Ashland Tragedy (III)

Oh, have you heard the story
It happened long ago,
Of the Gibbons' children murder
And Emma Carico

They lived in Boyd County
Ashland was their home;
Their parents went one evening
And left them all alone.

They went to bed these children,
They had no thought of fear,
And little dreamed that danger
Was surely lurking near.

For a while they slept so sweetly;
Three fiends in human guise
Came in and slew those children!
Sweet heaven, hear their cries.

Hear crippled Bob and Fanny,
Hear little Emma cry;
Oh may their murderers hear them,
When they are called to die.

They left those murdered children;
They did not lose no time,
But set fire to the building
To hide their awful crime.

But neighbors saw it burning,
They came from far and wide.
Dragged forth those murdered children
And laid them side by side.

Oh look upon these children,
Oh see them as they lie;
A crime has been committed,
Some one must surely die.

Go forth and search the country!
Go search both far and nigh!
And find the guilty culprit,
We'll surely hang him high.

From Ballad Makin' in the Southern Highlands, Thomas
Reportedly composed by Bill Terrell
DT #802
Laws F27
RG
Oct96