The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-11-30
Fcnm the Knoxville Herald
The Kerr BURGLARY

FULL AND INTERESTING PARTICULaRs-TUE
TWO SUSPICIOUS RAILROAD TRAvELLERs- -
WHO WERE THE BURGLARs:-soME LINKS
OF EVIDENCE.
Tue daring and successful robbery of
Coioucl Jesse Kerr II bis residence In Lou
don county, Oh the night Of the 2lst instant,
III account OF which has been previously
published in these columns, Is still the
theme OF general interest among the citi-
Zeny living in TIE vicinity. l he statements
neretoforc published Of the affair were ill.,
accurate in srme particulars. Tbe follow
ing narrative II The outrage and account Of
the chief actors In it is from neiShbor Of
Colouel Kerr, and will be found Of exciting
Interest
orLoNEL EEIR
Is an old snd esteemed citizen OF London
couuty, and possesses moderate conpe-
te1co. lie has been peculiarly fortunate in
business matters. ana WAS kuoHn TO keep
considerable muuev III his couSp, having
Unt 3 foor idea OF tie value OF banks, and
ure:CrilDg ~ LAKE care OF and guard bis
owu ot,' and g.ecnbacks. This policy be
has persisted ~, III spite Of the warnings
and advice OF lis relatives and friends, and
ncglt&.iuI OF
FAST REFERENCE.
About the close OF the war, burglars,
SUPPRESSED t. nc stragglcrS from some re-
turning regiments, hrpl1e into h!r house
amd robbed hin ~ about $1,000 Efforts
were li,1,ir - c1pluro The tAi-yes, and they
were tracked 10 MiciIiyan, but Ivy some
luelnS obtaining III mixing that Justice
was Pursuing t0cm, they Nd for pats am
.OA.!. AMI Tie clu. WAS never rec gained.
BIT OF PAST HISTORY.
IN the 1esr 1861, JOHN Kerr, son OF Mr..
q = ,t..nl<ol ff t'nlnnpl
Jesse hc.r, enlisted IL the Confederate
amy .ud marched OF 10 the scene OF hos
.!.t.es JCAn was teen about twenty years
GII In Il i4W months nc returned, cyl.
dc.tjv n.y!b. Gccrt1,t from his command.
lie rcflaiucu ii home snort tlDe. and
while bone II ,rricd II Miss walker, tar9h-
Ter q! A.niur John walker, oil Big Spring.
John rcluancd with his vile out 4 few
ly@. ana then left, saying be was going to
kratlickv In eI.ltsE i'll the Federal army.
FROM III; day until "ithin the past t"o
tyc, Is John hal ncyc. been heard of by hi
relatives. wuo had come 10 think OF h!M
= filing III unkuoWn gave. Ii the mean
TIM. William Herr, the father OF
John. w;tn hls own Immediate family,
became !; siltpt5 Of Folk county, Icnu.
TIE KERR BROTHERS.
t:cut 4 month since Johu suddenly
maze hi> auruaran"e ut DIS Etlhci's mouse,
in Polk county, una remained there 8
week or len days. lie Then ictt, accompa-
3ieG by t's brother Leonard, Younger than
J3nn, 10 visit rs relatives in Biount and
LONDON counties. The two young men
were mounted on horses obtained from
their father, aud made the journey on
horseback, arriving safely At their Qestlua-
i,ou. wacyc they were received with the
Affections which tbc,r unau,piciUu5 relatives
Dof,. 10 them n k'nNnen.
i'hc yGuEg men spcn. several days IN
Wishing their relatives. among others their
grand .a1hcr, jesse Kerr, by whom they
were kindly received.
THE ROBBERY.
About ! O'Clock on Tuesday evening the
81 i instant Mrs, Kerr, wife OF Jesse Kerr,
and slel.graudmother OF the young men.
W2s in tie ward Of her house attending 10
some household duties, When she Was se'zc0
by TWO discussed DcG, HDo lulmeuii..c!t
gagged Ter AID tied her TO post, threaten-
no l,er with death il sue attempted to make
:, nose or release herself, but 1t the same
time cling her il WAS not their Intention
10 lniurc her II she obcyed them. Ihe men
tDau went TO the trent door OF the house
ana kuocked. Colonel Jesse Kerr, since
the previous robbery, had always been tear-
ful Of srotncr burglary, and Invariably Kept
the coors locked, admitting no one unless
thee knocked aud answered to thelr names
uuon being questioned. This fact seems to
have been Anown TO the men, tor When
Colonel Kerr asked who was thefe
one OF them ;n5wcrcu ''PhGoc,' the name
Of the wife OF the old gentleman. There
were in the house ut the time Colonel Jesse
Kerr rdLwo graudsons, c.ch about twelve
year, old. she Of them was David Wilson
and tue other Claiborne Kerr. UnsuSp-
ciVus OF impending evil. the old sentlcnDn
told one OF the boys TO opeu the door,
which he d!d. The men entered, and
closing the door, one OF them locked IL ana
nut the kew in his pocket. There was no
i,qhi il The room al The time. The men
told Colonel Kerr that they did not Wish
10 90 hi!n boci!y harm, but thcy wanted
anu would baye his money, ana oruered
him TO deliver up tie key TO ali ADJOINING
room. 1iiis Was the room III WhiGn
Colonel Kerr kept his money, and the old
man refused 10 give up the key. Tue men
then tod him they would break the door
in. and raised al axe which one OF them
c,rrlcd as Ill earnest Of his purpose. DAVID
Wilson, though but twelve years OLD, lold
them ma; ii they attempted TO break IN the
door he would shoot them. The men pald
10 attention 10 him, and going 10 the door
of the room, soon broke II down. Inc ooy
ANS as good as his word, and Selling gun
which stood IN 4 corner, fired 1t ut The men,
and shot ore Of them In the mana. Inc
men went into the room, pried open an
ron safe which stood III corner, and took
rem II 81. 400 i'll gold coin, and from trunk
,ney distracted s. 600 ia United Suites
treasury notes and 5000 IN Confederate
money. The latter not 0e!ng recognized by
hem IN The dark us worthless.
A! this d d not last d minute, ana tee
uirn ran into The front room. Inc one
Who had Lcoa sbut, holding up his rleht
lund, ftom which three bloody nnsers
were hanging, swore Ut David, ana rush
To u bin with kuile, cut ! horrible CASH