NEWSPAPER: Kentucky Explorer, Newspaper 1893, Letcher Co., Kentucky ----------------------------------------------- Contributed for use in USGENWEB Archives by: Submitted by: Gloria Rose Date: May 1, 1998 ------------------------------------------------ **************************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free genealogical information on the Internet, data may be freely used for personal research and by non-commercial entities as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format or presentation by other organizations or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for profit or any form of presentation, must obtain the written consent of the file submitter, or his legal representative and then contact the listed USGENWEB archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net. ***************************************************************************** Ira Mullins Family Massacre aka "Killing Rock Massacre", Dr. Taylor Hanging and shoot-out with the Fleming Brothers. Submitted by: Gloria (ROSE) Gialdella Obtained from the Ky Explorer taken from the Newspaper of 1893 Mastermind of Massacre at Pound Gap Hanged In 1893, Dr. Taylor, Better Known as The Red Fox, Preached Own Funeral Editor's Note: The border of Kentucky and Virginia at Pound Gap was the scene of one of the most ragic and cowardly acts ever to occur anywhere. Dr. Marshall Taylor (dubbed the Red Fox by John Fox, Jr. in some of his novels) led a band of outlaws in a massacre of several members of the Mullins family and others who were on their way into Letcher County, Ky. Hiding behind large rocks, known thereafter as Killing Rocks, the men shot from ambush showing no mercy on the unarmed traverlers, even killing the horses which pulled the wagon. After a long search members of the band were finally brought to justice. What follows gives a good account of Dr. Taylor's demise. NEWSPAPER ACCOUNTS - 1893 Dr. Marshall B. Taylor was hanged at Wise Courthouse, Virginia, at 2:20 this afternoon, October 27, 1893, for the murder of the Mullins Family. Last night he ate a hearty supper and slept soundly until daylight. He ate a light breakfast and returned to his bed, where he remianed until 10 o'clock. Twenty-five heavily armed men guarded the jail against surprise. Taylor's request to be allowed to preach his own funeral sermon was granted, and he spoke to a large crowd from the second story window of the courthouse, his text being the 20th verse of the 3rd chapter of Revelations. He spoke about one hour and a half with apparent indifference sustained by liberal potations of wine. He frequently choked with tears and sobs. He said that he had made all the confession that he had to make to Christ, and that his salvation was asured. He advised all to shun evil, and asked the spectators to sing "How Firm a Foundation". He bade all farewell and ddesired to meed his auditors in heaven. WISE COUNTY JAIL Taylor was taken bak to the jail, and he ascended the scaffold at 2 o'clock. Here he read from the Bible and offered a final prayer. The Sheriff adjusted the white cap at 2:10, but Taylor was overcome with these preparations. he shook as if he had a chill, reeled and fell heavily to the floor. He was quickly raised up, the rope adjusted and the trap sprung at 2:20. In eighteen minutes the physicians pronounced him dad from stragulation. His body was turned over to friends, who he had requested to keep it until Sunday. TAYLOR'S CAREER A sturdy, farm-bred lad, descended from an honorable faily; a quiet and studious youth; a brave and generous comrade in arms; a physician with a practice covering almost the territory of an entire county; a United States officer, zealous and faithful; and, at last, a criminal of refined cruelty, is a summary of the life of the man who ascended the scaffold today. Dr. M. B. Taylor ws fifty-eight years old, and was the son of a Scott County farmer, whose family was well known thoughout the west end of the Ninth Virginia Congressional District. He, in early life, evinced a tast for medicine study, and became the pupil of Dr. Stallard, of Lee County, his uncle, in the times when medical colleges were few and distant. He had practiced medicine but a few months when he obeyed the call of his native state for troops in 1861. He spent four years in the service as a member of the 64th Virginia Calvary, and came home to resume his professional duties. His parents were widely scattered in a sparsely settled section, and he bacame their spiritual advisor as well, first as a preacher in the Methodist Church and later in the Baptist Church. For some time he lived in Letcher County, Kentucky. In 1876, after years of a quiet life, enjoying the confidence of his acquantiances, he was accused of the assassination of Robert Moore, an outlawed resident of Wise County, who was shot and killed in his house and in the presence of his wife, late at night. The evidence was not conclusive, but his neighbors were convinced that Taylor was the murderer. He was arrested and acquitted, after a trial in which no direct testimony was given. He was once assumed a different manner of life, perhaps haunted by the dark deed, and went about armed. Later on, the United States Marshall for the western district of Virginia appointed Taylor his deputy for Wise County, and the doctor inaugurated at once a campaign against the many moonshiners then infesting that mountainous country. It was while in this service and in the endeavors to capture a wagon load of contraband whiskey that he met the man whose blood brought the halter to his neck today. Ira Mullins, an old offender, and his associates attempted to pass through Wise Courhouse with a wagon load of unstamped liquor, and Taylor and a posse, hurriedly summoned, captured the wagon. Perhaps 250 shots were exchanged in the streets of Wise Courthouse before the wagon was captured and the moonshiners routed. There was one dead man, the driver, and may wounded. Soon after Taylor lost his government position, but Mullins never forgave him, and between the two was a bitter feeling of hatred and resentment which called forth mutual threats and challenges. Taylor asserted a fear of Mullins and his family and prepared for their extermination. He crept unware to Mullins' house and fired in the bed of his enemy, who had become a paralytic from the effect of a wound received in one of his last fights with revenue officers, but Mullins was not struck. Taylor fed to Kentucky, and waited the movements of the moonshiners. Soon Mullins started to Kentucky with several barrels of whiskey accompanied by his family Taylor was notified, and scanning the route of the party, selected a lonely spot on top of Cumberland Mountain, known as Pound Gap, for a general slaughter. He secured the services of two brothers, young and reckless mountaineers, Calvin and Henan Fleming, to asist him in the murders. Within less than ten paces of the road over which the wagon must pass, they prepared a pile of stones several feet high behind which they would be hidden from view, and to avoid the suspicions of the wary moonshiners, brush had been heaped over the stones. It was on May 14, 1892, that Taylor and the two hired assassins, hid behind the rocks and wainted the approach of the wagon. At a few minutes before one o'clock the party approached the ambuscade. Jane Mullins, a daughter-in-law of the distiller, walled in front of the wagon, while within the vehicle were Ira Mullins, his wife, his son Wilson Mullins, and John Campell, the driver. Following it were Greenberry Harris, a hired man, and John Mullins, a fifteen year old son. They were assured that no officers were near, and apprehended no danger otherwise, until a shot was fired, a horse fell dead and three masked men, of familiar figure suddenly rose and commenced firing with repeating rifles upon them. The daughter-in-law and the infant son fled, and escaped injury, though many bullets pierced their outer clothing. All who remained and the horses were quickly shot dead, and old Mullins' body was mutilated with many other shots from Taylor's rifle. The savings of the murdered family, about $1,000, was upon the person of the mother. This was taken and the conspirators escaped to an inaccessible part of the mountains. The alarm spread quickly, and many people were on the ground within an hour or two. Mrs. Mullins was found shot through the knees and breast; her husband had received nearly a score of bullets in the head, shoulders and thighs; John Campbell was struck six times; Greenberry Harris and Wilson Mullins were shot throught the heart. To follow the murderers was impossible. There was no trace of their whereabouts for weeks, when, occassionally, Taylor would be heard going along the highways, accompanied by several armed men. He was finally hidden in a loft of his son's house in Norton, Virginia, from whence, he was secretly put aboard a freight car and hidden among the freight. The railroad company's detective was on the lookout, and arrested him at Bluefield, West Virigina. Taylor was at once taken back to Wise Courthouse, where his indictment, trial and conviction were quickly accomplished. He at once appealed to the Supreme Court, and pending hits decision was removed to Lynchburg, owing to threats of lynching and declared that he had become convinced of the truth of the Swedenborgian faith, and frequently claimed spiritual visitations. He claimed to be the especial ward of heaven, and threatended dire vengeance upon all who participated in his execution. The Supreme Court overruled his exceptions for sentence. On September 9, he was there brought into court and sentenced to be hanged today. He read long extracts from the Bible, and assured the judge that it was revealed to him that he should rise from the dead, and that Christ would visit severe punishment upon his persecutors. Taylor's counsel endeavored to avert sentence by a plea of insanity, but the judge overruled the motion for inquiry. Taylor leaves a family all well known and respectable. His sons, Sylvan Taylor of Norton, is a merchant and a man universally respected. It was claimed by his friends that he was insane and a petition was circulated last week asking the governor to respite him or commute his sentence to life imprisonment, but few signed it. His eccentric and queer religious ideas may have caused some to think his mind was unbalanced. Taylor's accomplices, the Fleming brothers, have never been apprehended, though they have made serveral narrow escapes form the hands of the Wise County officers. Three batles have been fought with them since the arrest of Taylor, but each time they escaped injury and are today at large in the mountains of Virginia or Kentucky, a menace to the peace of the community. ------------------------ The Search for the Fleming Brothers Calvin and Samuel "Henan" Fleming for the killings of Ira Mullins family and Doc Taylor After the hanging of Doc Taylor, a reward was still in effect by the county of Wise for the capture of the Fleming brothers, also accused in the slaying of Ira Mullins family. Two years afterward Big Ed Hall, Gooseneck John H. Branham and A.J. Doc Swindall had not given up their hurt for the men. In their search for their whereabouts they began to intercept and check letters. In this manner they at last obtained the information that the fugitives were at a logging job at Boggs in Webster County, West Virginia. In January of 1894, Ed Hall andhis heavily armed posse, boarded a train at Norton, Va and headed for Bluefield, West Virginia. Granville Cox, Clifton and Tandy Branham were members of the famous Big Ed Hall posse that attempted the arrest of the outlaws, Henan and Calvin Fleming. Both Cox and the Branham brothers had been called as witnesses for the Mullins defense in the Killing Rock Massacre. It was Friday, the 23rd of January, 1894 and it was cold. It was still several hours before dark when they neared the town of boggs. One of the newly enlisted men went ahead to learn if Henan and Calvin Fleming were still working at the logging camp. He returned to say he had learned the Flemings were still there and usually came into town for their mail on Saturday. The three Wise Co. officers thought it would be best to make a reconnaisance of the post office before they met the two Flemings the next day. Dock Swindall was the first of the men to see the fugitives as they walked down the street toward the Post Office. He was watching at the window when he saw the men riding into town. Dock turned to John and Big Ed saying, "I see them coming." They conformed that the men riding down the street were indeed the men they had come to arrest. As the men reached the post office, Calvin Fleming had some trouble hitching his horse, creating quite a racket. Doc was to comment, "I thought he would kill him." The general store housed the post office. The posse watched as the outlaws opened the door and went inside. Waiting only until the door was again closed, the five men raced out of the house and across the street. The building was a 14 x 18 structure with a post office window at the front and at the end of a long counter. Their guns were cocked and ready when they shoved open the door. Calvin Fleming was standing at the post office window opening a letter with Henan standing near him. But there were also thirteen other people, various loggers and residents, sitting or standing around in the room. The officers demanded the outlaws drop thier guns and surrender, but neither of the surprised men complied with the demand. Instead, the Fleming brothers quickly moved back toward the rear of the store, drawing their guns as they went. The civilians caused considerable confusion as they broke for the door, several getting between the Flemings and the officers. The two outlaws, the eight lawmen and the civilians filled the small room. With the frantic rush and struggle of people to shield themselves, firing from the both sides erupted almost simultaneously. Calvin Fleming, standing against the counter, swept his hand down for his gun. One of the first bullets struck Big Ed in the head. Big Ed Hall said he managed to pull himself up from the floor to aim at Calvin Fleming and fire point blank. The outlaw, Calvin Fleming, was dead when he slumped to the floor. In only a matter of seconds, Ed Hall and Dock Swindall had been severly wounded. Branham was fatally shot and Calvin Fleming's dead body, covered in blood, lay in the floor. Henan Fleming, suffering from his wounds and bleeding badly, turned to find Big Ed Hall's gun square in his face. Big Ed swore, "Blast you, Henan, you have killed my men. Give up or I'll finish you! I'll kill you like I killed Calvin!" One of the Boggs men stopped Hall, telling him that he could tie Fleming up. Henan saw the battle was at an end and with his gun had useless, dropped his weapon. There was no other choice, the fugitive was forced to surrender. Dock Swindall was bleeding profusely with blood spouting from each bullet hole and from his mouth as he stepped outside for air. Dock later commented, "I thought I was a gone sucker for a moment." There was a little creek running to the corner of the building and Swindall stooped down and threw some water on h is head. The cold water stopped his bleeding and may have saved his life. Later the men looked at the letter Calvin Fleming had received but had not had the opportunity to read. It was from Jarvey Caudill in Wise County. It was a very brief note which said only, " look out, John Branham, Dock Swindall and Ed Hall are after you." Calvin Fleming was buried at Boggs by his logging mates, with whom he had recently been employed. Gooseneck John H. Branham died nine days later. Newspapers in the area gave their thoughts that his body would be brought back to his home for final interment. He was, however, also buried in Boggs at the same cemetery where Calvin Fleming was buried. Big Ed Hall wounded, but recovering, remained in Boggs nine days until Branham died of his wounds. A.J. (Albert John Wesley), and Dock Swindall also remained until Branham's death. Henan Fleming, who had confessed his part in the slaying of the five people, went on trial, July 24, 1894. By this date, the main witness to the "Killing Rock Massacre", Mrs. Jane Mullins, widow of Wilson Mullins, was dead. For six days the Commonwealth's attorney made an effort to establish the guilt of the remianing killer. However, without Mrs. Jane Mullins's positive identification, the court was forced to find him not guilty. Freed him of all charges and dismiss the case. Henan Fleming went back to West Virginia to live the life of a law abiding citizen, serving several years as an officer himself. Henry Adams, was born May 20, 1862 and died February 12, 1935 of pneumonia. he was buried at the Pendelton Cemetery, Pine Mountain Junction, at Whitesburg, Kentucky. He had been indicted as the 4th member of the mountain killer band. Though the rifle used in the "Killing Rock Massacre" was believed to have belonged to Henry Adams, he was never brought to trial for the murders. The case remained on the docket until 1901, when the charge was dismissed by the court on the grounds of insufficient evidence. Big Ed Hall had married Mrs. Catherine "Cat" Franklin. they lived at Pound, Virginia. Ed'd demise came about in the same style as he had lived, under the hot burning fire of a bullet. On the 31st of January in 1895 he decided to haul some firewood. As he came by the store the crack of a rifle filled the air, and the impact of a bullet smacked into Ed's back. he instinctively turned, trying to grab his Winchester from the sled. Looking back he saw the smoke of a gun coming from the upper story of the store. Ed's wife "Cat", ran to him screaming that someone was shooting from the store. He knew he was a target in the open and attempted to make his way to the Swindall house seeking cover. He fell dead at the porch and was carried into the house. Some say Melvin Robinson and Arch Hopkins were upstairs at the time of the shooting and either could have done the shooting. Isaac Cantrell said, he would take an oath and swear that it wasn't Robinson, because he saw Melvin and another man standing on the porch when the shots were fired. Not one of the men in the store could or would take an oath as to who fired the shot killing Ed Hall. The murder was never solved. Big Ed Hall, "The Mountain Man Hunter" was buried on Pound River, near the village of Pound, Virginia. His wife, "Cat", moved to Kentucky, died in 1920 and was buried there. -- Above article extracted from "The History of The Pound" published by The Historical Society of The Pound.