The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1874-12-11
The Murder on the Mountains.

ALTAMoNT, TIM, Dec. =. 1874.
Dram Posr--l will write You 8 short
account OF the terrible tragedy perpe-
trated at Gruetli, a small Swiss town
situated on Cumberland moantain, and
four miles from this place. Last Mon
day night about IL o'clock was arous-
ed from slumber by Swiss at my door
lnstily calling for de Dogter'. lie in
formed me that ]. U. Bsur, = merchant
in Gruetli, was shot by two negroes and
desired me TO come ut once. / went i'm.
media,ely, found Baur lying in bed with
two gunshot wounds. His statement
TO me was that he had been called TO
his store door some time after ii o'clock
that night On opening aud stepping
out he was fired on. as he said, by two
negroes standing directly in front OF the
door about ten PAGES distant. He re-
treated into his counting room, when
one of his assassins followed him into
he store room 10 the money drawer aud
was endeavoring 10 open il, There
were two Swiss ladies in the counting
room at the time, 10 whom Baur re-
marked that he was shot. AS there
was no outlet TO the counting room ex.
ccpt through the sloreroom, Baur start
ed then ont through the storeroom
where the assassin was still trying 10
open the drawer and WAS escaping
through the back door when he was dr.
ed on the second time. lie. however.
succeeded in arriving at a neighboring
house some fifty wards distant where he
fell. The assassins took flight without
the money, fearing no doubt that Baur
would get help and come back on them.
The first shot entered a little below
and TO the right Of the sternum or
breast bone. This | probed for but
failed to find. The second shot enter.
ed his thigh, only penetrating some
two or three inches. which was easily
extracted. The patient seemed 10 be
suffering the most intense agony. After
administering opia.es | came back to
Altamont, at Baur's request, to send
him an Attorney 10 write his will
Found Attorneys Bouldin and lIamp-
ton neither one at home, started my
horse and hired boy on at once to Ira
cy City, l3 miles distant, after two dis
tingnished surgeons and an Attorney.
This about 3 o'clock Tuesday morning.
About daylight the same morning a
black masquc was found near Baurs
store. AT ii O'clock Drs. Parker and
Cochran arrived. They probed in vain
for the ball yet mextracted. They lef:
him about noon in my care. About
seven o'clock Tuesday evening he be-
gan TO sink rapidly. | told him he had
but short time to live. lie called his
friends to his bedside, conversed freely
for some time, bid all farewell, and
died calmly and easily about s o'clock,
talking nationally almost with his last
breath.
Next morning l was notified oy the
Coroner's jury that they wished me to
extract the other ball, which | did. 1t
had passed through the liver, cut the
in three places and lodged in
the left kidney. All in our usually
quiet village are in a blaze of excite
ment. Four arrests have been made,
viz: George Myer; VIM. II. Hampton,
Attorney Of this place; and two Purd-
ham Bros from Tracy City. 1t has
been proven that these four disrepu,a-
bio characters were seen together Mon
day night. Their statements are conflict
Ing. Have been sent to Tracy City TO
q branch OF the Stale prison for safe
keeping. Their trial will DO here on the
9Th instant, Respet'y Ii. b. BURKETT.