"The Larkin Liles Saga" Part 5: Later Life

 

LATER LIFE

One story has it that as soon as Larkin left to go to the penitentiary his father-in-law tried to persuade his wife to sue him for divorce.  Of course after being absent for just a few days and learning of this from his wife, upon his return, a very bitter feeling developed between the two men, which we are to see later resulted fatally for Liles.

In going over the county records here, we find that Larkin was involved in numerous minor infractions with the law, something which the records do not show heretofore.  And reading between the lines, also, and listening to the stories told by members of the family, it will be apparent to the reader that something happened to Larkin that was to change the whole course of his life.  He was no longer the same man.  This change becomes evident shortly after his return from Frankfort and upon learning his father-in-law’s advice to his wife.  From then on, his feelings toward the father-in-law was one of cold hate, which did not auger a healthy future to the father-in-law. (According to present day advanced psychological research we find that it is not unusual for a person to experience a disintegration of personality following a traumatic experience or shock, such as that experienced by Liles when being sentenced to the penitentiary.)

Up to this time, there is no record of any animosity between the two men.  It will be remembered that the father-in-law signed his first bond.

Another story says that one day while hunting on a hillside, Larkin saw his father-in-law crossing a clearing some distance below and on the spur of the moment had taken a ‘pot shot at him with his trusty squirrel rifle.   The bullet struck the target alright, but distance had so far spent its force that it merely knocked the intended victim to the ground.  Plummer made nothing of the incident, but he knew that from then on it was just a question of his life or Liles’.  We must emphasize that these two stories are just tales, and we have no documentary evidence to support them.

However, from 1836 to 1849, Liles seemed to be the subject of numerous minor court actions.  Several times he was placed under a peace bond for allegations running from Sabbeth breaking and trespassing to shooting with intent to kill.  He, in turn in 1849, required Henry Liles, his brother, to be placed under a peace bond for a year.

The date of his death cannot be exactly determined.  Court records show that he was in court on April 16, 1849.  On the first day of the October term of Lewis Circuit Court, 1849, which bears the date of October 15, 1849, in two different cases an entry is recorded “that the presentment of this cause be abated as to the defendant Larkin Liles by reason of his death.”  We therefore know that he died sometime between April 16 and October 15, 1849.  His estate was appraised on August 20, 1849, so this pin-points it to the period between April and August, being most likely the last of July or first of August.  Tradition says he was born about 1790, but this cannot be verified.

The narration as to how he died involves a third version of the feeling between him and his father-in-law.  This version says that Plummer and Liles had a falling out over the treatment of Liles’ wife (Plummer’s daughter.)  To settle this dispute Larkin and Plummer agreed to settle it in what was in those days called “A-Fist-and-Skull-Court.”  When Liles suggested shooting it out instead of the “Fist-and-Skull” décor, Plummer agreed that they were to meet in the woods near the mouth of Mosby Creek at a certain time in the morning.  This they did, dodging from tree to tree, taking ‘pot shots’ at each other until Larkin made a lucky shot, hitting Plummer in the hip, thereby winning the case. It was said that no grudge was to be held.

Our last account has it that Plummer made a deal with one Paul Stillwell to assassinate Liles from ambush.  Biding his time, the assailant finally caught Larkin sitting on the creek bank fishing, about one half mile upstream from Blankenship Crossing, and stealthily slipping up from behind with sure range, shot Larkin in the back.  The location where he was shot is known today as Larkin’s rifle.