Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, and rebel ventilator. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1863-1866, 1865-03-22
Knoxville, Tennessee, March p, 1865.
For the Knoxville Whil
The Murder on Beaver Creek.

On last Tuesday night the ith instant, Mr.. Philip
ing on Beaver Creek, in the 7th civil district was
visited at his house about o'clock at night by two
robbers by the name Of Chambss and Coleman
They entered the house and demanded of Mr. Bell
five hundred dollars in money threatened to kill him
if he did not give it, and commenced beating and
abusing him. One of his daughters rushed in to
save her father, and struggled with the robbers.
They finally knocked him down with their pistols
and he lay as dead. One of the robbers then told
the other to kill the girl also and he placed the pis
tol TO her head and fired and she fell dead by her
father They also burstcd several caps at the other
two girls and would have killed them both if their
pistols had fired. They still demanded money and
threatened to burn the house if it was not given to
them. The girls hunted up all they had, about Il
dollar in change, and gave to them and begged for
their lives. But the fends were not satisfied They
gathered ire-brand and went to the dead girl and
applied it her clothes still demanding money; but
when they found they could procure none, they
mounted their horses and rode of,
They had kept the door 50 the grls could not get
out to raise the alarm, but when they were gone the
alarm was given, and the neighbors came in. They
found the girl dead and weterng in her blood, and
her father still alive but insensibe his head and
face cut and horribly bruised. The floor was slip
perry with blood
The next morning the murderers were tracked
until it was found out who they were and one OF
them Coleman was brought back to Mr.. Bell $
and the daughters fully identified him He was
tried by two magistrates and the trial. full proof
of the guilt of Chamblss was elected. Coleman
was sent to Knoxville and delivered to the military
but Chambliss was still at large and in the country
and refused to be taken by two men that went to
arrest him. He was understood to be Il dangerous
and desperate man.
The outrage was SO shocking and fendish that
the whole community were intensely stirred, and
the detective guards that have Just been organized
in this district for the protection law and good or
der, all assembled and determined to take the mon
ster, dead or alive The citizens of the district had
made up about five hundred dollars to be offered for
his arrest. He was believed to be concealed in the
ridges near Mr. Colts mill, on Bull Run. The
company under the guidance of their Captain, }.
~ NJ
night, watching all the houses where he frequented
until on Saturday night about 10 o'clock they sue
cecded in surrounding him in the house of John
Gott When he found that he was surrounded, he
rushed out Of the house with his pistol in his hand
and as the guard closed around and ordered him TO
surrender, he fired al the man in front of him, but
missed him, and Immediately after his body was
riddled with balls, and he fell dead
Thus ended the career of one of the most daring
and bloody desperadoos this country has ever pro-
duced He was raised in this vicinity and was only
about eighteen years old. When the rebellion
broke out he joined the rebel army but deserted
it, and joined the: :frstE East Tennessee Cavalry-de
serted that directly and came home, and was con-
nected for some time with gang of horse thieves.
He was at length arrested and imprisoned at Knox
vile while, but contrived to escape. He then left
for some time, and pretended to join his regiment,
but whether he ever did is uncertain. He came
backla few weeks ago with his accomplice Coleman.
They were both in Federal clothing. They told
that as they came on through Hamilton county,
Tenn, they robbed and murdered four men in that
county in the most brutal manner This they told
to some Of their good friends as a great fright
Chambliss brought three horses into the neigh
borhood which are believed to be stolen. Two of
them have beer taken and arc now in the posses
sion of Captain Mynatt-a three year old black
gliding and bay mare. They can be had by the
proper owners coming forward and making proof
of ownership
The foregoing statements are made that the facts
of this atrociotl. murder may be known as well as
to place in true light the circumstances under
which the perpetrator of the foul deed came to his
death. F.
Raor county, Tam, March l3, 1865