The Killing of Kate Browning
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BOOZE WAR
WOMAN KILLED, FIVE WOUNDED IN BOOZE WAR
Shepherdsville, KY. May 5th, 1928
One elderly woman dead, and five other members of her immediate family injured,
more or less seriously by shotgun fire, after their home had been set on fire
over their heads, with the doors locked in an apparent effort to roast the
family alive, is the gruesome toll of informing on the operation of a moonshine
still in Bullitt County, near the Nelson County line. Kate Browning,60, died
early Saturday morning of her injuries, after having lain all night in shrubbery
about 200 yards from her burned dwelling. Lou Browning, 42, her sister, two sons
of Lou Browning, Ben,24, and Peaches,21, and two daughters, Angie Browning,16,
and Mrs. Amanda Jones,26, Received numerous wounds in the bombardment which
accompanied their escape from the burning house.
TEN WARRANTS ISSUED-
Both local and federal authorities are investigating the outrage. It was
reported last night from Bardstown that Judge Osso Stanley, United States
commissioner at that place, and others who are taking part in the inquiry, have
ten warrants for various unnamed persons who will be apprehended on the of
conspiracy to intimidate a federal witness. Elmer Crenshaw,30, a young farmer of
the locality, was arrested by federal officers during a raid on which the enforcement men confiscated a 125 gallon
copper still. 2,400 gallons of still beer and 60 gallons of moonshine liquor, in
the Browningtown section of Bullitt County, seven miles from Shepherdsville. The
attack on the Browning family followed Friday night.
PROTECTED IN JAIL-
The Browning's, for their protection while the investigation is being made, were all taken to the
Nelson County jail at Bardstown last night after
their injuries had been attended to. Their story is a night of of terror in
their home, somewhat isolated from neighbors, in a rural section of Bullitt
County. According to their account, a man knocked at their door at 11:00 o'clock
Friday evening and said that a man named Jim Harris wanted Ben Browning, one of
the boys, to cut some wood for him. Ben replied to tell Mr. Harris that he was
working at a mill, but that his brother, Peaches would take the job. The family
shortly afterward retired for the night. About midnight the mother, Mrs. Lou
Browning, was awakened by noises on the roof, and soon discovered that their
home was on fire.
HACK DOWN DOOR-
She aroused the others, and they started to leave, only to find that the doors
were fastened from the outside. Ben Browning then obtained an ax, and
knocked the panels out of one of the doors. As he started to crawl through, he was the target for the first shot, and fell, crying
out that he was shot.
Mrs. Kate Browning then seized the ax, saying that it would be better to be
shot, then to roast to death, and completed the demolition of the door. The
others then followed her outside and ran from the burning structure for the
woods nearby. As they ran, numerous charges of shots poured into the party from
several directions, and all of them were hit. Those who were less seriously
wounded, escaped to the home of a neighbor about a mile away, Charles Blevins,
where they were given shelter for the rest of the night.
WOMAN SHOT TWICE-
When Kate Browning ran out of the house, she was shot twice according to the
statements of the others. She fell then tottered to her feet, and struggled to the thicket nearby.
Mrs. Browning was found at 8:30 o'clock this morning, in the shrubbery, still
breathing, but she died soon afterward. She had been shot in the breast, and
back with charges from a 12 gauge shotgun. She was found by Charles Browning, a
cousin, who led a searching party to the scene. Ben Browning, also was not found
until sometime during the morning. The others though wounded, were all able to
make their way to the Blevins home.
TESTIFIED AGAINST STILL-
Earlier in the week, Mrs. Lou Browning is reported to have walked 14 miles to Bardstown, to give information against the
operation of the still. Agents Frank Mather, and E.A. Larkin, who were guided to the location by this information, raided
the still and destroyed it. It is said they gave the Browning's a sack of meal in reward for the
information. Last night a report from Bardstown was to the effect that the
federal officials expect to arrest the other man who was with Crenshaw at the
place. They say they discovered a hat in which were the initials J.B. lost near
the place. Charges of possession and manufacturing will be lodged against the
suspected man, if he is taken into custody according to Joe Phillips, Assistant
Prohibionist Enforcement Director, at Louisville.
CORONERS INQUEST HELD-
Coroner Masden of Bullitt County, held an inquest Saturday over the body of Kate
Browning. The finding was that she came to her death by shotgun wounds inflicted
by parties unknown. County Judge, E.Z. Wiggington, of Bullitt County, has called
a special court of inquiry for 10:00 next Tuesday morning, at Shepherdsville, to
investigate the occurrence. T.C.Carroll, County Attorney, of Bullitt County, and
W.F. Monroe, Sherriff of the same county, are also taking part in the attempt to
locate the perpetrators of the attack. The extent of the injuries of the other
Brownings were described as follows:
Mrs. Lou Browning shot in hand, knee and back.
Mrs. Jones shot in face, arms and legs.
Angie Browning shot in face , hip, side and hand.
Ben Browning shot in face and arms.
Peaches Browning shot in arm and face.
SHERIFF STARTS ROUNDUP
OF TEN MEN IN MOB CASE-
Bullitt officials go after accused in arson, murder charges.
Shepherdsville Ky. May 9th, 1928
Sheriff Frank Moore, and several deputies started out early this morning to
roundup the ten men against whom murder and arson warrants were issued late
yesterday afternoon, following an all day court of inquiry into the killing last
Friday night, of Mrs. Kate Browning, and the burning of her home. Seven of the
accused were arrested Sunday afternoon by federal officers and were charged with
intimidating a government witness. They were admitted to bail by United States
Commissioner Osso W. Stanley at Louisville Monday, and returned to their homes
in Bullitt County. If the men are arrested today or tomorrow their examining
trials will be held Friday. This was announced today by County Attorney T.C.
Carroll. C.P. Bradbury, attorney for a majority of the accused promised to have
them surrender this afternoon, but Sheriff Monroe decided earlier this morning
not to take any chances and started in search of them. This step was decided on
at a conference with other officials, it was said at the sheriffs office. Among
those named in the warrants was Magistrate John Bolton,50, who voted Tuesday as
a member of the fiscal court to offer a reward of $300.00 each, for the arrest
and conviction of the persons guilty of the murder of Mrs. Browning. Others
named in the warrants are: Frank Hodge, Selby Hodge, Arthur Hodge, James Harris,
Frank Kinder, Leslie Hodge, Clarence Crenshaw, and the latters two sons, Elmer
and Walter Crenshaw. Mrs. Browning was killed and five members of the family were
wounded as they fled from their burning home Friday night. It is claimed by the
commonwealth that the burning of the home and the attempted assassinations of
the family was the revenge on the part of moonshiners, as members of the
Browning family had furnished the federal prohibition officials with information
related to the operation of a moonshine still in the hills of Bullitt County.
The court of inquiry yesterday was conducted by County Judge E.Z. Wiggington,
County Attorney Carroll, and Commonwealth Attorney E.W. Creal, of Hodgenville,
E.A. Larkin, of Louisville.
Federal Prohibition Investigation also heard the testimony of a witness. The
inquiry was conducted behind closed doors.
BOND DENIED TEN IN BULLITT MOB HEARING
Slaying Of Woman Called "Family Affair" By Defense Attorney.
Shepherdsville Ky. May 12 1928
(Special)
County Judge E.O Wigginton late this afternoon ordered adjournment of court
until Monday morning in the examining trial of ten men charged with the murder of
Mrs. Kate
Browning, the wounding of five other members of her family and the burning of
her home a week ago. Before the trial started Judge Wigginton announced he would
fix no bonds for the defendants until the trial was over. After the trial was
adjourned, Attorney C.B Bradbury defense counsel made a plea for the bond for
Clarence Crenshaw one of the men, on the grounds that his property needed
attention. Attorney Bradbury said Crenshaw had thousands of dollars of
perishable property on his farm and also a large number of chickens and other
live stock. Commonwealths Attorney E.W Creal, Hodgenville, objected to the bond,
and he was sustained by Judge Wigginton.
Arguments for Bail
In the arguments for bail Mr. Bradbury who is assisted by attorney A.K. Funk
declared the testimony of the five members of the Browning Family who testified
for the state "was a pack of lies and there was not a word of truth in
it" Mr. Bradbury also denied there was a mob and said the killing of Mrs.
Browning was a family affair and the wrong persons accused. Mr. Creal in opposing
the bail branded the crime as the worst he had heard of in his twenty-five years
of practice. The evidence produced by the state was undisputed according to Mr.
Creal who said it would be necessary to go back to the days of the Indians to
find its equal. Magistrate John Bolton, one of the defendants was the first
witness called by the defense, and entered a general denial to the charges. He
also denied being at the scene of the fire, and that he had fired at Mrs. Amanda
Jones and that he had seen any of the state witnesses at the time.
Made Threats Charge
On cross examinations Bolton testified the Browning's had made threats against
his life since last November when he was hired by the county to take the four
children of Mrs. Jones to the Kentucky Children's home The threats became worse
two or three weeks ago according to the witness. Crenshaw, who followed Bolton
claimed he retired between 8 and 8:30 o'clock on the night of the fire and he
did not know of it until told the next morning by R.H Crenshaw at the Hotel in
Browningtown. He also told of helping prepare
Mrs. Browning's body for burial. Walter Crenshaw 19, son of Clarence Crenshaw,
testified he was in a show at Shepherdsville and did not arrive home until
midnight. He also denied knowledge of the shooting or burning. Leslie Hodge and
Selby Hodge also denied any knowledge of the mob.
The prosecution introduced several more witnesses the first day being Charles
Bivens at whose house Mrs. Lou Browning and her two sons and daughters all
wounded by the mob which set fire to their home sought refuge following their
escape. Bivens testified that the wounded woman came to his house three-quarters
of a mile from their cabin at midnight Friday May 4. He said the following day
he helped dig the grave for Mrs. Kate Browning.
Tells Of Shotgun
On cross-examination, Bivens testified that Peachie Browning in the presence of Tom Watson and Hugh Mann told him that when
he came out of the burning house he had a shotgun with one shell and fired at a
man who looked like Frank Kinder, the man falling and saying "OH LORDY".
Bivens said further that Peachie told him he had been to Mount Washington and
organized a mob and was going to get Frank Hodge that night. Mr. Bradbury sought
to bring out that Mrs. Kate Browning was about the same size as Kinder, and that
Peachie may have shot his aunt. Bivens said that Mrs. Browning was a woman of
small stature, while Kinder was a man of large build. Mr. Bivens said further
that Peachie had told him he had borrowed from Charles Browning the shotgun with
which he had fired at a man he took to be Kinder. Mrs. Denie Browning testified
she heard several shots the night Kate Browning was fatally shot. Mrs. Vina
Browning wife of Henry Browning, relative of the mob victims testified that she
heard six or seven shots.
She said the next day she found a double-barrel shotgun between the Browning home and a graveyard and that Charles Browning
claimed it. Henry Browning said he heard four shots between 9 and 10 o'clock on
that night of the trouble and saw the light of the burning house later, but
heard no shots at that time.
Golden Hodge Mentioned
The name of Golden Hodge an eleventh alleged member of the mob was mentioned late Friday when Ben Browning testified. Earlier
in the day Mrs. Browning her daughters, Mrs. Amanda Jones and Angie Browning and
sons, Peachie and Ben Browning had testified they had seen or recognized the
voices of the ten defendants. Arthur Hodge,30, living three miles from the
Browning home said he spent Friday night at his home and denied any knowledge of
the fire or shooting. He said he had not been in Browningtown in four years.
Frank Kinder 33 also denied any knowledge of the fire or shooting.
He said he had gone to Clarence Crenshaws home to tell him of the arrest of
Elmer Crenshaw. He also corroborated the part of the testimony of Mrs. Lou
Browning that he met her on the road Friday and asked her if she had joined the
prohibitionists. He said he told the woman she had been helped by people in the
neigborhood and needed help and should not "turn up anyone". James
Harris admitted he went to the Browning home to get one of the Browning Boys to
cut wood early Friday night but denied he was implicated in setting fire to the
dwelling or the attack on the members of the Browning family.
ACCUSED OFFER ALIBI WITNESSES
Shepherdsville Ky. May 14 (Special)
Thirty alibi and character witnesses were to be heard by County Judge E.Z.
Wiggington today in the examining trials of the ten men charged with murder
of Kate Browning and the burning of her home, ten nights ago. C.P. Bradbury,
Attorney for the accused said he would be able to establish that the men under
arrest were not members of the mob who fired the Browning home and fired on the
members of the family as they fled from the house. The reputation of the five
members of the family who escaped with slight wounds were attacked by several of
the defense witnesses who said the reputation of the family for truth and
veracity was bad among those who know them best. The prosecution witnesses whose
characters were attacked are Mrs. Lou Browning, Mrs. Amanda Jones, Angine Browning
Peachie Browning and Ben Browning. These witnesses testified they identified
several of the defendants and recognised the voices of the others. Members of
the alleged mob testified Saturday they were not at the scene of the killing and
of the burning of the Browning home. They are Magistrate John Bolton, Clarence
Walter, and Elemer Crenshaw, Leslie, Arthur, Frank, and Selby Hodge, Frank Kinder
and James Harris.
Last to Tell His Family's Terror
Only an old man drinking cough medicine and a charred ruin remind
visitors of the burning and the shooting at Browningtown.
Not twenty miles form Louisville, is the valley in which
Browningtown stands. It is adjacent to the town of Solitude, and near to
Salt River.
In this town, years ago, there lived over 30 members of the Browning
family. They were it's founders. It was for them that the town was
named. Since before the war between the states, when the first of the
Brownings came into the valley, they had tilled the land, built their
houses, and the Browningtown hotel, which stood all at the crossroads.
Then, a terrible thing happened. A tragedy which shocked the feelings of
all Kentuckians,
which was the object of mass meetings of protest, and which was told in
the headlines of all the leading newspapers of the country. Today, 10
years later, there is no Browningtown hotel, the charred ruins of
another house are overgrown with weeds, and of all the Brownings, only
one is left in the village.
He lives there now-- the last Browning of Browningtown. It was afternoon
when i went to see him; warm for this time of the year, but with a clear
brilliance which exended to the hills. The valley was quiet, save for
the distant barking of a dog.
Smoke rose from a cabin by the side of a dirt lane, and I knew Smock
Browning was at home. When I came up to him, he received me without
surprise and listened quietly while I told him the reason for my
coming-- to hear from him the history of the Brownings.
ONE MANS DRINK
"Well you come a long way fur it here", he said taking a
bottle from his back pocket "Have a bit". I declined, he
persisted, "Go On", he said it'll warm your insides, and he
handed me the whiskey bottle. I removed the cork, and took a mouthful
and at once i spat it out, it was cough medicine. Smock Browning roared
"It's an old mans whiskey", when you get to my time, it's
better fur you. He took a gulp of it himself, and put the bottle back in
his pocket. When he had wiped his mustache with his sleeve, he sat back
and began his story.
Alright, I'll tell you how it was back to the first of it, along when my
Daddy and Uncle Sam came into the valley. "Do you remember
that?" No, now that wasn't yesterday, but some 70 years ago, way
before the Civil War.
Come from Bar'n County. I heard my Mammy and Daddy say many a time
they'd give the children a dishpan full of food on the floor and they'd
git down and eat it. They've told me about it many a time: There was a
whole bunch of "em come. My Daddy, Aunt Bet Greenwell, grandmaw of
that there lower Greenwell, Aunt Nan Browning and ole Aunt Kate. That
was before the time of the mob.
He paused and I did not press him to go on. He knocked the ashes from
his pipe and crouched forward on his knees. " I'm satisfied,"
he said, "it was to hear about the mob you came anyway, ain't
it?" I did not deny or affirm it.
Well come on, he said, swinging around into an upright position, and he
started off across the nearby field. "Ain't good fur much", he
said between breaths, "jist cuttin wood or one thing or another,
and i can't walk good as I used to."
He walked with an easy revolving motion, more like a sailor than a man
attached all his life to the earth.
He stopped suddenly in the middle of the field, and without preface
said, " That's where I found' Aunt Kate dyin'." He pushed the
grass aside and with his toe cut a cross in the earth. "Right there
she was layin'; laid right out here all night in the rain in here night
clothes with the bullets in her.
"Was she alive when you found her?"
"Yeah, she was still alive, but she couldn't say nothin'. I asked
her where she wanted to go and she'd open her eyes but she couldn't say
nothin'-- too far gone. Buried her up there on the hill." "Is
there any marker for the grave?"
"Jist a rock, that's all, jist an ole rock." He swung around
and started for a clump of trees a few hundred yards off. A path was
still visible through the grass and a wire fence still hung from one
tree trunk to another. "That's where the house was, "Reckon
you can see what happened to it." "How did the trouble
begin?"
"All over an ol' turkey. One of the neighbors tried to send a
Browning boy up to the penitentiary for killin' a turkey. I'm satisfied
it was nothin' but an ol' dead turkey, anyhow. And Lou Browning, to git
back at 'em, walks fourteen miles and tells on them for havin' a still.
That was the reason the mob come agin her."
CUT THEIR WAY OUT
By now the old man was warming to his tale. He went ahead, absorbed in
his own memory of it. "Well, the family was sleepin' here peaceful
when the mob come and wired up the door and set the house afire. Happen
they had an ax inside and the two ol' women and the bunch of children
cut their way out. But they was shootin' at them as they came out jist
like they was rabbits. They kep shootin' at 'em and they kep' dodgin'
away into the night."
"Didn't you hear the noise going on?"
"Yeah, I hear them shootin' and hollerin'. Didn't pay no 'tention,
to it. At that time there was shootin' and hollerin' near every night.
Didn't know nothin' about it till next morning:
I was eatin' my breakfast before sunup when Ewin' comes in and tells me
theres been a big accident, they killed ole Kate. Then I went out with
him and we found Kate layin' there like I told you she been layin' there
all night in the rain, bleedin". I had thought he was finished but
he had only paused to take another dose of cough medicine. He went on.
The others in the house were only sprinkled with shot and they got away.
And the next evenin' the revenue men were so thick around here you
couldn't a stirred 'em with a stick.
They gave seven of 'em life in the pen but they been let out since. That
was the end of his account of the mob. In the silence at the ruins. The
remains of the house itself were mercifully covered over by the new
grass and the occasional bright bloosem of the swamp weed.
Only one place was the charred wood visible, and nearby were the springs
of a bed, released and twisted wildly by the heat of the flames. While
we were sitting there, Smock picked up something from beside his foot,
and handed it to me. It was a broken piece of china, a vine pattern of
blue along the edge.
BETTER VIEW
In returning, Smock did not take the same way he had came. Instead he
climbed a knoll which gave us a better view of the valley. When we
reached the top he paused a moment to catch his breath. "That there
by the pines trees you see, was where I was born. Twouldn't mean no more
to you than the dirt you're standin' on, but it was there I was born.
Below it there you can see where a house was. My little girl was burned
alive there, she'd be 45 this year if she had lived.
Off yonder was another house, and there at the end of the valley was
where Aunt Bet Greenwell lived." Then, he added, "That's there
is the Clarence Crenshaw house." The casualness with which he said
this gave me a start. Crenshaw, he had told me, was one of the men sent
up to prison. "You don't bear him any grudge, then?"
" Reckon not; work fur 'em same as fur anyone. I was cuttin' wood
jist the other day fur Crenshaw down by Henry Biggs, cuttin' cedar fur
him."
"Then there are more troubles in the valley?"
"Well tomorrow I'm goin' to court over a nephew of mine who was
stabbed the other day. And a week ago, a man kin to me was shot dead.
Yeah there's trouble. If people git a little grudge agin you, they come
agin you.
They don't value your life no more then a dogs. He spat about two inches
in front of his boot toe and turned to go down the hill." You seen
Browningtown now," he said " they're all gone but me."
By now it was late afternoon when the sun hovered over the ridge of
hills ready for it's final descent. In a little while the last light
would be drained from the valley, and in it's place would come darkness.
As we went together towards his house, I asked him, "What had
become of the other Brownings?" Some of them died, some of them
moved off. I stayed on though, he said, as he turned into the house, and
they ain't never bothered me.
ALL RIGHT
He lit the stove and asked me to sit down. He had lost the truculence
with which he first greeted me, and the sadness which was over him as he
sat among the ruins had left him. He sat now, leaning slightly towards
the fire to catch it's warmth. Sometimes, I wonder if I shoulda moved
too, but I don't guess so. I'm allright where I am. He sat back,
surveying his life for a moment, as an artist might a painting. I draw a
little pension, and I have my own patch of tobacco, raise my beans,too.
They grow fine here. Then i got the guitar and I pound that every once
in a while, but I ain't no good at it. And I built the house I live in:
It's been about six years I been living here alone. I ask him if he ever
went to town.
I walked once plum into Louisville, got there about 12 oclock at night.
But it don't do me no good to go to town when i can't read the numbers
on the street or nothin'.
So you're content to stay here?
He carefully removed the lid of the stove and spat into the fire. I'd
like to go to Georgia if I had the money-- fur Christmas.
He took a letter out of his pocket, and handed it to me.
I read it aloud by the light of the fire.
"Do you all think you all will have to go to the war agin, I hope
they
don't have to go back anymore. We wood like for you to give us a visit
at---" .
Here I stumbled over a word.....
"Christmas it was aimed fur," said Smock. He could not read
himself, but had had the letter read to him, and he knew it by heart.
We wood like for you to pay us a visit at Christmas, and we wood have a
big time down here. I handed him back the letter. "I'd like to go
jist fur Christmas if I had the money and then to come back agin."
"You like it here?"
"Not like it exactly, only I was born and raised here. And it was
here I lost ol' Aunt Kate, and my wife and little girl I told you about.
You know those things hold you to a place, same as the nice things. I
feel like I ain't jist got the power to go."
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