AMERICAN FAMILY FEUDS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2652, 11 January 1905, Page 37

AMERICAN FAMILY FEUDS.

The vendetta of Corsica has its analogue in the family-feud of America. Generally (says the American correspondent of theAge) these feuds last for years. Two families become bitterly antagonistic in consequence of some real or fancied wrong, and any member of one will -shoot any ■member of the other on sight. Such family fends are comparatively frequent in the mountain districts of Kentucky and West "Virginia, where the residents are often remote from an effective arm of the law. The culmination of one of these feuds recently- resulted in the terrorising of a town in West Virginia and a series of coldblooded murders. At Montgomery one William Elliott, a policeman, shot and killed W. A. Jackson. There had long been illfeeling between the Jackson arid Elliott^ families, and the next day the brothers of Jackson came down' from the mountains'" " armed to the teethC" swearing not alone to exterminate the , Elliott /family, but to have vengeance on the mayor and entire police force of the town. When these three bloodthirsty brothers came to town the civil officials went into hiding, fearful for their j lives. They telephoned to Sheriff Daniels, j who was in aa adjacent town. Daniels boarded the first train and hurried to Montgomery. When he got off the train he saw Harvey Jackson standing 50ft away. ! The sheriff walked up to Jackson, placed his hand on th© latter's shoulder, and requested him to leave the town or submit to arrest. Without replying, Jackson drew his pistol and shot Daniels dead. John Rolf, a prominent citizen, started towards Jackson with uplifted arms. Jaokson fired at him, killing him also. He then reloaded ' his revolver, drew another from his pocket, and, brandishing both pistols, defied anyone to arrest him. He -was joined by his two brothers, and for half an hour they -walked the streets at the head of about 40 of their friends, defying %h© citizens and the police. A reign of terror existed in the town. Finally, on the appearance of Detective Harrison, A&h, known as ." the nerviest man in the State," the Jackson brothers and their followers made off into the mountain strongholds, with which they are familiar. A posse of 200 men,, with bloodhounds, followed them, but seem to have had but little success in their search. Another feud in West Virginia, between the families of Wallace and Curry, came ] to a climax last week by Mrs Wallace firing [ into a crowd that was attacking her hus- ' band, finally -wounding Thomas Curry. The two parties _ ther: commenced firing at one another, aud it is estimated that 500 shots i were exchanged. Mrs Wallace -was shot ' twice, and 10 other members of the crowd j wer« badly injured.