Shoot-Out on Second Street

Shoot-Out On Second Street

Richmond, Kentucky

From: Madison County Heritage

Most people know about the shoot-out at the O K Corral, but how many know about the equally exciting battle of guns that took place on Second Street in Richmond, Kentucky?

It all came about in the wild and woolly reconstruction days (1865-1877) in Madison County, Kentucky. Augustus (Gus) EDWARDS was the town marshal. Over near Crab Orchard, Lincoln County, Kentucky lived the SAUNDERS clan headed by Walter SAUNDERS, an ex-confederate soldier who had been thrown out or the Klu Klux Klan for disobedience. He had once been sheriff of Lincoln County. He was a handsome man, standing six feet four inches tall, but did not hesitate to use the gun to settle arguments. On Madison County fair day George SAUNDERS, 18-year old brother of Walter, came to Richmond. He got drunk and the town Marshall called him down for disturbing the peace. Young SAUNDERS retired to the Garnet House Hotel (located on Second Street) where he and some friends took out their injured pride by breaking chairs and mirrors. Marshall EDWARDS and his brother, John, went to the hotel and arrested SAUNDERS. SAUNDERS’ friends jumped in and in the scramble the youth pulled a switch-blade knife on the Marshall. EDWARDS countered by hitting SAUNDERS with a loaded cane. Being only three in number, the EDWARDS’ party withdrew from the lobby.

More Lincoln Countians arrived at the hotel, including Tick BALLARD, brother-in-law of Walter SAUNDERS. He was ministering to SAUNDERS’ badly lacerated head in a washroom when the Marshall returned with reinforcements and a warrant. BALLARD refused to give up the injured youth, so EDWARDS went back and got a warrant for BALLARD’s arrest. Upon his return to the hotel the battle was avoided by a compromise whereby young SAUNDERS was surrendered, not to EDWARDS, but to the County Coroner. The attending physician stated that SAUNDERS could not be moved from the hotel. This gave BALLARD time to wire Walter SAUNDERS to come to Richmond and bring help. Walter came but the trial was postponed and the SAUNDERS forces went home. Someone in Richmond sent a postcard to SAUNDERS telling him that he had said he could take Richmond but had chickened out.

So on the day before the trial of his brother, Walter and his henchmen came to Richmond and put up at the Webster Hotel on Main Street just around the corner from the Garnet House Hotel. After supper, SAUNDERS, two BALLARD brothers, and a KENNEDY went around the corner to the Garnet House Hotel on Second Street. There they met Gus EDWARDS and his brother Dan. Hot words led to physical contact which led to drawn guns. Walter SAUNDERS was killed, shot through the temple. Three other shots hit his body before it hit the ground. Firing continued up and down the street and Tuck BALLARD was killed. In addition four others were killed, two on each side. Gus EDWARDS, John EDWARDS and William KENNEDY were all seriously wounded, but recovered.

Twenty-six bullets were dug from the walls, doors, sills, lobby, bar room, and hallways. Thus ended the bloody shoot-out on Second Street.