The Man in the Armor

"The devil abode in him and dominated him."

John Upshaw Waring was a wealthy lawyer and a ruthless debt collector. He carried a pistol, a bowie knife, and a sword cane. For a quarter of a century, he left a trail of threats, stabbings, and lawsuits across Franklin and Woodford Counties.

In this episode of Kentucky Deceased, Dr. Eleanor Hasken-Wagner looks at the life and death of Waring. She covers his role in the Beauchamp-Sharp tragedy, his 1835 shooting of attorney Samuel Q. Richardson on the steps of Frankfort's Mansion House, and the rumor that he wore a full suit of armor under his clothes.

Do you have a strange story from Frankfort or Franklin County? Bumps in the night, lights in the skies, or whatever else have you, we'd love to hear them! Record your story at the link below and it may end up on a future episode of Kentucky Deceased.

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CONTENT WARNING

Murder, threats of violence, stabbings and shootings, dueling, and brief mention of enslavement.