The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-02-21
IsurlsaDcc ia E.cns E.isc.

The Knoxville Press and Hcr0|d contains
the following Interesting account OF tie arrest
OF JOHN Kerr for q robbery committed Ill
November last
The Kerr burglary created intense excite
mcnt AZ the time the hold crime WIS COM
mittCd, aI,l tue arrest vi Oh" OF the grand
sons Of Colonel Kerr, charged with hclng one
oi the burglar, Ills revived public interest
Oh the subject.
Colonel Jesse Kerr, the grandfather Of the
prisoner, is al old and higily~rcspectcd citi-
zen Of Loldon county. The CID gentleman
las III times been i'll the possession Oh large
amounts Of money, earned III fortunate Dusl-
neSS speculations. and saved by long years Of
lard work and frugal living. Choosing to
keep the money under his own care in the
house rather than to deposit it in the strong
vaults of banks, the fact became known, and
several attempts have been made to rob the
old gentleman. two Of which were notably
-uccessful. About the close of the war bur-
liars. supposed to be stragglers from re-
turning regiment, broke into his house and
occurred $4,000. Efforts were made to cap
uve the thieves, and they were tracked TO
Michigan, but Dy some means obtaining al
mixing that they were pursued by the agents
II Justice, they He'd for parts unknown and
The clue was never rcgaincd. 1t seems that
Colonel Kerr did not profit by this dear eX-
periencc, and when after time he began to
accumulate more money, still keeping watch
over the treasure, yieldrd to the solicit
tation Of his family SO far as to purchase a
,,urglar-proof safe, III which he kept the pre-
cious gold and grecnbacis.
About : O'Clock on the night Of November
Il, Mrs. Kerr, wife Of Jesse Kerr, was IN the
| ward of her residence, near Brick Mill, LOU
don county, when she was seized, gagged,
| and bound by two disguised men, who threat
| cned her with death if she attempted to re-
lease herself or made any noise. The men
! knocked at the front door, which was holted
| after dark 70 the question asked by Colo
| nj Kerr: Who is there? one OF the men, inl-
! ;tatinc the voice Of a woman, answered,
"Phubc.' This was the name OF the old
gcntleman's WIFE and, ullSuspccring evil, tic
door was unbalTed and the men rushed III.
| There were in the house at the time Colonel
Kerr and two grsldsons, each about twelve
years old. The men, after locking the front
door and taking possession OF the Key, or
dered Colonel Kerr to give them the key OF
| the door OF an adjoining room, the one in
which stood the safe. Upon being refused
:her said they would break the door down
/ One of the boys, David Wilson, although
but twelve years old. told them that ii they
attempted to break in the door he would shoot
| them. The men paid no attention to the boy.
and proceeded TO batter down the door.
! David was as good us his word, and scizire
! q Gun which stood III the corner. he fired il
| 1T the men and shot one Of them iii the hand.
They, however, broke into the room, and
after attempting to open the safe with key
which one Of them produced, broke open the
| safe, and secured some $1,000 in gold coin,
81 900 in greeniMciSs, and about $1,000 III
Confederate money. There was no light in
the house at the tune, and it is supposed they
did not recognize the worthless paper. Run
ming out into the front room, the man who
had been shot held up his right hand, from
which his bloody fingers were dangling,
sTore at David, calling HIM by his name, and
rushed ut him with knife, cutting severe
cash in the boys arm. They then precipitate-
iy fed from the house, and escaped IN the
darkness. Next day IL was found that John
aud Leonard Kern were missing. A hat
found ia the road III front OF Colonel herl's
house way qcecenjzod MS one that had been
worn ~ .,cLu Kerr. Two horses were
found about davtieak IN 4 field az itenoii's
station, or the Last Tennessee, Virginia and
Georgia railroad, twelve miles ffUm Brick
Mil. The horses were known to have been
the aninlas belonging 10 JOIN. and Leonard
Kerr. The movements Of two suspicious
looking mcl who had got Oh q freight train
at Lenoi's late On the night Of the 2lst OF