Reprinted with permission of the Laurel Co. Historical Soc. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ OCTOBER 29, 1875 Mr. J. C. Coldwell and family rolled out for Oregon last week. Rev. Russell Bails has recently removed from Laurel County to Lee Co. Virginia. MERSHONS X ROADS Our village is all in a ----- and not one knows where his neighbors lives, for all are moving Rev. W. B. Landrum is moving from his old home to your town, and Robert Baugh from London to Cross Roads tavern, and Col. O. P. Nelson from there to the premises now being vacated by preacher Landrum; and Willie: B. A. Landrum to his new home lately erected near the old homestead, and Esq. S. H. Jackson from their old home to his farm near by and Jasper Nelson is to go to the Jackson house in a day or two. Raccoon Bill Robinson says that preacher Landrum's rats will be astonished when they hear old man Nelson turn loose once. AN INTERESTING ARREST-On last Saturday a man by the name of Fredrick's accompanied by his sister, Matilda Alice, shot Esq. Lammon's dog, while passing his house about four miles from here. The Squire arrested the man and deprived him of his pistol. The woman indignant at such a procedure notified him that she carried an unlawful deadly weapon, and dared him to attempt her arrest. Lammon came on to town and placed a warrant of arrest in the hands of Sheriff Magee. She refused to be arrested. The sheriff summoning the bystanders to assist him proceeded to take her to the Courthouse which resulted in the intimidation of Park Baker, the piling up of Lee Mahan among the paints and dye stuffs in the drug store, and would probably have resulted in the killing or wounding of the sheriff had it not been for Mr. Mahan, who caught her hand when she was about getting hold of the sheriff's pistol. They had a long tussle,off which the woman seemed to be getting the better, until the sheri! ff happened to think of knocking her props from under her, which soon brought her to the floor, where she surrendered up her bowie knife and then went willingly with him to the court room, where she was held in a bond of $50 for further trial. It affords us pleasure to state that what commenced under circumstances so alarming was so amicably adjusted that the sheriff and others signed her bond, and she went on her way rejoicing stopping with our efficient deputy sheriff during the night, and was treated by him as well as the rest of our county officials connected with her arrest and trial with the marked courtesy that her prowess demanded. Her brother failed to give bond, and was committed to the care of the jailor but has since given bail. Matilda Cowan vs. Stephen Cowan A divorce was prayed for in this case on the ground of drunkenness and a total failure to make any provisions for the support of his wire. Judgment rendered divorcing plaintiff-Louisville Commercial. NOVEMBER 12, 1875 As we go to press we are presented with a large Gray Eagle, killed by John Hatcher, of Laurel on the 10th inst. It measures seven feet from tip to tip of wings, two and a half inches between its eyes claws eight inches from one tip to the other and its beak capable of baking in a three inch cubical block. When first discovered it was in the act of lighting on a four year old child, but was prevented from doing so by a dog which attempted to catch it every time it came near the child. It brought many citizens to the press room where it was on exhibition. DIED-In Yankee Hill, Butle county California, on the 21st day of October, 1875 after an illness of five days Mrs. Elizabeth Thompson, wife of Doctor A. W. Thompson. The deceased leaves many relatives and friends in Kentucky and Illinois to mourn her loss. DECEMBER 3, 1875 From a letter received by General Jarvis Jackson we learn that Mr. I. C. Coldwell and family arrived safe in Oregon. Crit writes that his family are all well that they enjoyed the trip very much with the exception of being a little sea sick on ship between San Francisco and Salem, Oregon. He intends to locate on Six river about three hundred miles of which can be traveled by rail. He says that crops of all kinds are good in Oregon and that it is the best farming country he has ever seen. DECEMBER 17, 1875 Bill Jinks writes us a very interesting letter giving in detail the incidents &c of Mr. John Mullins in his Oregon tour, which informs us that although he made several hair breadth escapes from robbers &c he gained a vast amount of information and got back to the point in Raccoon, Laurel County from which he started at the meager expense of $500. That he stood on the Pacific shore and saw his partner Mr. J. C. Coldwell move off in the largest and strongest looking wagon that he ever saw. It was propelled he supposed by some magic power, he could not see the horses. The Ocean was too wide for him. John is sensible he don't want to be swallowed by a whale or have his fingers and toes eaten off by the smaller fishes.