| John and Will Turner Murdered 1894, Doctor
William Nolin/Nolan Indicted February 7, 1894 One of the bloodiest battles in the history of Harlan County occurred at Harlan Court House Monday afternoon. Monday was court day and people had come into town from miles around. William Turner and his uncle, John Turner, were in town and got pretty drunk. they had sworn vengeance against the Nolins, and after becoming intoxicated set out to look for one of them. Tiring in their effort to find a Nolin, Will said he would step into a barber shop and get shaved, and left John standing on the Court House steps, only a short distance away. Upon entering the barber shop Will Turner recognized a man occupying one of the chairs as Dr. William Nolin, and, drawing his knife, called to his man: "Look out; I will kill you." Nolin sprang to his feet, drawing his revolver and emptied its contents at his opponent, who was making for him with his knife. the last shot from Nolin's pistol laid Turner cold in death, but the fight had just begun, for John Turner, who had heard the first report of the pistol and guessed its meaning, rushed to his nephew's assistance. He had no pistol, but drew his knife and made at Nolin, who also had to resort to a knife, since he had fired the last load from his revolver into the body of Will Turner. A desperate struggle insued in which Nolin was seriously cut and Turner stabbed to the heart, dying in about fifteen minutes. Nolin will recover, his wounds being only slight. There has been bad blood between the Nolins and Turners for years, growing first out of politics. Dr. Will Nolin's brother, who is County School Superintendent of Harlan County now, was a candidate for the Legislature on the Republican ticket, and was defeated by alleged trickery on the part of some of the Turners. John Turner was a brother to Judge George B. Turner, of Harlan, and another brother of his was killed recently by a member of the Nolin family. Another brother is Circuit Clerk of Harlan. The Nolins are related to Wils Howard, and since the capture of Howard the feud has been between the Turners and Nolins. The affair is creating great excitement in Harlan County, and great fear is entertained lest the other Turners attempt to avenge the death of their relative by taking the life of either Dr. Nolin or some of his family. February 8, 1894 Middlesborough dispatch reported "Dr. Will Nolin, who killed John and Will Turner at Harlan Court House day before yesterday, has been indicted by the Grand Jury for manslaughter, and the final trial is set Monday, February 12th," Nolin is a leading physician in Eastern Kentucky, but was a close friend of Wils Howard, and made some unfavorable comments about the Turners persecuting Howard. For this they made the attack on him. Nolin is closely allied to the Howard faction, and the feeling all over Bell and Harlan Counties is intense lest the old feud breaks out in all its fury." |
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