Crusade On Feudists

CRUSADE ON FEUDISTS

Salvation Army's Experience in Kentucky and Virginia.

SPECIAL LINE OF WORK PLANNED

The "Mountain Brigade," Which Has Been Disbanded, Will Be Succeeded by a New Detail, Says a Salvationist Who Has Toured the Troubled District-Hostile Reception Met In Only One Town.

The mountain brigade of the Salvation Army has recently disbanded in Cincinnati after having been absent from that city since Sept. 15, traveling through the mountains of Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia, says a Knoxville (Tenn.) dispatch to the St. Louis Republic.

The party reached Knoxville on the afternoon of Sept. 29 and included Colonel R. E. Holz. Major William O. Hunter, Staff Captain Boyd of Cleveland, Staff Captain Escott of Cincinnati, Staff Captain Edy White of Pittsburg and Envoy E. A. Zeall of Pittsburg.

Two hundred miles were traveled on horseback from Jackson, Breathitt county, Ky., to Norton, Va; 15,000 persons were addressed, 250 conditions of the people of this standpoint of their moral, religious and peculiar beliefs as to feuds, so that a remedy can be recommended.

On leaving Cincinnati the party took a train for Winchester, Ky., where services were held in the street. Jackson was reached the same evening. Jackson has no street lamps, and there was no sign of animation. Captain Longmeir of the provost guard, the town being under martial law, accompanied the party to the courthouse, where the soldiers were camped, and they went into the courthouse and prayed for the success of the work and their safety. The spot on which they knelt in prayer was the one where J. B. Marcum fell with this heart pierced by an assassin's bullet. 

The next day the brigade went into the streets and held an open air service. Citizens turned out en masses, but stood off some distance until the soldiers asked them to come nearer. Many joined in the services. After the open air service in the public hall of the courthouse, where there were ten conversions. The town fold treated the party with every deference and hospitality. At the services held in Jackson not the slightest mention was made of the recent troubles in the town.

The start for Salyersville, Magoffin county, was made on Sept. 19, and the trip was a hard one. The party crossed five mountains and reached the town in the afternoon. The start for Prestonburg, Floyd county, was made on Sept. 20, and as it was Sunday the party traveled slowly and stopped at half a dozen mountain towns and held services. In Prestonburg, which was reached in the evening, the party was treated coldly. The meetings would have been broken up but for the interference of the sheriff. The preachers of the town joined in the night service in the Methodist church and entertained the members of the party night. This caused the citizens to show the men more consideration.

On the way to Whitesburg, Letcher county, the party got separated, and four of the men under Captain Escott were lost in the mountains for a day. Whitesburg received the men with great hospitality, and a large number of conversions took place.

Going to Pikeville, Pike county, the night was spent at the home of Adam Craft, a wealthy farmer. He gave four of the men beds in the house and, not having room for all, let three others go to the barn, which he locked after they had retired. They were told by Mr. Craft that he had recently lost a horse and did not want to take a further risk. 

Wise Court House, Wise county, Va., was reached Sept. 24, and the following day Bruce Branham, who had killed his wife and then married an eighteen - year-old girl, was hanged. Colonel Holz went upon the gallows and addressed the crowd of 4,000 spectators. 

When asked for a statement as to the trip Colonel Holz said:

"We found the people of high intelligence, though with their education greatly neglected, but of high moral character and ready to fight for the female population and their honor. They believe it is justifiable to kill in revenge, and this belief has extended to many of the officials.

"The only remedy is development of religion fro \m the cradle, and for this reason we will send an army into the mountains to work permanently. The people are brave and patriotic, and I think these feuds started in the civil war. Prominent families became divided and carried others with them."