Editor’s Note: We are returning to the summer of 1891, as Kentucky was preparing to vote on whether to adopt the new Kentucky Constitution, which resulted from the debates of the Constitutional Convention held in Frankfort. The people accepted the new constitution, and it remains the one in effect today, governing our Commonwealth. For historical purposes, the Sun reprints the Clippings “warts and all,” and so derogatory and racist stereotypical words are reprinted in an effort to combat any attempts to “clean up” history for modern eyes or assuage modern consciences.
The Woodford Sun
July 30, 1891
[NEW CONSTITUTION DEBATE AT GAY CRAB ORCHARD SPRINGS – editor A. Bowmar sent this dispatch from his vacation at “the Saratoga of Kentucky] Yesterday I had the most interesting time since I’ve been away – listening to a joint discussion of the new proposed constitution by R.L. Ewell of London (KY), who spoke for, and the celebrated Fountain Fox Babbitt, who spoke against. The debate was attended mainly by the country folk, white and black, from miles around. Ewell bears the sobriquet of the “Little Red Hog,” and is a Republican of considerable influence. He is a typical mountain orator. Bobbitt is well-known as the “Cicero of the Mountains.” Ewell made the opening speech which lasted for two hours, and got rather the better of his opponent. Though he used execrable grammar, his arguments were strong, logical, and convincing. He pointed to the best features and why the mountain people should support it with their votes. Bobbitt (in his oration) made a number of blunders which showed he had not fully acquainted himself with his subject. His misconception of the meaning of some of the sections in the new instrument were decidedly ludicrous. Lincoln County is divided on the question of the constitution. A representative citizen said to me last night, however, that he thought it would carry by a good majority.
[MURDER ON WOODFORD FARM] Sam Barkley was shot and killed by his tenant George Burdine on a farm on the Versailles-Nicholasville turnpike on Monday evening. Burdine gave himself up. The men had trouble over the settlement of a tobacco crop raised at Barkley’s place. It was said that Barkley threw stones at Burdine’s wife and afterwards shot at her with a pistol. Burdine ran up to the old man, snatched the pistol from his hands, and shot him through the head. Barkley had been in court three weeks previously and fined $25 and ten days in jail for drawing his gun on Burdine. Some may remember that 10 years ago, Barkley shot and killed his tenant Mr. Hutchinson, and got out of it by pleading insanity claiming God had told him to kill Hutchinson.
[PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING] The State Auditor’s report shows that every year more money is paid out of the State Treasury, per capita, for her common school pupils than is paid out by any other State in the Union, save California.
[EDITORIAL] Every Democrat in Woodford County, who is old enough to remember how long it took a Republican Governor, backed up by a Republican Legislature, to wreck the business and credit of a Southern State in the days of “reconstruction,” will on Monday next go to the polls early, taking his grown up sons with him, to vote for John Young Brown and the straight Democratic ticket.
[BASE-BALL] The Versailles nine was held against Pleasureville on Saturday at Graves Park, The score stood 23-5 in favor of Versailles. The batteries were Will Allen and Basil Stone for Versailles, and Fred Henry and W.B. Ramsay for Pleasureville. The umpire was Dave McDaniel. A good crowd was in attendance, with $14 taken at the gate.