Kentucky's Famous Feuds and Tragedies: Authentic History of the World Renowned Vendettas of the Dark and Bloody GroundMutzenberg, Charles Gustavus
History
Kentucky's Famous Feuds and Tragedies: Authentic History of the World Renowned Vendettas of the Dark and Bloody Ground
Mutzenberg, Charles Gustavus
Crime -- Kentucky; Vendetta -- Kentucky
Two French men, Jesse Fields and Bob Profitt, found themselves isolated
in a jury room on the second floor, while the court room proper was
already occupied by their enemies, the Eversoles. The two were in a
precarious situation and thoroughly realized it. There seemed but one
chance for escape open to them--a leap through the windows into the
yard below. They saw themselves outnumbered twenty to one. Resistance
would have been folly and surrender did not appeal to them. Neither
side had thus far in the "war" exhibited much respect for principles of
civilized warfare.
The moment the Eversoles took possession of the rooms beyond, Fields
and Profitt locked the door of their room and as noiselessly as
possible hoisted one of the windows. On looking into the yard below
they hesitated. It was a high jump, with many chances in favor of their
breaking their necks, or at least a limb or two. But when the enemy
attempted to break through the door all hesitation vanished. Both
leaped and landed on the ground below without sustaining injury.
This daring leap had been perceived by the Eversoles. The two men were
fired upon as they ran for life toward and into the jailer's residence
for cover. This building, as well as the court house, was of brick.
The two structures stood within fifteen feet of each other and fronted
the same street. The Eversoles now passed their time in ventilating
the thin brick walls of the little building. Fields and Profitt began
to feel uncomfortably warm, but held the fort. They had an ample
supply of ammunition and continued to pour volley upon volley into the
windows and through the walls of the court house. All through the long
afternoon the guns roared. Clouds of smoke hung low and heavy over the
unfortunate town. Constant was the clatter of firearms. The incessant
hiss of leaden missiles was interspersed with shouts and defiant curses
while the silent terror of women and children was pitiful to behold.
The whole presented a scene not easily forgotten by those who were
compelled to witness it.
Thus far the battle had proved bloodless, notwithstanding the
tremendous expenditure of ammunition. Neither of the belligerent armies
had dared an open attack. They fought now as they had practically
always fought during the war--from well-secreted places. Fortified in
their quarters, they took care not to expose their persons. It was
no senseless caution, for upon the appearance of an object anywhere,
behind, in or under which a human being might be suspected, it became
at once the target of many guns and received very close attention
indeed.
With the approach of night Fields and his comrade felt that they must
evacuate the premises or succumb to an attack by superior forces under
cover of darkness, but to join their friends some distance away they
must necessarily run a dangerous gauntlet. However, they preferred
dying in the open to being caught like rats in a trap.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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