by Ralph Barnes
Citizens Voice & Times
October 10, 1996
Estill County has produced its fair share of common, run of the mill crooks,
thieves and murderers. But only one Estill native ever achieved the status
accorded to America’s more famous desperadoes. Edward "Ned" Hawkins,
in recognition for his criminal exploits, earned a coveted place among the
likes of Jesse James, John Dillinger and other legendary outlaws venerated by
the American public. Edward was born on Hardwick Creek in 1836 to John Hawkins
and Polly Barnes. Although he had no acknowledged progeny, descendants of the
Hawkins and Barnes families still live in the county. According to his own confession,
he was engaged in criminal activities by the time he was ten. It's probably a
good thing that he got an early career start since he was hanged before he
turned twenty-one.
According to his contemporaries, Ned was a handsome devil, who could, if need
be, talk his way out of Hell (A skill that surely was put to a stern test upon
his demise). In spite of his abhorrent behavior, he was well liked and his
company was eagerly sought by the fairer sex. His prison records indicate that
he had a pretty good education in an era when few people could read and write.
Edward confessed to killing several men during a crime spree that ranged as far
west as the territory of Kansas. He sullied the reputation of a host of
innocent young maidens and married seven women without divorcing any of them.
Edward’s exploits are legendary and covered the entire spectrum of criminal
activity from petty theft to murder. In Hawkins short but brilliant career, he
became adept at counterfeiting, smuggling, larceny, polygamy, robbery,
horse-stealing, pick-pocketing, card-cheating, forgery, storehouse-breaking,
impersonating others for gain, murder and many other career skills too numerous
to mention. Had Edward Hawkins life not been cut short by his untimely death,
he undoubtedly would have entered politics and brought great honor to his
native county.
Hawkins was totally bereft of scruples and was only loyal to himself. How
low-down was Ned Hawkins? His deeds speak for themselves. Ned once killed a man
for simply recognizing and speaking to him. In Kansas, Hawkins turned in his
accomplice in a robbery and collected the reward. While under close pursuit by
a posse for stealing a horse, Ned put the animal in his brother’s barn to shift
the blame to him. He stole and sold equipment that belonged to the United
States Army. In his many scams, Edward passed himself off as a dentist, a
lawyer, an army officer and a wealthy heir. He repeatedly swindled his gullible
in-laws during his many brief marriages. He broke the hearts of his seven wives
and a multitude of other unsuspecting women. One young wife committed suicide
upon learning of his deceit.
The crime that finally did Hawkins in, was the murder of two law officers.
Edward killed Estill County Sheriff James Land and his deputy Jesse Arvin,
while they were transporting him to jail. Ned had stolen a horse in Richmond
and managed to elude a posse that was chasing him. He hid out in Proctor, a
town near present day Beattyville. Sheriff Land, acting on a tip, located and
arrested Hawkins. The sheriff and his deputy were transporting him back to
Irvine on horseback when Ned was able to grab Land's pistol and killed both
men. The killing took place on the Winding Stairs hill just above Old Landing.
He made his escape but was finally captured near West Union, Ohio and
transported back to Estill County to stand trial. He was prosecuted by famed
Commonwealth’s Attorney Sidney M. Barnes and was defended by H.C. Lilly and D.
C. Daniels. The jury convicted him of murder in April and sentenced him to hang
on May 29, 1857. There was no long appeals process for criminals convicted of
capital crimes in those days.
He committed the crime in March and was dispatched to glory
(or wherever) within sixty days.
Edward reportedly played a fiddle and sang a mournful ballad of his own
composition as he was being hauled to the gallows. He occasionally interrupted
his singing and shouted to the crowd lining the route: "Come and see a
brave man hanged." While waiting to be hanged, he made an eloquent speech
exhorting the young people not to follow in his footsteps. The audience was
moved to tears and the doleful plea created a good deal of undeserved sympathy
for the handsome youth. Just as he finished speaking, he dramatically leapt
from the platform and hanged himself depriving his captors of the satisfaction
of carrying out the death sentence. He is buried in the Woodward Creek cemetery
near Bob Drake’s place off the Cressy Road. It is said that an unusually large
number of young women in mourning dress attended the hanging.
Excerpts from the Gallows Speech by Ned Hawkins
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I have the opportunity once more for putting myself before you for the last
time in this world. I have arisen before you, ladies and gentlemen for the
purpose of making some brief remarks. I shall be very brief: for it is
reasonable to conclude, that the condition in which I am now placed would
prevent a very lengthy discourse. The time of my execution has arrived. In a
very brief time I shall be hurled into eternity, and that too, by ignominious
and disgraceful death! But before that awful moment, I wish to give the young
and rising generations a piece of dying advice, and at the same time warn them against
the indulgence of crime. And of evil habits of all kinds, that it may not be
your unhappy lots to have to share the same fate which I must very soon suffer.
I now ask the special attention of the ladies for a few moments , and then I am
done forever. Though you may think it very imprudent for a man of my character
to thus address an audience of respectable young females, yet my experience and
the cruel manner in which I have treated your sex makes me more competent to
point out to you the many dangers to which you are exposed. And may the few
remarks that I make serve as a beacon to guide your feet into the paths of
virtue and safety.
In the first place let me implore you to never place your affections on a man
with whose history you are not familiar; or without a recommendation from some
of your own friends, and on whom you can rely with implicit confidence; for if
you do you expose yourself to the greatest danger, the danger of being ruined
forever. I, myself, have witnessed the everlasting downfall of young, confiding
and unsuspecting females, which was caused by being too confiding and placing
their affections on a flattering stranger.
Therefore my fair friends, my advice to you is to never listen to the flattery
of any man, no matter how well acquainted you may be with him; and more
especially the stranger. Never give the slightest attention to a man whom you
do not consider worthy of your admiration. You will generally find that the
most unworthy men are the ones best calculated to gain the affections of the
young and unsuspecting female. And why ? Because they are men who make their
that constant study , and who are also accomplished in the art of seduction ; a
thing that men of honor know nothing about. They turn their attentions to
something better than destroying the peace and happiness of the almost helpless
and inoffensive girls, and thus bring them as living sacrifices to the brink of
destruction.
Never place your affections, my fair friends on men who visit the tippling
shops and card tables, for they are unworthy of your attention. They are also
very sure to render you unhappy, if you countenance them, or show the least
degree of attachment for them.
Never place your confidence in a man whose natural trait is to have something
disrespectful to say about others, for they themselves are the guilty villains
, who wish to clear themselves by condemning the innocent and to pull down all
others to their own detestable level.
I know this to be the fact by a shameful experience. For young as I am, I have
become thoroughly acquainted with the art of seduction.
But it is unnecessary for me to say more on the present occasion as my time is
near to a close. I have but a very few moments to stand before you; therefore I
will close my remarks by entreating my young friends both male and female , to
heed the advice that I have this day given them, for it will no doubt prove to
be a great benefit to them , after I have been laid in the cold and silent
grave.
And now permit me to return to you my thanks for your silent and respectful
attention, and to bid you an eternal farewell.
Join the Estill County Historical and Genealogical Society and discover the
fascinating skeletons in your family’s closet.