The Blackhorse Inn

From the Frankfort Argus

FRANKFORT, Kentucky  May 16, 1827

The last few days have brought us news of three shocking murders with in less than 100 miles of this place. On Saturday night last the house of Richard Cole, a well known Tavern keeper ten miles from this place, in Woodford County, was attacked by R. Taylor and a Mr. Gillaspie of the same Lee's neighborhood, with stones. A negro woman was struck in the face and severly wounded by one of the stones when affray ensued between Taylor and Gillaspie on one side, and Mr. Cole and his two sons on the other, which ended in the death of Amos Cole who received 13 or 14 stabs from Gillaspie. Gillaspie and Taylor where taken into custody, and an examining court was held yesterday, the result of which we have not heard. There is said to have been an old quarrel between Taylor and the Coles.

On Saturday night last an affray took place at the house of R. Cole, in Woodford County, in which Amos Cole was killed. The circumstances as appeared in evidence, before a magistrate court, where in substance, a fellow; Richard Taylor, and George Gillaspie, who are charged with having killed Mr. Cole where prevailed up on by a Mr. Wallace to go with him to Cole's Tavern to drink--that Taylor objected, on account of a previous difference with some of the Cole family, but ultimately and reluctantly went--that the Cole family had mostly retired for the night one of the young Cole's handed Wallace some spirits, and while he and Taylor, and Gillaspie were drinking, James Cole then menaced a quarrel with Taylor, and insisted that Taylor should challenge him to fight a duel; Taylor declined,--James Cole then said, that the hand of Amos Cole, the deceased was well, and that he could whip Taylor; the deceased replied that he could, and got off the table. About this time old Mr. Cole entered the room, his first salutation was, "(darn) you, are you for war!" The old gentleman ordered them out of the house--they went out into the road, some of the young Cole's followed, one with an iron poker, and another with the bar of the door--the poker was thrown and struck Gullaspie--the deceased had a dirk--Taylor was stabbed in two or three places, and Gillaspie received a wound on the head, and the cut of a dirk in his pantaloons. It was proved that James Cole said that Taylor had been telling lies on him, and that he should fight them, or make acknowledgements. The court sentenced them to further trial, and they were bailed.

We have been induced to make the above statement, in consequence of a publication which appeared in the Argus, upon information received previous to the trial; which is calculated to excite prejudice against the accused, SPIRIT OF SOCIETY SIX.

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