. Evans might have waited on her twice, or at another time. But Dr. Evans procured certificates from the lady's family and friends tliat he had attended on her only once, and that at the particular time mentioned..

To further stigmatize Dr. Hill, Dr. Evans intended to publish the evidence and facts of the case, but his friends persuaded him not to do so, that it would look more humane to show an enemy mercy. For the boldness of procuring these certificates, pr. Hill sent him word that he intended to give him a certificate to h - 11. To which Dr. Evans replied, that he could not do it, for he was too base a coward - that he might get some of - his loafers to do it - that if he had been aggrieved, he could get personal satisfaction any time. Thence forward Dr. Evans experienced a series of abuses from the lower class of the Hill party. It was soon known that Dr. Hill had hired a number of them at twelve and a half cents per day to whip Dr. Evans. They would often go up to him, curse and threaten him, in hopes of getting a fight. But Dr. Evans knew they were hired tools, and told them they had better work for their money in some other way ; that they could make more any other way than by whipping him. If I mistake not, one of the Hills upon his death-bed, told Dr. Evans that John Hill had offered ten dollars to any one who would whip him, and that he had attempted to get the prize money several times himself, but failed. And in his expiring breath begged pardon for throwing rocks at him on the public square in Lancaster. The Hills had a notorious fame for throwing rocks. Armed with these natural projectiles, they could do far more execution than with firearms - so truly and powerful where they hurled. A couple of them to go out on the hills squirrel hunting, would be more successful than as many good riflemen. They were extremely afraid of Dr. Evans, for which reason their efforts at him were not so fortunate - but they had bravery enough to cast vagrant stones at his back.

The Hill And Evans Flud

would let ray business alone if I would do the same toward you ? I believe you are setting this gang of loafers on me. I believe it, and if I was certain of it, I would whip you right here like a dog ? But I do know one thing - they are your tools - - you have perfect control over them, and if they trouble me any more I will hold you accountable for it. I will not act sneakingly about it as you do, but I will catch you in the court-yard, and give you as much of my stick as you are able to pack home. You can stop them and I know it - - so look out for the future ! " For some time after this incident, Dr. Evans had no more trouble « - the Hills all seemed to be perfectly friendly with him.

The Barbecue Fight Ciiapter Iii

Tho Election - Barbecue at Fred. Hill's - Dr. Evans drinks and treats - Stays till after dark - -Hills get drunk - Dr. Evans informed of tho plotted mob - He mounts his horse - Hills surround him - Jesse Hill strikes him - His horse knocked down - Confined in a corner - They shoot at the Doctor - The horse dashes out of their reach - They pursue - Dr. Evans escapes to Turner's - He arrives at home nearly dead - Ran* dom thoughts.

Every thing went on smoothly and peaceably between the two parties until the fall of 1849, at a barbecue given at Fred. Hill's. Here the w ar begins with more energy and on a larger scale. An election was soon to come off, if I am not mistaken, for delegates to the convention to revise the constitution of the State. There was considerable excitement - the emancipation question being warmly agitated.

Dr. Evans did not at first purpose to attend the barbecue, but after dinner having business in that direction, he concluded to stop a few minutes to see what wras going on. He met Capt. Price, one of the candidates for the convention, who requested him to go to the barbecue and fill his place. The Doctor at first refused, but upon further entreaty told him he could not fill his place, but would do the best he could. He went, mingled with the heterogeneous crowd, and spent his money freely in treats. As the Doctor had not supped, the Hills' professing great friendship for him, urged him to stay and take supper with them. He stayed till after supper, and every thing went off so amicably that he did not even suspect an enemy on the ground. After supper he invited Richard Robinson to go home writh him. A man by the name of Warren wras standing near by and observed that he would like to go too, if they would wait for him awhile - that the cream of the barbecue had not come off yet. In a short time the Hill clan seemed to be getting a little too drunk, waving their hats and quarreling among themselves. These siyns began to make the Doctor feel that all was not right. He observed to Robinson that nothing more could be effected for their party that night, and that it was time to be off. They started to get their horses - at which time the drunken, quarreling squad drew nearer and proposed to leave the decision of their dispute with Dr. Evans. He told them that he knew nothing about their contention, but that he would decide it in this manner - for them to say nothing more about it, and he would treat the crowd to a bowl of mint sling. He then walked to the bar (a low rail pen enclosing a barrel of whisky and the vender), and ordered it. While he was going up, one of the Hills patted him on the shoulder and said : - " Doctor, by G - d, you ought to treat ! " The Doctor immediately handed the bowl to him, but he turned and said, - " G - d d- - m you, I would not drink to save your life ! " He then handed it to John Arnold, one of the candidates, and asked him to drink. Arnold took the bowl, immediately handed it to some one else, and asked him if he had a certain kind of medicine in his pill-bags. The Doctor said he had, and they started out to get it. They had gone only a few steps when John Murphy caught the Doctor by the arm,- and said he wanted a word with him.

" You are out of the crowd now," said Murphy, " and don't go back into it again, for they are going to knock you in the head with rocks to-night 1 "

When the Doctor was called away, Jesse Hill took his place and walked off with Arnold to a large tree near by. The Doctor got the medicine and was returning to Arnold when he heard Jesse Hill remark : -

" No, no ! " both replied, and Hill walked off to a group of his fellows, a few steps distant. 44 Here is the medicine, Mr. Arnold," observed the Doctor.

44 I did not need the medicine - I merely wanted to get you out of the crowd, and tell you to get on your horse and leave immediately, for the Hills are going to mob you, and I don't want to see it."

The Doctor started to get his horse, which was hitched to the limb of a tree not far distant. As he pulled down the swinging limb to loose the bridle, he saw two men, supposed to be Bill Ware and Jesse Hill, follow him in a brisk gait and dart behind the tree. He thought they were trying to shoot and got behind his horse. They then turned and walked off rapidiy toward the house. The Doctor mounted, rode out a few' steps into open ground, found Warren there, and asked, 44 Are you ready to go ? " to get his horse, I suppose ; get yours, and let us go - but stop, stay with me till he comes ; I am afraid to stay alone. I have learned that the Hills are going to mob me, and I don't want you to leave till Robinson comes ! "

Warren walked immediately off without saying a word, and was seen no more that night. Bill Ware who was a perfect stranger to the Doctor, then Trent up and spoke :

44 Hold down vour head," said Ware, taking hold of his hand, 44 I want a word with you. I understand that you intend to knock me in the head with rocks to-night."

As these last words -were falling from the Doctor's lips, Jesse Hill struck him on the side of the head with a square bar of iron. He snatched his hand away from Ware, and asked -

During this conversation, the Doctor cast his eyes around to see who was near, and the best way to get out. He saw not less than twenty- five of the party surrounding him, and advancing in platoon order, so as to form a hollow-square. When Hill said " w'e'il give you a few any how," the Doctor wheeled his horse and sprang him toward a gap in the fence. As he did tliis, the rocks began to fly. His horse ran about ten steps and was knocked down. About the time the horse fell, the stones knocked the Doctor perfectly blind ; though he retained his seat - and indeed it was impossible for him to fall, for the rocks came as thick and fast as hailstones. When one would knock him in one direction, another would knock him as far the other wray, in such a manner as to keep him vibrating like a pendulum. They ran the horse up between the tobaccohouse and fence, and having them thus confined, beat both horse and rider nearly to death with rocks, rails, boards, and poles. The Doctor, though yet blind, besought them to have mercy on him - but the more he begged, the harder and faster the pelting missiles flew7. The horse finally got cut ; but how* he did it, is a mystery, for the fence was close to the house and very high, and strongly staked and rider ed , while behind, the enraged mob stood as thick as forest trees. When the horse got out and had gone about half round the house, the Doctor's eyesight returned. He still clung to his saddle, though the shower of pelting stones did not abate its fury. When the horse got back to the place from which he started, the Hills 6hot at the Doctor twice, with a small and a large pistol. The horse being easily frightened, scared at the report and dashed away beyond- the reach of the stories. As the pistols were fired, one of the formest of the pursuing party fell over a stump, and nearly all the rest stopped to seize their supposed victim, while the Doctor made good his retreat under the cover of night. Those who continued the pursuit turned to the left to intercept him in the road which led to his house ; but instead of taking the road, he turned to the right through the woods. He had not gone more than fifty yards before he fell from his horse : but this did not stop him, for he ran on his hands and feet, alternately rising and falling, till one of his sons found him, and aided him to mount. The Doctor was nearly senseless, and called loudly for water. But the son knew it would not be expedient to delay a moment, and ordered his father to follow him.

"Good Lord!" exclaimed the son, "what shall we do; yonder they are ahead of us again in the main road ! We must take the other end of the road and out-run them, for we can't out-fight them !"

" Let us gallop on son ; throw down the fence and go the nearest way to Bill Turner's house, for if I don't get some water soon, I can't live."

"I believe I will, for I would like to wash my wounds in whisky, if you have any. Then I must go back after my hat and saddlebags. I find my wounds to be so bad that if I remain long they will get sore, and I will not be able to get away."

After the Doctor washed his wounds in whisky, they set out and arrived at home without further disturbance. The Doctor was bruised perfectly black nearly all over, and his chest was very much swollen. His jaw-bone was broken in two places, and his head had not a few gashes. These wounds and bruises kept him in bed nearly two months, and so severe were they, that the neighbors dispaired of his recovery.

I have no feelings of enmity for the Doctor, but I could have it in my heart to rejoice that this misfortune befell him, for he certainly deserved a sound thrashing for being caught at such a place at so late an hour. The Doctor claims to be a respectable man, which claim I do not in the least doubt, but this would seem to indicate that his code of morals, or standard of respectability was not very elevated, and may perhaps make some people skeptical as to the justness of his pretensions. It is true that honorable men do sometimes visit such gatherings, but a man of high-toned refinement would not be seen there, unless he chanced to be a candidate. But how can we justify a man, pretending to any respectability in society, in mingling and drinking with such a motley, ruffian crowd, at so late an hour? I am persuaded that the Doctor had imbibed too freely of the ardent , for if his soul was not? drunk, it was certainly devoid of sensibility. Every departure from nature's laws brings its penalty, and severe the penalty proved in this case to him. Of all the despicable evils, that of being thrown into a ruffian crowd, stirs up the most bittef disgust and horror in my soul. And had the Doctor any moral sensibility, or any feelings of native pride, he would have felt this same detestation and bitterness of heart for those with whom he mingled.

I am utterly opposed to those debasing assemblages on elec tion occasions ; they do no good, but inestimable evil. They are given by the parties - not so much to hear political discussions as to gain friends and secure votes by the magnificence and magnanimity of their treats. This custom has grown upon the people to such an extent that the man who can treat the most, drink the most " liker" and make himself the bigest fool while drunk, is almost certain to be elected. This is a lamentable fact. In many instances have worthless topers been pre- ferred to men of talent and morality. Now, if I could not be elected but by these drunken leasts, I would disdain the honor, stamp it under foot as I would the necks of the senseless vagabonds that gave it. Such drunken honors I would cast to the swine, as unworthy a man possessed of a soul.

This liquor-bribery custom not only debauches men, but leads directly to another evil even more lamentable to an American - that of selling votes. It cannot be denied that some of the chivalric sons of old Kentucky are becoming so debased as to sell their votes with impunity. Had I an ocean of tears to weep for their depravity ! I never even thought of such a thing as selling votes ; selling the liberties of freemen, the franchise of the ballot-box, till I visited the hills of my childhood, in Garrard county. What superlative disgust stirred the inmost cells of my heart on learning that some of my native county-men were thus dead to the noble and elevated principles of our glorious liberty ! These are hard words for the county of my nativity, but mild in comparison to the indignation aroused by such heathen degeneracy. This cannot apply to the* people generally, for Garrard county boasts of some of the most noble and patriotic men that breathe American air, and I love her for her greatness ; but every flock has its black sheep.

I am no temperance advocate myself, nor particularly in favor of Maine-liquor-law-like statutes, but it does seem that it would be a blessing to the State, and to the whole Union, for the legislature to enact measures to prevent this corruption in elections. No penalty could be too severe for the low miscreant who would sell hi3 vote, or the vile-hearted wretch who would buy it. For, let the evil go unchecked, and what would be the result ? The base scoundrel who had the most money would be sure of election. Then see what a condition our country would be in. The men of intelligence and moral worth would disdain to contend for such degraded honors, and our legislative halls would be filled with all the vice and depravity of the land. Such guardian angels of our liberties would soon demolish the towering temple of freedom,, humble her proud columns to the dust, and shut the world in darkness. We could but weep over her beautiful and classic ruins.

that leads directly to this dire fate. One vice leads to another. But he has dearly paid for his erring ways, and can repent at leisure, and 1 am confident that he will not be guilty of the like again. I could wish that the same punishment were visited upon every perverse Kentuckian who ha3 strayed into these dismal paths of corruption. This is hard reproof for my countrymen, but they must pardon me for daring to speak so boldly the sentiments of a heart that received its first impulses in the generous and patriotic community of their glorious State.