- The following newspaper reports of the event, which resulted in the deaths of two deputized lawmen, were transcribed by Hall researcher Ona Hall-Scalf [2004]. The first is from a very poor copy of the Marion (OH) Daily Star of 5 May 1913 :
MARION DAILY STAR, MARION, OHIO (05 MAY 1913)
UNWITTINGLY CAUSES DEATHS: GIRL SEEKS TO END MOONSHINING CAREER OF BROTHERS
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TELLS DEPUTY WHERE TO FIND THE STILL
OFFICER AND MEN FIRED ON AS THEY DESTROY PLANT
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TWO MEN ARE KILLED AND ONE IS SERIOUSLY HURT WHEN MOONSHINERS OPEN FIRE FROM AMBUSH-----GIRL IS SEIZED AND DRAGGED TOWARD WEST VIRGINIA LINE---BREAKS AWAY AND GIVES ALARM
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Pikeville, Ky., May 5.--The story of __? sixteen year old girl, in an effort to? stop? the moonshining career of her two brothers, caused two deaths, and ? the serious wounding of another man? was told in official de_? to government authorities today.
The girl, ARDELIA HALL, went to DEPUTY UNITED STATES MARSHAL MARK POTTER in Pikeville, and told him where her brothers were running a moonshine still, at Blue_? in the mountains, and offered to lead? a party of officers to the spot.
POTTER swore in JOHN SLOAN, of Pikeville, and MARION RAMEY, of Elkhorn City, Kentucky, as deputies and, led by the girl, went to the still.
The officers were destroying the apparatus when a murderous fire __? in from ambush by SOLOMON HALL, DAVE HALL, and TOM RIDDLE, a negro. SLOAN and RAMEY fell dead and POTTER was seriously wounded.
POTTER returned the fire, using ___? revolver, until he became unconscious.
The moonshiners seized the girl and were dragging her toward the West Virginia line when she broke away and catching POTTER'S horse, rode into Elkton City and spread the alarm.
A posse was searching the mountains for the moonshiners today and a battle was expected if they were overtaken.
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NEVADA STATE JOURNAL, RENO, NEVADA (05 MAY 1913)
MOONSHINERS KILL OFFICERS
Pikeville, Ky., May 4. ---Two deputy United States Marshals were killed and another perhaps fatally shot today by a gang of negro moonshiners near BLUE HEDGE, KY., who fired upon the officers from ambush.
The bodies of the dead, JOHN SLOAN and MARION RAMEY of ELKHORN, KY., and the wounded man, MART POTTER of Pikeville, were brought into Pikeville late today.
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STEVENS POINT DAILY JOURNAL, STEVENS POINT, WISCONSIN (07 MAY 1913)
RELATIVES OF MARSHAL WOUNDED IN FIGHT WITH MOONSHINERS SEEK THREE ALLEGED SHOOTERS.
Lexington, Ky., May 7.--Led by relatives of United States Marshal MARK POTTER, who was wounded in the fight with moonshiners Sunday, in which Deputy Marshals MARION RAMEY and JOHN SLOAN were killed, 200 men are scouring Cumberland mountains in search of DAVE and JOHN HALL and TOM RIDDLE, a negro, alleged to have done the shooting.
Members of the HALL and POTTER clans are up in arms and a desperate fight will ensue if they meet.
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WASHINGTON POST, WASHINGTON, D.C. (11 MAY 1913)
TWO SLAIN FROM AMBUSH: DEPUTY U.S. MARSHAL ALSO WOUNDED WHILE REMOVING "MOONSHINE" STILL.
Special to the Washington Post
Frieling, Va., May 10.--MARION RAMEY and JOHN SLOANE, members of a posse were shot froma mbush and instantly killed, and MARTIN POTTER, United States Deputy Marshal, seriously wounded on Wednesday near the Virginia - Kentucky border, according to a report received here today.
The still was on the Kentucky side, but the officers in removing it from the fastness had to cross the line into Dickenson County, Va., where they were fired upon supposedly by the gang of "moonshiners."
The officers are scouring that section for the suspected parties, and bloodhounds are being used. Some of the gang are known to be desperate characters, and it is feared that more trouble will result.
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