Below are some transcriptions from Newspapers in Kenton County. Please feel free to submit any portion of a Newspaper, just be sure to include the Newspaper name, date of article, page and column.

*** To submit your records for the aid
of other researchers stop by here. ***

The Daily Commonwealth, Covington, Kentucky
Thursday, October 18, 1877


• Jerry Anderson, the Maysville wife poisoner, came very near being sent into another, if not a better world, by way of the rope-and-noose route last night. A colored mob of about one hundred visited the jail at one o'clock, demanded admittance, and on being refused, attempted to break down the jail door, but were prevented from doing so by a party of armed citizens, who assembled upon hearing the noise.
  
• A House of Mourning: Yesterday afternoon at 5-1/2 o'clock a terrible and fatal accident from coal oil occurred to Miss Lucy Wilkerson at the home of her father. No. 1240 Madison St. As soon as the accident was known a Daily Commonwealth reporter called at the residence of Mr. Wilkerson, and obtained the following particulars in regard to the sad and unfortunate affair. Mrs. Wilkerson, who has lately been confined, a sweet little baby being born only last Saturday, was with Mr. Wilkerson and their daughter, Lucy, in the front room of the residence yesterday afternoon, when Mr. Wilkerson told his daughter that the servant girl, who had been granted leave of absence for the afternoon, had not returned, and she (Lucy) would better go down to the kitchen and make her mother a cup of tea. Lucy obeyed, and on going to the kitchen, found the fire out, when she preceded to kindle it. She put in the kindling, started it aflame, and then set about preparing the tea for her sick mother. When ready to place it on the stove, she discovered, as she supposed, that the fire had gone out again, and her zeal to get the beverage ready as quickly as possible, she then got the coal-oil can containing some two gallons of oil, and poured some of it on the wood. Unfortunately there were some live coals at the bottom of the grate, which ignited the coal-oil stream, the blaze ran up the spout and in an instant the can exploded. The top of the stove was blown off and so loud was the report from the explosion that it was heard at some distance from the house. The blazing oil flew in every direction, covering and setting fire to Miss Wilkerson's clothing. The calico wrapper she was wearing was in flames in a moment, and the poor girl, too much frightened to cry out, rushed out of the kitchen door to the northern portion of the house until the front was reached, then around the eastern and southern sides. Persons who saw the affair said they could not see Miss Wilkerson for the flames, in which she was completely wrapped and extended three feet above her head. Mr. Jos. VanLeunen, first saw her, tried to stop and catch her, but was unable to do so. Her father then saw her and, with Mr. VanLeunen, got a large feather bed from the house, and succeeded in stopping the almost maniac girl, and smothering the flames. She was taken to the bedroom adjoining the kitchen and Dr. Kearns, who was passing by, was immediately called in. He preceded at once to make an examination of the burns and render all assistance possible to the suffering girl. He found Miss Wilkinson's [as appears in article] feet, legs, arms, back, breast, and in fact her whole body, except the head and face, burned to a crisp. The physician at once pronounced the case hopeless, and all that he could do was alleviate her sufferings as much as possible. For this humane purpose opiates wer administered, and then, with the effect of the shock, seemed to numb the pain of her fearful wounds and relieve her of the torture she would otherwise have suffered. She conversed with some freedom, and thoughtful of the effect on her mother in her enfeebled condition, asked that the latter be not brought to her. When told how terrible she was burned, she said, "Thank heaven my face is not burned." Rev. J. M. Bent, pastor of the Madison Street Baptist Church, of which she was a Sunday-school pupil, was sent for, and was soon at her bedside. He told her whe was so badly burned that she would die, when she replied; "Not so badly burned." A little afterward told her again that she must die, when she answered that she had said her prayers, after which she sank into the kindly and welcome oblivion of sleep. Mr. Wilkerson in smothering the flames had his hand badly burned and was almost frantic with grief and excitement last evening. A number of attempts were made to put him under the influence of morphine and chloral, but they were unsuccessful until about 11 o'clock, at which time the narcotics had the desired effect. Mrs. Wilkerson was also nearly uncontrollable from grief and expressed great desire to go to the bedside of her dying daughter, and was only prevented by being told of the great danger that might come. Grave fears are entertained of the effect of this terrible shock upon the afflicted mother, whose love for her daughter prompted her, even in the first wild burst of grief, to insist that Lucy should be told the full extent of her danger, which was done by Mr. Bent, as related. Miss Wilkerson died at 2 o'clock this morning without apparent suffering, passing away peacefully into the presence of her Maker. The physicians say that it was better that she should die in the shock, for if a reaction had taken place, her suffering would have been beyond the power of pen to describe. She was a beautiful girl, just fourteen years of age, bright and popular with her schoolmates and friends, and the pride and hope of her parents. Her father, Mr. Hiram Wilkerson, is one of our largest stock-dealers and was extremely proud of his daugher, and justly so. The opinion seems to prevail that the coal-oil in the can was below proof. In conversation this morning with Col. R. M. Doll, the coal-oil inspector of the city, he said: "I have investigated the coal-oil affair of last nigh, so far as to get samples of the oil, both from the house and the dealer from whom it is said to have been purchased: Owing to my time being occupied today by the death of Col. Ople's child, I will not investigate further until tomorrow, when I will report the result. The entire community deeply sympathize with the afflicted parents in the bereavement, so much intensified by the terrible character of their daughter's death, which is sincerely mourned by many young friends who loved her for the sweetness and brightness of her disposition.
  
• Local Matters:
  1. Ed. Harris was arrested yesterday upon a warrant sworn out by Jake Steinborn, charging him with breach of peace. Ed. was one of the boys who made a serious breach in Jake's window, and a piece off Jake's and his barkeeper's heads. Hence the charge. Edward will be tried tomorrow morning with his brother Thomas.
  2. Ed. O'Hara arrested James Wilshire this morning for being drunk and disorderly on Madison St.
  
• Found Drowned: The body of Wm. Rolfus, whose mysterious disapparence from his home in this city we have previously noticed, was found in the Ohio River near Delhi yesterday. An inquest held thereon by Coroner Whitlock, of Boone County, at which inquest a verdick of "unknown" was found, and the body buried. Jerry Johnson, of this city, had it disinterred and brought here last night, and this morning Coroner Ayordlek sdlected John Freer, George Jansen, G. H. Schlentker, Geo. Wayleber, Joseph Feldkamp, and Lewis Brueable as jurymen, who, after viewing the body, adjourned to meet at four o'clock this afternoon.
  
• Local Matters:
  1. Col. H. L. Ople's little daughter, aged 9 years, died last night of scarlet fever. The funeral will take place this afternoon at 3 o'clock.
  2. Mr. George Bloomenstein, a well known cititzen, died at his residence on Secton Street yesterday morning of typhoid fever. The remains will be taken to the Highland Cemetery.
  
• Word comes from Lebanon to the effect that Jim Brannon, alias Jim Simmons, has been arrested near that city. David Cleaver Jr., Marhsal of Lebanon, did the work, being compelled to fire three shots before he accomplished it. Brannon is a member of a gang of six or seven desparadoes in that neck o'woods, is known as "the Yellow Horseman," and is the fourth member of the gang that has been captured.
  
• Kenton County-Morning View:
  1. Mr. and Mrs. Sechrist went up to Boston to attend the funeral of a relative last week. Miss Ella did not return until this week.
  2. Born to Wm. Elliott and wife, on Sunday, September 30, a girl.
  
• Harrison County-Lair Station: Rennie, the little daughter of Sam. and Sallie Reynolds, is lying quite low with scarlet fever. Also, Minnie Brown, stepdaughter of Jack Trimble, and the children of Tom Hinkson, are now confined with the same disease. Miss Fowler is suffering from consumption.
  
• Harrison County-Cynthiana:
  1. Mr. Alfred W. Waits was married to Miss A. Cora Land, at the residence of the bride's father, L. G. Land, in this city yesterday.
  2. Marriage License: Samuel R. Fisher of Nicholas County, aged 25 years, and Miss Laura Kennard, aged 20 years.
  
• Bourbon County-Paris:
  1. Today, at the residence of the bride's brother, J. Roland Day, of this county, John W. Kidd of the K. C. Railroad and Miss Allie E. Day.
  2. Near Shelbyville last evening, Rev. R. W. Clelland, pastor of the Northern Presbyterian Church, in this city, and Miss Sallie Glass.
  3. Marriage licenses has been issued to Isaac T. Talbott and Miss Alice M. Talbott, daughter of Squire John F. Talbott, of this county.
  4. The Commonwealth cases tried in the Criminal Court thus far: Spencer Menifee, murder, hung jury, ten for convicting and two for clearing; Samuel Haney, grand larceny, one year in the penitentiary; George Smith, same, hung jury, eight for clearing and four for convicting; John Walters, malicious cutting, fined $50; Maria James, keeping disorderly house, fined $25; Harrison Jackson, same, $20.
  5. W. A. Bacon, assignee, will sale at public auction on Saturday, October 2d, the personal property of W. T. Talbott, of this city.
  6. Real Estate Transfers: Thos. K. Marsh to Thos. Isrigg and B. B. Marsh 120 acres of land at $110 per acre. Nich Marsh to Wm. Smith, 76 acres for $3000.
  
• Carroll County-Liberty Station:
  1. Wm. Harris as mentioned in our last connection of a difficulty between himself an Ab. Moore, died on the evening of the 9th from the effects of wounds received at the hands of Moore. The best information we have as to the origination of the difficulty is to the effect that it grew out of an old feus. Moore has not yet been arrested.
  2. Last Friday Mr. Jesse Ligenfeltner and a Mr. Ampthanens of the Cincinnati detective force, brought down on the Madison packet, Wm Scully, who is identified as being the man who shot Mr. Jerry Garvey, at the time landlord Eagle Valley House at this place. Scully was lodged in jail, and if he don't make his escape from that castle he will very certainly by decision of his Honor Judge (C.O.D.) MacManama and a jury. Mr. Garvey's wound was a very dangerous one and for some time it was thought that it would prove fatal, but he survived. He was shot with a pistol, the ball entering in the back about two inches to the left of the spinal column. There is sufficient that the would-be-murderer was taking advange of his victim, as Mr. Garvey was in the act of leaving ruffian. This is one of the outrageious acts perpetrated by the ruffians who transversed this and other civilized communities during the day of the Goss-Allen prize fight.
  3. Pete Duvall, one of the Negroes who escaped from our county jail some time ago, was arrested in Glendale, Ohio by Ab. Myrick about a week ago, and brought back to Carrollton and relodged in jail. Ad. Myrick is a brother to Jos. Myrick, Sheriff of this county, now incarcerated in Louisville, charged with having been the instigator and chief perpetrator of the Carrie Anderson murder.
  4. Married at the Christian Church in Liberty Station last Saturday evening, October 14, 1877, by Rev. Beasley, Mr. W. H. Sanders and Miss Molly Boher. Misses Ella and Ida Mullins.
  
• Madison County Murder: Richmond, Kentucky, October 16: An affray occurred at the Poosey Precinct in this county fifteen miles from this place yesterday, which will probably result fatalty. Speed Taylor was one of the pose commitatus summoned to assist in arresting the women who were in the fracus the night before in which William Cates was killed. William Newby was in the company with the women and opposed the arrest. In taking the women Newby made forcible resistance when Taylor struck him in the head with a stone. Newby fell to the ground unconscious and for a considerable time seemed to be dead. He revived, however and a physician was sent for. Newby has a fearful wound in the head and it is believed he can not possibly recover.
  

  
  Transcribed by Jeannie Gallant