The News of Kentucky Maidens Take Care of Themselves

Hindman, March 10- Two weeks ago Miss Mary Watts of Knott county, knocked Joel Martin down for insulting her. Yesterday another Knott county maiden came to the front in self defense. Miss Fannie Fayble is a pretty blonde of eighteen summers and was employed at the Bailey House, in Hindman to wait on the tables. Jacob Stone, a young Knott county farmer, who has been attending college at Hindman, boarded at the Bailey House and upon returning from school yesterday got a rather warm reception Miss Fayble approached him with fire in her eyes. She said he had circulated a scandalous and false report concerning her and asked that he affix his signature to a little piece of writing she had prepared, which was in substance that he had lied.

Stone was considerably upset and in a stammering way tried to evade the matter by laying the blame on someone else. He said eh would go and consult someone before signing the paper, but the enraged young woman said he had better sign then. he attempted to pass her, when she seized an axe handle and struck him a terrible blow on the side of the head. He dropped to the floor unconscious and it developed that his skull is fractured. he was carried to his home in the country and his recovery is doubtful. The girl wanted to give herself up the officers, but the sympathy in her favor was so strong on account of Stone's reputation that she has not been arrested.

transcribed by g. marcum
23 August 2008