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Several men have borne the title, “The Bad Man of the Mountains.” Without exception, there are murders attributed to the bearer of that title, and they only own the title briefly.
In the early 1900s, the Bad Man title was held by Buster Duggan of Monroe County, Tenn., the other side of the mountain from the North Carolina communities of Violet and Unaka.
Duggan’s reputation arose from his propensity to never forget an insult, an egocentric bully attitude, moonshining, drinking and an explosive temper combined with a lack of respect for law enforcement. This combination resulted in Duggan being tried for the murders of three different men, and even more deaths attributed to him.
Born in Monroe County, his father moved the family to Sand Mountain, Ala., where Duggan was raised thinking rules did not apply to him. He fell in love and wanted to marry, the bride’s father objected, but that did not stop Duggan. He demanded a quiet wedding, but upon arriving at the church his soon-to-be father-in-law had assembled a large gathering.
Duggan shrugged off his jacket to display two pistols, strode into the church and grabbed his fiancee by the hand, tugged her to his buggy and they rode away as the stunned wedding party watched. No one stopped Duggan, including two deputies holding open warrants on him for assault, carrying a pistol, and aiding and abetting in a jail escape.
A year later while en route to buy whiskey, Duggan encountered his father-in-law and brother-in-law. Sharing a drink, they began an argument that ended with Duggan shooting and killing his father-in-law.
The trial ended with a hung jury, and awaiting retrial Duggan was smuggled hacksaw blades inside a cake. He sawed through the bars and escaped to Monroe County, and soon began to subject residents to his own brand of terror.
Duggan was moonshining, and would openly peddle a wagonload of non-tax paid liquor in the nearby towns, daring local police to intervene.
After a church homecoming and meal, Duggan and three others began drinking nearby. John Hicks heckled Duggan, escalating into a drunken confrontation. John Moses tried to be the peacemaker by standing between the two. Duggan was having none of it, drew his pistol and killed both men.
The murder trials that followed ended in hung juries, in part because Duggan’s intimidating armed appearances at the witnesses’ homes. The tactic worked. At trial, witnesses no longer remembered what happened.
Duggan’s aggressiveness escalated. For amusement, Duggan began taking potshots at people on their way to church.
Deputies with legal papers to serve on Duggan were met with a leveled rifle – and Duggan’s proclamation, “I’ll not be taken in by you today.” The deputies withdrew, further encouraging Duggan’s bully behavior. When Duggan’s cousin was shot by a police officer in Etowah, Duggan openly rode the streets with a rifle across his saddle seeking revenge on the officer.
A so-called friend tried to steal Duggan’s 35-gallon still but was confronted by Duggan, who ordered him to take the still back where he found it. He did, fearing for his life for weeks until Duggan visited, claiming all was forgiven. Later, when the friend arrived to drink with Duggan, the bad man shot and killed the friend in front of witnesses.
Duggan sought the safety of Starr Mountain away from pursuing posses. Sneaking home for food and supplies, Duggan waited for the heat to die down and he could return to his intimidating the community.
He attempted to fake his death by digging up a recent corpse, dressing it in Duggan’s clothes and throwing it onto a bonfire. The ruse failed.
Duggan’s moved his still onto Bart Boring’s land, a man with his own feared reputation.
Boring was held for a shooting in Hiawasee, Ga., until a friend broke him out and Boring moved to Tennessee. One friend from the North Carolina side of the mountain was Jim Rose, a bad man in his own right. The two reportedly utilized each other as alibis for their crimes, assisting each other, even in assassinations.
Boring did not confront Duggan’s incursion, but when revenue agents raided and destroyed Duggan’s still, Boring’s son Robert was seen holding the officers’ horses.
Duggan swore revenge, and when Robert Boring was shot in the back a few weeks later, there was no debate about the shooters. Duggan and Joe McCully had overnighted near the murder scene and announced to their host they were there to kill Boring.
After the murder the following day, Duggan and McCully ransacked the Boring household in the presence of Boring’s widow and children. Upon learning that, Bart Boring vowed unless Duggan left this earth, Boring would kill him. Duggan again fled to the hills.
After making a final run of whiskey to pay for his escape, Duggan returned home for a last night before fleeing Monroe County forever. While washing his face in a basin on his porch, shots came from the corn crib 300 yards away. He fell dead.
The 45-70 slug that passed through his body was found in his wife’s bread pan. It was said only one man could have made that shot – Jim Rose of Unaka. Within days, McCully was also shot from ambush while sitting on his mowing machine.
Bloodhounds trailed to Boring’s property line but there pursuit halted; supposedly, pepper had been placed in the shooter’s footprints, confusing the dogs. Sheriff T.B. Bevins stated he preferred to “remain above ground.” He added any man brave enough to take on Buster Duggan was not someone he wanted to cross.
No one was ever charged in the death of Buster Duggan. Later that year, someone dug down to Duggan’s casket, poured kerosene in the hole and lit it – a final insult to Bad Man Buster Duggan.
Bruce Voyles’ local history column runs every other week in the Cherokee Scout. Email him at RoadsLessTraveled@cherokeescout.com.