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Elijah Roberts (b. September 03, 1873, d. September 17, 1918)

Elijah Roberts (son of James Monroe Roberts and Rachel Jane Farler) was born September 03, 1873 in KY, and died September 17, 1918 in Whick Ky Breathitt County. He married (1) Mollie Gillum. He married (2) Harriet Fields. He married (3) Rachel Fuget.

Notes for Elijah Roberts:
Breathitt County Game Warden Assassinated

Jackson Times

Whick, Kentucky, September 14, 1918

The killing of Elijah Roberts this morning was a shock as well as a surprise to the people around Whick and, in fact, all over Breathitt.

He had just left the depot in company with a Mr. Hall, going to his home. As he neared his home seven shots were fired at him in rapid succession and five bullets took effect. The assassins were hidden in a cluster of bushes about 30 yards from the road. Their plans seemed to have been deliberately and carefully made. The branches had been cut away so the assassins could have a clear view.

The finding of two different size steel bullets indicates that at least two participated in the cowardly assassination.

When shot, Mr. Roberts told Hall "to run" that he "was killed."

Possibly before he expired, his watch, a pistol, and a Winchester shotgun were snatched and carried away by the persons who did the killing.

The bloodhounds of Capt. V. G. Mullikin, of Lexington, were telephoned for and they arrived on the afternoon train. The dogs were at once taken to the scene of the crime and took the trail, but could only go a short distance as the trail had been destroyed.

There is no clue to the perpetrators, but it is rumored around here that the assassins are two fugitives from justice who have for the last few years been hiding in the mountains, and it is to be hoped the authorities will run these men down and convict them for the shameful murder of a man who was fearless in his duties.

Mr. Roberts was one of the best deputy game wardens in the state. He has been active in his work against lawlessness of every kind, and it is believed by people here that he incurred the enmity of his assassins. His work has been directed against violators of game and election laws and illicit whiskey manufactures. He had headed raids on several moonshine stills lately, and was known to have some enemies.

Roberts was a leading Republican of Breathitt County and had taken an active part in movements for the betterment of conditions in the county.

The body was taken to Jackson Sunday morning, and laid away in the family burying ground, amid the presence of a large concourse of relatives and friends.

Mr. Roberts was 47 years of age and is survived by his wife and four children, one of whom is in the service, and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. James Roberts, of Panbowl, near Jackson.

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Saw Father's Assassins Run

The body of Elijah Roberts, game warden of Breathitt County, who was assassinated Saturday morning at Whick, 12 miles from Jackson, as he was returning home, was found a few minutes after he was shot lying in the road where he had fallen pierced by five bullets, by his nine-year-old son, who saw the assassins making their getaway; and who gave a fairly accurate description of the, according to the statement of Captain V. G. Mullikin.

Captain Mullikin, who was called to Whick with his bloodhounds, passed through Jackson Sunday morning on his way to Lexington, and while the dogs were not able to follow the murderers to their rendezvous because of artificial means being used by those who committed the crime to throw them off the scent, nevertheless the search developed some discoveries which throw considerable light on the assassination, and which may prove to be important clues in ferreting out the crime.

The bloodhounds, Capt. Mullikin says, took the trail very readily, and trailed the assassins through a cornfield that skirted the road into a thick woods. Here they suddenly quit the trail, being thrown off by artificial means used by the fugitives. In the soft ground of the cornfield tracks, believed to be those of the assassins, were found and measured, and they tally with those discovered in the bush covered cliff above the road from which the fatal shots were undoubtedly fired. These tracks show that one of the assassins was a man with a large foot and his companion a smaller man.

At the spot on the side of the cliff, from which the shots were fired were found remnants of chicken bones and bread, indicating that the assassins had come to the place the day before, probably to lie in wait for their victim and had brought along their breakfast with them.

Near the scene of the tragedy, Captain Mullikin says, were also found shells from the Winchester rifle used by the assassins. These shells are from what is known as a "box" rifle and correspond with similar shells that were given by a man, now a fugitive from justice, to a friend some years ago before he got into trouble.

Jim Hall, a deputy game warden, was with Mr. Roberts at the time he was shot down, and being unable to see who his assailants were and fearing that they might have a bullet for him, escaped into a nearby cornfield, Captain Mullikin says, where he remained until it was safe to venture out. Being but a few feet behind his chief, he was able to see clearly what happened.

Describes The Murder

The first shot, he told Captain Mullikin, missed Roberts, who immediately whirled about and faced the cliff from which it came, prepared to defend himself. The next shot struck Roberts in the chest, and he bent forward only to receive a third bullet in the shoulder. Five shots pierced his body. Then the assassins apparently came from their hiding place in the cliff to examine the body, and rob it of its valuables.

They were in the act of doing this when the murdered man's nine-year-old son appeared on the scene and frightened them away. The little boy, who had been sent from home to the store at Whick for some household articles, had met his father and Mr. Hall, had hurried to the store and was on his way back, running to overtake his father, when he heard the shots. He paid no attention to the shots, however, thinking perhaps it was somebody shooting squirrels, but a few minutes later, when he turned a curve in the road, he saw two men bending over someone in the road, and a few seconds later take to their heels and disappear into the nearby cornfield.

Coming closer to the object lying in the road to his horror the boy discovered it was the bleeding body of his father, who a few minutes before he had been so glad to meet on his return home from Hazard, where he had been for several days. The belief is that the assassins had learned that he had gone to Hazard and laid in wait by the roadside for his return.

After murdering the game warden the assassins robbed him of his watch, pistol, and a pair of new shoes, which he had bought and was bringing home with him. While Mr. Roberts' little boy could not identify the assassins, he gave a pretty circumstantial description of the, which has given the county authorities a fairly accurate idea of who they were, and which is being used as a clue for them to work on.

No arrests in connection with the assassination have yet been made, but the law-abiding citizens of the county are worked up over the foul crime and no stone will be left unturned to apprehend the assassin.

Mr. Roberts left insurance policies aggregating $3,000, and his oldest son, Captain Millikin says, has announced that he will offer a reward of $1,000 for the apprehension of the assassins and will spend the remainder in their prosecution in the event of their apprehension.

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Kash Pays Tribute To Elijah Roberts

Commonwealth Attorney Kelley Kash, of the Breathitt district, was in Lexington Saturday night, and when seen by a Herald reporter, made the following statement with reference to the assassination of Game Warden Elijah Roberts in Breathitt County yesterday:

"The death of Elijah Roberts will be taken as a blow against law enforcement in Breathitt County. For the last three years and more, he has been game warden for Breathitt and adjoining counties, and he had apprehended violators of the fish and game laws, and brought them to justice, and had been so vigilant in this work as to greatly deter these violators. During the last few months, and since the recent act of the legislature against moonshining went into effect, he has apprehended a number of moonshiners, and in two instances he captured and destroyed illicit stills and arrested the operators, and placed them in jail.

"It is known that there are two fugitives from justice who have for the last few years been hiding in Breathitt County. It is rumored that one of these has had bitter feeling toward Roberts, and trouble from him has been expected. During the present year he has been very active in prosecuting violators of the law in the section of Breathitt County, surrounding Whick and Wolfcoal, and during the last week he made arrests and procured convictions.

"The assassination of Elijah Roberts will be mourned by the good people of Breathitt County. He has been for years one official upon whom the courts and good citizenship of the county could depend. He was absolutely fearless, and was always found in the discharge of his duties. He was ready at all times to go where the duties of his office called him, and where public necessity bade him go. He could be depended upon to make difficult arrests, and to go into dangerous and hazardous situations, and from these he never shrank.

"His death will certainly arouse the good people of Breathitt County. Everything that can be done will be done to ferret out the assassination and apprehend and convict his slayers. It was the act of cowardly assassins and the public can rest assure that no effort will be spared on the part of the officials to bring the guilty to speedy justice."

-- Lexington Herald

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More About Elijah Roberts:
Occupation: Game Warden Breathitt County KY.
Residence: Whick Ky Breathitt County.

Children of Elijah Roberts and Mollie Gillum are:

Laura Roberts.
+Jimmy Roberts, d. date unknown.
Mattie Roberts.
Sara Roberts.
+Herbert Roberts, b. February 07, 1897, Breathitt County KY, d. May 26, 1978, Austin IND.

Children of Elijah Roberts and Harriet Fields are:

Liza Jane Williams.
Shafter Williams.
+Curt Roberts, b. 1903, d. 1997, Michigan.
Claude Roberts, b. 1908, d. date unknown.
Carl Roberts, b. 1901, d. date unknown, young age of Stomach Cancer per June Curts dtr.
Luther Roberts, b. 1905, kY, d. date unknown, Ft. Lauderdale Florida.

Children of Elijah Roberts and Rachel Fuget are: