Marshall County’s Early Murders
Written by Justin D. Lamb
Alfred Still – 1850
The first murder trial ever held in Marshall County took place in 1850. The parties involved Alfred Still and Willis McCoy. Alfred Still was indicted for the murder of his son-in-law, Willis McCoy, and tried and eventually sentenced to the penitentiary.
The cause of trouble came up about Still’s little children. Still was a very poor man and had placed his children in the care among his neighbors. This angered Still’s son in law, McCoy who took two of the children home with him to be placed in the care of his wife and the children’s sister.
When Still learned of McCoy’s interference he became enraged and he went out in the woods where McCoy was cutting timber in the Clark’s River Bottoms on the land owned by John Lyles and confronted McCoy. The argument soon turned deadly when Still stabbed McCoy multiple times with his knife. McCoy died instantly. Still was arrested and tried in Marshall County Court and was sent to the penitentiary in Frankfort, Kentucky where he later died.
Achilles Peay- 1854
In June 1854, Achilles Peay, a slave owned by the William Peay of Benton, was brought before Circuit Judge R.K. Williams at the Marshall County Courthouse. The charge was murder. Achilles Peay was accused of stabbing and killing another slave, Jake Palmer, at a social gathering of the Peay family in May 1854.
Palmer lingered for five days until he succumbed to his wound at the home of his owner and renowned Benton attorney, Philander Palmer. Peay was arrested for the murder and was placed in the Marshall County Jail until the Grand Jury indicted him on murder charges. Witnesses testified that Peay and Palmer became embattled in an argument over a woman and the dispute rapidly became violent. In the heat of passion, Peay took a knife and stabbed Palmer in the heart. The trial lasted for only one day and Peay was convicted by an all white jury for the murder. Judge Williams sentenced him to hang for the murder.
The public hanging took place on Sunday, June 16, 1854 on the southeast part of Benton on the land owned by the Etheridge family. A large crowd gathered for what became a social occasion. Peay was placed on a barrel and his head was covered with a burlap sack. A noose was thrown over a large tree and placed around his neck. The barrel was kicked out from under him and Peay was dead within minutes.
Under the law of the Commonwealth of Kentucky at that time, William Peay received pay from the state for his slave who was hanged, but Philander Palmer never received any pay for the slave who was murdered by Peay. This was the first hanging that ever took place in Marshall County.
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Martin Johnston – 1869
In the winter of 1869, Martin Johnston gave his brother, John Johnston, a fifty cent silver piece and told him to go to Benton and buy fifty cents worth of wool rolls. Silver was at a premium during this time with one dollar of silver being worth $1.20 in paper money. John Johnston bought the wool rolls, but paid for them in paper money and kept the silver for himself. John returned home and told the manner of his transaction to his brother who subsequently became angry because he felt that John had cheated him. Martin argued that his brother should give him ten cents because the silver was worth that much more than the paper money. However, John thought differently and a quarrel arose between the two.
As the argument escalated, Martin took up a chair and hit his brother with several blows across the head. John slumped to the floor and laid motionless. Martin yelled for his brother to get up, but his body was still. Martin kicked at his brother, but soon realized he was dead. When Martin discovered what he had done, he fled Marshall County. John Johnston’s body was found the next day and a hunt was organized for Martin Johnston, but he was never found.
After roaming for eleven years, Martin Johnston returned to Marshall County and turned himself into the sheriff. He was indicted for manslaughter and was tried, convicted, and sentenced to 60 days in the county jail. Martin Johnston was soon pardoned by the Governor and became a free man. However, just a few weeks after receiving his freedom, Martin Johnston died. Many believed that the guilt for killing his brother consumed him and was the cause of Martin Johnston’s own death.