Sunday Morning Battle

A Low Dance Ends in a Frightful Melee

Razors, Knives and Revolvers Used Freely

Half A Dozen of the Participants Fatally Wounded

Cincinnati – Aug. 5, - The village of Walton, Ky., eighteen miles south-west of here, on the Southern and Short-Line roads was the scene of a frightful slaughter early yesterday morning.  A dance had been given by the colored people of that neighborhood.  About 2 a.m. a quarrel arose between two women over a man both claimed.  The fight between the two dusky Amazons led to a general melee.  During the melee pistols, knives, and razors were drawn and freely used.  Nearly fifty shots were fired, and fully half a dozen of the participants in the row were doubtlessly fatally wounded.  The house, after the fight, looked like a veritable slaughter-pen.  The floor, walls, and furniture were bespattered with blood.  Gory trials led in every direction.  The fence had been broken down in many places, and the palings showed the print of bloody hands.  It was thought yesterday that at least five of the wounded would die before nightfall, and that many of the others were almost as badly hurt.   The affair has caused great excitement throughout this section.  Angry colored men pursued two of the prominent participants in the affair, and who are credited with doing most of the bloody execution.  If caught they will be lynched to the nearest tree.  The white citizens of Walton are also terribly aroused, and are taking steps to prevent further bloodshed.  Three years ago the town went “dry.”  Since then the lower classes of the population have made it a custom to club in Saturday and send to the city for whiskey and beer by wholesale.  The consequence has been that some sanguinary encounter has occurred nearly every Saturday night.   Following is a list of casualties: Fatally injured – Rube Finnel, shot through the abdomen; Harris Johnson, two bullets through left arm, another in right side; John Robinson, sixteen, bullet entered left breast near the nipple and another through the stomach; Bartley Carson, two bullet-holes, one on each side of the spine.  Seriously injured – “Sis” Mitchell, frightful cut on shoulder; “Nic” Williams, slash across right breast, right arm laid open from the shoulder; Martha Collins, cut across the back.  Many others were wounded as shown by the trails of blood leading from the dance hall.

 from the Boone County Recorder, August 7, 1889