Killing of John Brock Skaggs
Killed in Green County, A Long, Keen Blade Cut his Heart in Twain and His
Life's Blood Spurted Forth. No Arrest Made ~ Green County has another
murder added to her already long list. Last Tuesday, the 17th, George Fed
Warren fatally stabbed Cal Buck Skaggs at John Fox Warren's on Brush Creek,
in Green County, about fifteen miles from this place. The facts, which
came to us from a thoroughly reliable source, are as follows:
Warren's father and Skaggs were arguing politics and the discussion had
become animated. Strong words were employed but no licks passed. Suddenly
up stepped his son (George Fed Warren) with a long-bladed knife in his hand
and without saying a word, thrust it into the breast of Skaggs. The knife
being thrust with such force that the handle bruised the body around the
hole made by the blade. The knife penetrated the heart and Skaggs' blood
squirted out, death resulting instantly.
As soon as the stab was made, Skaggs fell to the ground and never spoke
afterwards. Owing to the excitement, no attempt was immediately made to
arrest Warren and he made good his escape, although, at last reports,
diligent search was being made for him. Warren has been recognized as a
man in very good standing but of late years has been given to occasional
drinking and carousing. "The LaRue County Herald, Hodgenville, LaRue
County, Kentucky, Thursday, 19 June 1890"
Note from GemiPearman: they made a mistake with the name. It should have
read "John Brock Skaggs" instead of "John Buck Skaggs." Everyone in that
area always called him "Cal Brock" instead of "Cal Skaggs"
Col. Skaggs Killed, An Old Soldier Fatally Stabbed In a Fight Near
Greensburg ~ Greensburg, Ky., June 18 - Special - Yesterday afternoon at
John Fox Warren's place, on Brush Creek, fourteen miles from here, Col.
Brock Skaggs was killed by George Fed Warren. Skaggs and William Fed
Warren, the father of George, had been engaged in a difficulty and Skaggs
was trying to club the old man Warren. When George interfered Col. Skaggs
turned his attention and club to George. In an instant he was seen to
weaken and abandon the fight. He walked a few steps and sat down and was a
dead man in five minutes, having received ten cuts, one in the heart. The
parties were all more or less under the influence of liquor. Skaggs was an
old soldier and was regarded as a man of courage. George Warren is a young
man about thirty years old. He is under arrest. "The Courier-Journal,
Louisville, Thursday morning, June 19, 1890"
Our Report of the Recent Green County Killing Corrected by One Who Claims
to Know ~ Below is published a statement by Mr. R.A.T. Sutherland, to
correct the report of the killing which recently occurred in Green county.
We published the report as given us by a reliable man, but if we are in
error, we are glad to make the correction and give the gentleman who did
the killing the benefit of Mr. Sutherland's statement, which is as follows:
"Having noticed an erroneous statement in your last week's issue in regard
to the unfortunate affair between G.W. Warren and Calvin (Brock) Skaggs on
the 17th, which resulted in the killing of Skaggs by Warren, I venture to
make a few corrections. There were blows passed between the men, and
Warren did not try to evade arrest, but gave himself up to officer J.M.
Terrill.
The trouble came between Skaggs and Warren's father, a man very infirm with
age and suffering from the effects of rheumatism, and also intoxicated to
insensibility. A contention arose between the old man and Skaggs, during
which he called Skaggs a bastard. Skaggs seized a huge stick and starting
at the old man said "I'll break your d__d neck if you don't take that
back." George, the son, interfered by stepping up and telling Skaggs he
must desist.
Skaggs, turning to George, asked if he took it up, and started toward him
with a stick, when Joe Skaggs, Calvin's brother caught him and wrenched the
stick out of his hands. Skaggs got another stick, this time a seasoned
hickory, about three feet long and the size of a man's arm, and started at
Warren a second time, Warren backing and the brother of Skaggs again
interfering, but not enough to hinder him from striking at Warren.
Warren dodged around Joe until his patience was sorely tired, when he
plunged his knife, as he said, not to kill but to stop Skaggs. Put
Providence so designed it that he struck a vital spot and in two minutes
Skaggs was a corpse. G.W. Warren is highly respected citizens. Skaggs was
also in the main a good-hearted man. We sincerely regret that the
difficulty occurred. "R.A.T. Sutherland." "LaRue County Herald, Thursday,
July 3, 1890"
Email: RSkaggs777@aol.com
