23 Lay Dead

Knox County, Ky., is feud country. Within its hilly boundaries, no spot is more remote than the little country store on Cold Fork Creek. 18 mi. back in the mountains from Barbourville. Walter Smith and Link Gambil, two men who had hated each other for a long time, walked into the store, grasped left hands, started pistolling each other. Feudist Gambil was shot seven times; Feudist Smith thrice. Both died.

Willie Johnson, 18, got Ruby Crook, 17, in trouble. The Crooks, finding Ruby pregnant, sent her away, promised "to take care of the Johnsons." While the rest of the community was attending services at the New Salem Baptist Church, on the border of Clay and Laurel Counties, the families met in the church yard. The Crooks "took care" of three Johnsons. The Johnsons "took care" of two Crooks. Willie Johnson survived with a slug in his arm.

In Madison County, Tom Collins and Bernice Griffin went hunting. They fell to arguing about whether or not one should say "howdy" to a stranger. Sportsman Griffin won the argument by killing Sportsman Collins.

In Clark County, Thomas Lucas Jr. reached for his gun, made the fatal mistake of letting Policy Morgerson beat him to the draw.

In Daviess County, Hunter Clouse heard that Jeff Rowland was going to "cut his heart out." When Hunter Clouse discovered Jeff Rowland sharpening a long knife his suspicions became conviction. He shot and killed Jeff Rowland.

Last week the law of Kentucky began taking what course was left it, following a weekend which had proved notably bloody even for the "Dark and Bloody Ground" State. Killers Griffin, Morgerson and Clouse surrendered to Sheriffs. Willie Johnson was at liberty pending investigation of the gunplay in which he figured. Since no patriotic Kentucky peace officer wants to nourish the State's oldtime reputation for feuds, only the Smith-Gambil affray was placed in that category. The State was at a loss, however, to explain the 23 killings which took place in the same two days. Others:

Knox County moonshiners killed Gilbert Botkins. Deputy Sheriff John Stewart of Knox County pulled a gun on someone, died from loss of blood when a bystander knocked it to the ground, accidentally shooting the officer in the leg. Hunter Burchell, guard at the State reformatory at Frankfort, shot Sheriff N. J. Tipton of Rockcastle County. Mrs. Tipton is now the third Kentucky sheriff's widow serving out her deceased husband's term. Clit Clarkson of Casey County murdered his wife. Vernon Blankenship killed his brother-in-law at Pikeville. Jack Warren killed Hugh Beckham in his roadhouse near Bowling Green.

In Frankfort the Kentucky General Assembly petitioned President Hoover to free Lieut. Thomas Hedges Massie, U. S. N.. his mother-in-law and the two naval enlisted men, held at Honolulu, pending trial for the murder of an Hawaiian who allegedly raped Mrs. Massie (TIME, Dec. 28 et seq.).

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