be “put upon.” The men were big-boned, broad-shouldered, muscular, good-looking, and pleasant in manner, yet they could be most disagreeable to anyone who crossed them. This propensity, with the influence that their standing in the community gave them, made them formidable enemies.
The Hendersons—three brothers and their families—were Kentuckians. Like the Bulliners, they settled in Williamson County, north of Crainville, during the last year of the war. All were large, strong, and fearless. Though not wealthy, they too owned good farms, and soon became as influential in their neighborhood as the Bulliners were in theirs.
While the enmity between the two families smoldered, another Bulliner quarrel gave the Hendersons an ally. On the farm adjoining that of “Old George” Bulliner lived George W. Sisney, one of the leading citizens of the county. He had served as captain in an Illinois regiment during the Civil War and had been elected sheriff in 1866. A contemporary characterized him as “a man of more than ordinary ability,” of “medium size and compactly built, dark complexion, a very passionate and fearless man, but high-toned, generous and open-hearted.” He had three grown sons, all “full of grit and fight.”
A year after the first Bulliner-Henderson fracas Sisney and one of the Bulliner boys had a lawsuit over a crop of oats. In court, Sisney won. Some months later the two men met to settle several business transactions. Their accounts differed. In the argument that followed Bulliner accused Sisney of swearing to a lie in the lawsuit of the previous year, whereupon Sisney knocked him down. Young Bulliner rounded up his father and two brothers and the four men, all armed, set out to redress the wrong. As they approached the Sisney house on the run, with “Old George” shouting: “Here we come, God damn you, to kill you!” Sisney, armed with a repeating rifle, left by the back door. When the Bulliners saw him running across an adjoining field they opened fire. Every few yards Sisney stopped and fired back. Although hit four times, he managed to reach the shelter of a big tree. His assailants, afraid to close in on him, called off the fight.
Later, all the participants were fined one hundred dollars each. Then Sisney brought a suit for damages against the Bulliners which they settled out of court. Henceforward, however, the Sisney family was in the Vendetta.
For almost two years the animosities these incidents aroused lay dormant. A series of brawls brought them to life, and led the large and pugnacious Crain family, whose members had lived in the county for two generations, into the feud on the side of the Bulliners. The first trouble came on Christmas Day,1872, when several Crains and Sisneys met by chance in the general store at Carterville, two miles west of Crainville. Bantering talk led to a full-scale fight, which bystanders finally quelled. Several of the participants were arrested, and ordered to appear for trial before a justice of the peace.
At the trial the Crains turned out in force. So did the Sisneys and Hendersons, now their enemies, and the Bulliners, allies of the Crains by virtue of their feud with the other two families. What had been scheduled as a judicial proceeding turned into a small-sized riot, with several of the participants seriously injured. The State’s Attorney filed informations but failed to press the charges. Thus all went free.
By this time two trivial incidents—a game of cards and a lawsuit over a few bushels of oats—had separated four large and prominent families, each supported by many friends and relatives, into two groups of sworn enemies, with any Bulliner or Crain eager to assault a Sisney or Henderson simply because he was a Sisney or Henderson.
Throughout 1873 one brawl after another took place. Several times the rioters were arrested, but in every case either the accused was acquitted or the prosecution was dropped.
Then, on the morning of
The Hendersons—three brothers and their families—were Kentuckians. Like the Bulliners, they settled in Williamson County, north of Crainville, during the last year of the war. All were large, strong, and fearless. Though not wealthy, they too owned good farms, and soon became as influential in their neighborhood as the Bulliners were in theirs.
While the enmity between the two families smoldered, another Bulliner quarrel gave the Hendersons an ally. On the farm adjoining that of “Old George” Bulliner lived George W. Sisney, one of the leading citizens of the county. He had served as captain in an Illinois regiment during the Civil War and had been elected sheriff in 1866. A contemporary characterized him as “a man of more than ordinary ability,” of “medium size and compactly built, dark complexion, a very passionate and fearless man, but high-toned, generous and open-hearted.” He had three grown sons, all “full of grit and fight.”
A year after the first Bulliner-Henderson fracas Sisney and one of the Bulliner boys had a lawsuit over a crop of oats. In court, Sisney won. Some months later the two men met to settle several business transactions. Their accounts differed. In the argument that followed Bulliner accused Sisney of swearing to a lie in the lawsuit of the previous year, whereupon Sisney knocked him down. Young Bulliner rounded up his father and two brothers and the four men, all armed, set out to redress the wrong. As they approached the Sisney house on the run, with “Old George” shouting: “Here we come, God damn you, to kill you!” Sisney, armed with a repeating rifle, left by the back door. When the Bulliners saw him running across an adjoining field they opened fire. Every few yards Sisney stopped and fired back. Although hit four times, he managed to reach the shelter of a big tree. His assailants, afraid to close in on him, called off the fight.
Later, all the participants were fined one hundred dollars each. Then Sisney brought a suit for damages against the Bulliners which they settled out of court. Henceforward, however, the Sisney family was in the Vendetta.
For almost two years the animosities these incidents aroused lay dormant. A series of brawls brought them to life, and led the large and pugnacious Crain family, whose members had lived in the county for two generations, into the feud on the side of the Bulliners. The first trouble came on Christmas Day,1872, when several Crains and Sisneys met by chance in the general store at Carterville, two miles west of Crainville. Bantering talk led to a full-scale fight, which bystanders finally quelled. Several of the participants were arrested, and ordered to appear for trial before a justice of the peace.
At the trial the Crains turned out in force. So did the Sisneys and Hendersons, now their enemies, and the Bulliners, allies of the Crains by virtue of their feud with the other two families. What had been scheduled as a judicial proceeding turned into a small-sized riot, with several of the participants seriously injured. The State’s Attorney filed informations but failed to press the charges. Thus all went free.
By this time two trivial incidents—a game of cards and a lawsuit over a few bushels of oats—had separated four large and prominent families, each supported by many friends and relatives, into two groups of sworn enemies, with any Bulliner or Crain eager to assault a Sisney or Henderson simply because he was a Sisney or Henderson.
Throughout 1873 one brawl after another took place. Several times the rioters were arrested, but in every case either the accused was acquitted or the prosecution was dropped.
Then, on the morning of
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