Witness to a Shooting

Looking south toward Stamping Ground

In a previous blog I wrote about a "Double Murder in Stamping Ground".  A shooting that took place on September 18, 1899.  A shooting that left both my Great-Grandfather, Tom Southworth, and Sheriff Charles Duke of Stamping Ground dead.

Tonight's blog will give some of the witness's accounts to the shooting on that night in September and there are modern day photos that correspond to the witness accounts.

Approximate spot of Ollie Jameson's store

Witness Ollie Jameson stated "I heard shots and went to where the shooting took place.  I saw both Duke and Tom Southworth lying on the ground.  Southworth was dead.  Duke was still breathing.  The shooting occurred below my store about the little branch.  There were about 5 shots.  It was about 6:30."  Jameson's store is where the current Baker Pharmacy stands.


Witness William H. Green stated" I was in the drugstore heard someone calling for "Oh Duke."  There were two in the buggy.  I didn't know who they were.  There was an interval between the first shots and the last one or two."

Looking from area of shooting toward the Distillery

Witness Mr. Wilkerson stated " I was in the store and heard shooting.  I heard hollering for Duke before.  Several shots and then an interval and then one other.  There was no other hollering.  It was between 7 and 8 o'clock, I guess."

Witness Deputy Marshall Darnell stated "I think there were some other buggies there when I got there.  Young Luther Southworth was at his father's head.  He was crying."

Little Branch - Looking north. Approximate area of shooting 

From the accounts above,  Tom Southworth's son, Luther Southworth was both a witness of the shooting and a suspect of who shot Sheriff Duke.  They will bury my Great-Grandfather a couple of days later in the Beechwood Cemetery in Owen County.  At Tom Southworth's funeral, his son Luther will be arrested for murder.  My next blog in this series  will highlight what will happen to Luther Southworth at trial.

Cardinal Hustle Against Hunger

Cardinal Hustle Against Hunger

After the great success of the Finley 5K, I would like to invite you to join us for another great cause.  The Cardinal Hustle Against Hunger is a great opportunity to fellowship with others while helping a great cause.  

Join us for our 2nd Annual 5k Run/Walk to raise funds for the Backpack program at Scott County High School, Ninth Grade School, and Cardinal Academy!  The event will take place on September 21, 2013 at 8:00 in downtown Georgetown, Ky.  

Many of the students on the Scott County High School, Ninth Grade School, and Cardinal Academy campus have little to eat and often depend on school meals as their main source of nourishment. In efforts to ensure these students have a steady diet outside of school, the schools began a “backpack” food program that allows for a number of students to receive nutritious food donations weekly. Each Friday we provide a backpack to take home stocked with food for each student.

For more information you can contact Carol Wilson at (502) 863-4057.  

We are also accepting Race Day Registration $25.00 adults/ $15.00 students

For more information and to register for the Cardinal Hustle Against Hunger click on the link below:
https://cardshustle.eventbrite.com/

Finley 5 K - Race for SIDS Awareness

Balloon Release

I learned tonight that 4500 children die annually from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome but I also learned that with a little help from your friends you can have a 5K that transcends a running event.

 Nearly 1000 friends met at Georgetown College to not just to participate in a race and to raise awareness about SIDS but it gave each one of us a chance to share our love for a special family.

I am truly blessed to work in Scott County and tonight as I ran, I saw a thousand or so of those blessings.

Dwayne

 I want to thank the organizers and all the volunteers that staged a great race that was top notch.  Stacie Wilson and Samantha Eddington you did a fantastic job of putting all of this together.   When a tragedy happens, we all need an avenue to help and this race gave so many of us that avenue.

 I want to commend the Ellison family for the courageous words they said before the race.  You spoke your heart to hundreds of people and this can be so hard.

The Howatts

Instead of words, the rest of tonight's blog will be pictures of our friends. You can click on any picture to enlarge.  A special thanks to my wife Beth for the great shots.  She has a real talent of capturing an event with pictures.

Thanks to all that participated - it was a wonderful night.





.

Halfway done

Always smiling

No excuses 

It was HOT

Looking for Andrew

JPC and Robert

Great Teachers

Big "I"

Mac

Sisters? 

Posing

Double Murder in Stamping Ground, Kentucky

One hundred and fourteen years ago, my Great-Grandfather and the Sheriff of Stamping Ground, Kentucky were both killed.   The known facts are that my Great-Grandfather, Thomas Southworth, had been drinking after celebrating the birth of his eighth child, there was a verbal altercation between the Sheriff (Charley Duke) and Thomas, shots were fired and two men were dead.  What is believed to happen is during the altercation the sheriff shot and killed Thomas.  What is not known is how the sheriff was killed.

I first learned about the nature of my Great-Grandfather's death about 20 years ago.  I found newspaper accounts from both the Lexington Herald and Lexington Leader.  I also found an article about the incident in the New York Times (click to read article).  I learned that Thomas's son, Luther, was present at the shooting and could have played a role in the shooting.

Thomas Southworth's Grave 

About ten years ago, my father, my two sons and I went to find Thomas Southworth's grave site in the community of Beechwood in southern Owen County. You can click on the the next link to find the Beechwood Cemetery (Directions to Beechwood Cemetery).

 I thought the story was over until about a month ago when a teacher friend, Jean Hardy,  showed me an article about the incident and new information about the "Double Murder in Stamping Ground, Kentucky".

This has inspired me to find out more about what happened that September night in 1899.  As I investigate the new evidence over the coming months, I am going to use this blog site to share my findings.  This could be the ultimate "Cold Case".

Scott County Athletics Hall of Fame

Click to enlarge 

In today's blog I would like highlight the Scott County Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the Thomas and King Leadership Conference Center on the Georgetown College Campus.  Inductions will begin at 5:30 p.m. on Friday August 30th and inductees will also be recognized at the end of the first quarter of the Scott County High School football game on the same evening.

Click to enlarge 

This is a great way to recognize great effort and service to the school system along with giving future athletes and coaches a goal to obtain during his or her career.

Click to enlarge 

This year's inductees include:

Coach Carl Mullins

SCHS Baseball

389-128

15 Years

1998 SCHS Boys Baseball Team
24-4

Section 2

Final 8

Dale Polley

1996 MLB World Series Champion

1990 Caribbean World Series Champ (Venezuela)

1990 AAA All-Star MVP

1995 AAA All-Star

Six Motivational Ideas

Today's blog highlights six additional ideas shared by Michelle Cassady.  Michelle is the Director of Instruction for Woodford County Schools and this is her second addition to the blog.  Her original blog ideas was one of the most viewed and I really appreciate these additional ideas.

If you have ideas you would like to share, feel free to send ideas to csworth@windstream.net.


1.       Give colored certificates for years of service at faculty meeting; Platinum Level—Above 30 years; Gold Level—Above 25 years; Silver—20 years; Bronze—15 years; Pink & Blue Baby Award—completed first year

2.       Jeans All Week to celebrate our “Genius” Teachers on Staff

3.       Put up a bulletin board of jokes (clean ones), cartoons, faculty members making silly faces photos

4.       Pass out party favor blowouts for “Blowout” All Your Stress Time—play an upbeat song such as “Celebrate” to play along with with your blowers.

5.       Have an after-school walkthrough by faculty members—Put a blank sheet of paper by each teacher’s door.  Require every teacher to walk through every teachers room.  After they walk through, they write a positive remark about what they have seen on the paper by the door.

6.       Decorate your front foyer with live trees and shrubs borrowed from a local nursery—have prices available in case teachers want to purchase them from the nursery

Three Truths and One Lie

Three Truths and One Lie

As we start a new school year and we introduce new staff, one of the best team competitions is Three Truths and One Lie. This game can be played both as an ice breaker or a full team competition. Read below for a full description.

 In Three Truths and One Lie, each competitor writes three truths and one lie about himself or herself.  The other competitors have to decide which statement is the lie.  An example of  what a competitor’s question may look like in Three Truths and One Lie is listed below.

John Doe

A. Was on Romper Room as a child

B. Rode a mule through a Mexican city

C. Loves to scrapbook

D. Attended 7 different schools as a child

 

The easiest way to set up this game is to have each team create a multiple choice test for their own team based on three truths and one lie.  To make the competition fair, each team must have the same number of “test” items on their test.  Have the teams make three copies of their test and bring the test to the competition.  

The day of the competition, each team takes the three tests created by the opposing teams.  Teams receive points for each correct answer on their test.   After the competition take time for each team to share the correct answers with the other teams.  

Three Truths and One Lie is also a great activity to use with a group of new employees.  Schools, for example, often hire a number of new teachers at the start of the school year.  Have each new teacher create a three truths and one lie test and give that test to the other new employees.  This is not only a team competition, but also it can be an opportunity for the teachers to get to know each other.