Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-01-30
THE WILDERNESS HORROR.
A Woman Charged with Murder
Ldght ON the Mystery of the Noun


A Woman Charged with Murder
Light ON the Mystery of the Noun.
tafus.
From the Knoxville Press and Herald, Jan. q
We published some days since letter
from a correspondent in Huntsville, Scott
county, Tenn, giving the particulars, so far.
as they were then known, of a sensation
which had profoundly affected the sturdy
and laW7abiding mountaineers of that re-
gion. 1t was stated that on Monday,
Jan. 8, the body Of girl, about thirteen or
fourteen years old, was found by the road
side, in an unfrequented, wilderness portion
OF Scott county, about ten miles from
Huntsville. The body was recognized as
that OF a bound girl employed in Hunts
vile. We have learned more particulars of
the affair, which we row lay before our
readers:
The girls name was Angeline Moore,
aged sixteen years. Angeline had been
bound to woman named Keziah Thomp-
son, who lives near Huntsville. When the
body was discovered, in a mountain defile,
nearly fourteen miles beyond Huntsville, it
presented horrible appearance. One eye
was mashed in, the collar bone dislocated,
several ribs broken, and bruises innumera-
bic bore evidence Of the most inhuman
treatment. The body was not at first re-
cognized, and was buried by the finders.
Soon afterwards, however, the fact of the
disappearance of Angeline Moore having
become known, the body was disinterred
and a coroner's inquest was held. The
body was recognized as that Of the missing
girl, and a verdict rendered that Angeline
Moore came to her death from cause or
causes unknown.
Suspicion soon pointed to Mrs. Keziah
Thompson, to whom the dead girl had been
bound, as having a knowledge of the man
ner in which she came to her death. Mrs.
Thompson is widow lady, and resides
about two miles from Huntsville. 1t was
rumOred that the girl had been subjected to
severe and cruel treatment, so inhuman
that she was not given necessary clothing
and shelter, and in consequence had her
fingers and toes badly frozen.
The grand jury found a true bill against
Mrs. Thompson and her daughter, Sallie
Thompson, for the murder of the girl, and
on Tuesday last, the two women were ar
rested, and admitted to bail in the sum of
$4,000 each.
The only motive that is given by the
neighbors as the possible reason for the
murder Of Angeline Moore, by Mrs. Thomp.
son and her daughter, is that some property
held by them would, in a short time, have
reverted to the girl, and they, perhaps,
wished to avoid the necessity of parting
with it. 1t is supposed by the mountain
eers that Mrs. Thompson carried the girls
body, at night, fourteen miles into the
in order to avert suspicion from
herself Considerable excitement exists
about the affair in Scott county, and Mrs.
IhSmpson's sex prevents, perhaps, an exhi- |
oition Of Judge Lynch's law. The evidence |
against the two women, however, is wholly |
and we hope that they may |
De given all possible opportunities to prove |
themselves guiltless Of the terrible crime |
With which they are charged. The girl |
nay have been decoyed into the mountains
" some villain, and there murdered. The |
aw will doubtless, be allowed to exact
ustice and do right between the accused
md the murdered girl.