Two 61-year-old men were stabbed and are patients at the
Marting hospital as the result of a boundary dispute over farm
land, that flamed into violence Thursday shortly before noon
during the running of a new line by Deputy County Surveyor
Virgil Jenkins and a force of helpers.
The scrape took place on the Isom Smith and Ed Rankin farm
line at Brady Creek after Smith had taken exception to the
running of a boundary at the expense and request of Rankin.
Robert Baker, 61, of Brady Creek, was stabbed once in the
shoulder and once in the abdomen. His condition may be
serious, as it has not been determined whether or not
intestines were punctured. Sanford Stone, 61, of Brady Creek,
was stabbed twice in the back and one of the thrusts may have
damaged his spine. Both men were treated at South Webster
Thursday afternoon and during Thursday night were removed to
the Marting hospital in the Walter Kinnison ambulance. They
are receiving treatment at the Marting, under close
observation to determine if the knife wounds are to develop
complications.
According to Stone, he and Baker were working with Surveyor
Jenkins in the pay of Rankin, who asked for a new boundary run
in an effort to settle argument over the line between the
Rankin and Smith farms. Isom Smith and his sons Bill and
Everett approached, according to Stone, and Bill Smith and
Rankin engaged in an argument and fight. "I tried to stop
them," continued Stone, " and Isom Smith stabbed me twice in
the back. I don’t know what kind of a knife he had but I know
he stabbed me. I fell and while on the ground he said ‘I’ll
kill you.’ Then he stabbed Baker twice."
Rankin was struck over the head with a light club during
the brawl, it is understood, but did not sustain serious
injury.
The survey was being made six miles from South Webster, in
Lawrence county.
County officials had received no report of the affair today
and no arrests have been made.
Ironton Tribune, 19 February 1932, Friday, Page 3.
TWO ARRESTED FOR
STABBING
Two Victims of Knife Still In Hospital
Isom Smith, 62, of Brady creek, waived preliminary
examination when arraigned before Magistrate Peter A. Burke
Sunday evening on a charge of cutting with intent to kill and
was bound to the grand jury under bond of $1,000. He furnished
bond and was discharged subject to the grand jury
investigation.
Smith is alleged to have been responsible for the knife
wounds sustained by Robert Baker, 61, and Sanford Stone, 61,
residents of the Brady creek district, who are patients at a
local hospital as a result of a free-for-all fight which
occurred last Thursday afternoon while surveyors were
"running" a line between the Smith farm and that of Ed Rankin.
According to information obtained by authorities William
Smith, 40, and Rankins quarreled over the survey which was
underway at the time. Bake and Stone attempted to act as
peacemakers and Isom Smith is alleged to have set upon them
with a knife. Baker was wounded in the shoulder and the
abdomen and Stone was wounded in the shoulder and the abdomen
and Stone was wounded twice in the back.
Ironton Tribune, 22 February 1932, Monday, Page 2.
