Deadman's Corner

A Deadman's Corner story from before 1900:

Joseph Porter, of Callensville, Pendleton County, and Thos. Isaacs, who recently returned from Indiana, but formerly of this place, engaged in a quarrel at a late hour Monday evening in George Burgess' saloon. Isaacs drew something in the shape of a pair of brass knuckles, striking Porter over the head several times, which caused him to bleed profusely. Marshall Gouge arrived upon the scene and at once arrested Isaacs, who, while in his custody, knocked the Marshal down with his knucks and escaped to the back part of town on the railroad and defied the Marshal and his posse to arrest him, declaring that the moon would cast her silvery orbs on his corpse ere he would surrender or suffer himself to be taken. Afterward the Marshall and his men were seen chasing Isaacs toward the depot, shouting, "Stop Tom!" and shooting at him every jump, but to no effect. Isaacs disappeared in the darkness after exasperating the Marshal and his men in such a manner. Tuesday morning it was ascertained that Porter had received a more dangerous wound than was at first supposed. Doctors Matthews and Johnson states that he cannot possibly live. Porter was taken to Henry Martin's who lives about one and a half miles from town. About noon Tuesday, Sheriff McClure, Marshal Gouge and Jailor Hicks armed themselves and started in pursuit of Isaacs, but returned about 3 o'clock reporting that they had seen him but could not capture him. Later, Porter died Tuesday about noon, February 15, 1881.
Grant County Cemeteries - A History of their Inhabitants
Published by the Grant County Ky Historical Society, 1989
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JOSEPH PORTER KILLED ON DEADMAN'S CORNER
The Williamstown Courier, May 31, 1901
In February 1881, Joseph Porter of Pendleton County and Thomas J. Isaacs of Williamstown engaged in a quarrel one Monday night at a late hour in George Burgess' Saloon. Isaacs drew something in the shape of brass knucks, striking Porter over the head several times. Marshall Gouge arrived at the scene and at once arrested Isaacs.
While in his custody, Isaacs hit the marshall over the head with his knucks and escaped to the back part of town, on the railroad, and defied the posse to arrest him. After a long chase, Tom Isaacs was not caught. Later on Tuesday about noon, Porter died.

About a year later, Tom Isaacs was caught and arrested on Terrell's Creek in Jackson County, Kentucky. He was brought back to Williamstown for trial. He was later put under a $3,000.00 bond. He, not having that much money, ten people in the area put up $300.00 each and the court set him free to appear for his trial at a later date.
He never appeared for his trial and is said to have gone to Indiana and lived there until he was quite an old man. Wanting to clear his record before he died, he came back to Williamstown and turned himself over to the law. Seeing the condition he was in and his advanced age, he never came to trial and died a free man.

From a Facebook post by Glenn Stewart