ally a lawsuit. Tolliver
was successful in the litigation, which incensed his neighbors. One
night as he lay asleep in his bed the irate neighbors stealthily entered
the house and shot him dead before the eyes of his fourteen-year-old
son, Craig.

This early sight of high-handed murder embittered the boy who at once
began to carry a gun and drink and lead a life of lawlessness.

In about 1880 he moved to Rowan County which became the scene of one of
the bloodiest of Kentucky feuds, that of the Martins and Tollivers.
Craig was the leader of his side. Gaunt and wiry, he stood six feet in
his boots. His long drooping mustache was a sandy color like his goatee.
His eyes, a light blue, were shifty and piercing, eyes that had the look
of a snake charming a bird. In appearance Craig was a typical desperado.
He swaggered about with gun at belt, a whiskey bottle on his hip.

At this time the secret ballot had not yet been instituted. Not only was
the name of the voter called out but his choice as well. With the open
ballot a man who bought votes knew how they were cast. Bribery and
whiskey, both of which were plentiful and freely dispensed at voting
time, went hand-in-hand with fights and corruption.

The stage was set for bloody feud in Rowan County by the time Cook
Humphrey in 1884 ran for sheriff of the county on the Republican ticket
against S. B. Gooden, Democrat.

That election day in August a group of men gathered in the courthouse
yard at Morehead, the county seat, discussing the returns in heated
tones.

Gooden lived in the town while his opponent lived about seven miles away
on his father's farm.

"Cook Humphrey won by twelve votes," someone called out. At that a
quarrel started. Fists were flying in the air. William Trumbo, kin of
John Martin's wife who was Lucy Trumbo, made a remark to a man by the
name of Price. And the next thing they were in a wrangle. There were
Tollivers and Martins present as well as friends of both families and
soon all of them were engaged in the controversy. Someone struck John
Martin, supposedly with the butt of a gun, knocking out a front tooth
and badly cutting his head. His blood stained the courthouse steps. As
he scrambled to his feet cursing vengeance against John Day and Floyd
Tolliver for wounding him, he drew his pistol and others did likewise.

The next moment Sol Bradley, the father of seven children, lay dead with
a bullet through his brain. Young Ad Sizemore caught a b