Garrard County, Kentucky - Chapter with an unread heading (no. 3 of those read), 1854

Chapter with an unread heading (no. 3 of those read)

The Doctor and two of his sons go to Lancaster - Judge Robinson delivers a political speech - Hills appear and attempt to shoot - Jesse Hill swears to kill the Doctor - The crowd rushes into the Court-house - Jesse IlilJ attempts to shoot the boys, but Ward holds him - The Doctor goes to the door - Hill gets loose from Ward - The Doctor requests Hill to go away - Hill throws up his pistol 5 the Doctor shoots him through the heart - The Doctor fires again - Hill leaps and falls on his head - The Doctor gets his horse to leave - The sheriff cries out " catch him " - The Doctor challenges the whole crowd - None accept - lie mounts and gallops off - The multitude give chase, and throw rocks - A boy repulses the pursuing host - The sheriff and party pnrsue, and attempt to take the Doctor at his house - He refuses to surrender - The sheriffs threats - The Doctor flees the country.

In March, 1850, the Doctor went to Lancaster to attend court. Two of his sons accompanied him, one about eighteen, and the other about fourteen years of age. As none of the Hill party made their appearance, and as Judge Robinson was expected to deliver a political speech in the evening, they concluded to remain till that time. During the speech, the Doctor, however, took the precaution of posting his sons on guard in the rear, so that none of the party could creep up unperceived. The Judge had not spoken many minutes, when half a dozen Hills were seen in the aisle, holding a council of war. The Doctor watched them narrowly, and soon saw that he would have to fight his way out. if he got out at all ; for they had formed nearly an entire circle around him. It was very evident from their moves , that Bill Ware had been chosen to do the shooting. He attempted to shoot several times, but as soon as the Doctor threw his piercing glance at him, he would turn and walk out of the door. At the opposite door there was another party, with Jesse Hill at their head - but they were closely watched by the boys. Jesse attempted to shoot, and even presented his pistol once, but at the same instant seeing the boys with their dreaded pieces coming down on him, dropped it and walked out of the house. He then went over to the tavern, took a glass of brandy, flourished his pistol in the air, and swore he would never take another drink of liquor till he had killed the Doctor or one of hi3 sons. He returned to the court-yard, dashed around in a wild frenzy, and insulted several people ; and even hawked and spat in the face of one Mr. Dollings, cursed him, and told him to take that, if be did not he could get THIS, at the same time shaking the pistol over his head. Dollings walked immediately away.

" Jesse Hill is out there ranting around ; your little son is out there also. You had better go out and take care of him, he might get killed. "

At this moment, a crowd with great excitement, came rushing In at the door, some crying u let me get away, for God's sake let me get away." The Doctor pushed his way. through the crowd to the door, and saw one of his sons standing near the door, ihe other on the steps of the court-yard enclosure, both with their hands in their pockets on their pistols, while their pale countenances trembled with excitement. Their anxious eyes directed him to the danger. He saw James Ward in the corner of the yard trying to pull Jesse Hill away - Jesse struggling violently to free himself. As soon as Hill saw the Doctor, he cursed Ward, and gave him to understand that more persuasive means would be used, if words could not obtain his freedom. He struggled desperately', and shook off his best friend. Ward walked away behind the corner of the court house. The Doctor stepped back against the door-facing, ready to draw his cocked pistols. Hill walked directly toward him,' and drew his revolver. The Doctor making a gesture, said: - " Jesse, you had better go away." ;

. As he uttered these words, and was bringing down his pistol, the Doctor drew his instantly and shot him under the arm. When the smoke of his pistol blew' away, the Doctor sawT him aiming and pulling at the trigger of his pistol. He stepped two steps forward, which threw him behind the other facing of the door. A voice was heard from the crowd, u Doctor, you hav'nt touched him ! " He stepped back to his former position, saw Hill leaning against the court-house with his revolver in both hands trying to shoot the boy on the enclosure steps. The Doctor again raised and fired, and shot him through the heart. When the ball struck him, he sprang half bent and fell about five feet from the court-house. Thence he sprang twelve or fifteen feet and fell on the right side of his head. As he was thus turning a summerset in the air, the Doctor fired again, but missed. The same unknown voice from the crowd exclaimed - Don't shoot any more, Doctor, you have killed him." He retained his position some time, expecting every moment that Ware and a half dozen more would be shooting at him. When the curious crowd formed a circle around Hill, the Doctor stepped up a few benches and watched their movements through the window. That was the safest place to be found, for no one could sneak up behind him, and he had full view of both doors. When the fight began, the house was perfectly crowded ; but when it ended, the Doctor was the lone occupant. The people disliked to see these actions between the two parties, for they feared to be brought into court as witnesses, for they might thereby render themselves liable to incur the displeasure and malice of one of the parties, and peradventure by this means

Tiie Hill And Evans Feud

The Doctor then went out at the door, where he oxpected to find Ware with his hostile clan, and walked across the square, with pistol in hand, to where his horse was hitched. A friend ran up to unhitch his horse for him, but the Doctor pushed him away and said : -

" Catch him, catch him - don 't allow a man to shoot another down in the court-yard and then get away ! I command the mule-ishe (militia) to take him ! "

. This was evidently a fellow of corpulent words and lean actions, a specimen of the genus homo that the Young America spirit of the age calls " gas." When the Doctor heard this pompous harangue, he left his horse, advanced to within fifteen steps of the orator and the crowd, and said : -

- u Gentlemen, if any of you feel like it, come out and try your hand, try the virtues of lead! Choose your champions, or all come together - I am ready for any emergency, life or death ! "

A friend brought his horse and urged him to go ; the boys, likewise, still entreating him to leave. lie then told the younger son to get his horse and saddle bags in order to leave. The boy did as directed, and they galloped across the square past the crowd. The other son had not yet mounted. As they were passing they encountered a shower of rocks from men not, till then, supposed to have any interest in the affair. The whole crowd ran in pursuit, yelling like Indians; some mounted horses and with pistols in hand, set out in full speed. The older boy, Sam, I believe, soon mounted, and with a fleet horse got before

Court-House Tragedy

Sam stood there with his pistol presented ; the crowd y, heeled and ran hack about as fast as they came. These were the brave mule-islie so bravely commanded and so heroically repulsed by a beardless youth. Kentucky is renowmed for her Spartan bravery, but little valor could be anticipated in such a rabble crowd as this. The flying party then rode on without further molestation.

" I did not miss his right nipple more than half 'an inch. But pray, tell me, are you going to give me anythiug to eat ? " li Good Lord ! you don 't want to eat!"

" Yres I do ; I 'm very hungry. Make haste ; the whole party will be here on me in less than half an hour. I w ant to eat to be strong enough to whip the whole crowd, and I fear I shall not have time to do it."

He immediately dispatched a negro to the fields to tell the other boys and William Chrismon to come in with their guns and prepare for a general battle. Just as the Doctor finished his dinner, he sawr the sheriff, his deputy, and four other men approaching. Some of these were his friends. It wTas reported that a mob, about fifty strong, had stopped a fewr hundred yards distant, between the house and the creek. When the sheriff and party rode up, the Doctor, through bis sons, told them - " Gentlemen, you must not come in here." together that one man could not have shot them both. The people generally believe that he and Jesse Hill shot about the lame time. Tell him to let the report go that way, for it would le more favorable for him."

" He does not desire any such report, for it is untrue, and he wishes only the truth to go to the world. He did actually shoot three times, for it took that many loads to fill up"

" He says that he does not intend to surrender, that he is not afraid of the law, nor will he evade it, but he is unwilling to be taken out, stripped of his weapons and be shot down by an enraged mob."

" You could not prevent it, and even if you could, he has no surety that you would. lie gives his word and honor that he will not evade the law, and that he will appeai\at court when the trial comes up." -

"If you get him, you will have to pay dearly for him, and when you do get him, he will not be worth much. If you are his friends, he wants you to go away, and if his enemies, you had better do it ! "

They all followed his example, and immediately put his theory into practice. As the Doctor had determined not to be taken, he held a council with his sons and friends, to know what he had best do. As they believed their enemies had the favorable side of the law, they advised him to leave the country, for they might- force him to do things which the law would not justify. His primary motive for leaving was to give the mob time to think, for he remembered the old adage - "A mob has many heads but no brains." He made arrangements with his sons for the preparation of his trial, and for them to send him word when it would come off, so that he might return in time. According to the advice given after deliberation, he left immediately.