The New York herald., 1874-12-12
DIRE ASSASSINATION.

The Midnight Murder OF Postmaster
Baur In Tennessee-A Swiss Settlement
Filled with HOrror-Arrest and Trial
Of the Probable Criminals.
NASHVILLE Tenn, Dec. Z, 1874
The hERALD has already published dispatches
IN regard to the midnight assassination OF J. N.
Baur. postmaster at Grutli, Grundy county, in the
Cumberland Mountains. Grutn is q thriving little
village OF about 400 Inhabitants, all Of whom are
Swiss. and is much more prosperous than some or
the other villages in the State composed entirely
OF American citizens. Mr.. Iaur was the leading
citizen OF the place, and was, In addition to being
postmaster, justice of the peace and the agent
OF Hon. Peter Staub the consular agent for Ten
nessee, Of the Swiss Confederation. He was the
wheel that put In motion the whole machinery OF
the town. The following communication from the
Hon. Peter Staub has been received here by
Governor Brown, who viii proceed to take action
upon 1t without delay:-
CONSULAR AGENCY SWISS CoyrEpERArIoN.l
To His Excellcncy JOHN G BRown, Governor q Ten.
DK1s srR-By telegram and letters this day received
rSeoGs @ su esun sm Il q ha At
leading citizen Of the Swiss colony IN that county and
Inc murder appears 70 have been committed By dis,
g. ut called Mt Baur to the door Of his and
S Sn nun e o IN M hs for
these recognize those Of persons nimicai to the
1 5e q
wall promptly take such steps and action IN the matter
lam Governor your ooedient seTpyaeppfs,R eTpyaeppfs,R srAus
Consular Agent of Swiss Confederation
As the communication shows and as former de-
spatcnes have already stated, the murder was CON-
mitted by masked men, who had evidently made
up their minds to obtain, under any circumstances
what money they could from their victims.
As soon as it was noised abroad that q most foul
and atrocious murder had been committed
coroner's jury was empanelled. The evidence that
Mr.. Baur was undoubtedly murdered for money
furnished clew- as to who might have been the
perpetrators, and. on suspicion. four notorious
characters were regarded as the probable parties
concerned. One Of the four bears the appropriate
cognomen OF "Hardn Hampton. He is O
lawyer and citizen OF Alamonte, q neighboring
village to Grutli, and recent candidate or
the Legislature but he was forced TO fall back on
other resources IN order TO make a living. When
boy he began to cultivate a disposition to APP
and, even when in tender years, served term in
the Penitentary ior robbing the mail At the
close OF the war he was accused, with strong
proof, OF numbering an old man named Johnson
and more recently attempted to dispose OF man
months s'dr irauduleDty APPROPRIATED the pension
her OF rom time TO time with various excuses
but had promised TO pay her at the time OF the
murder. IL Is supposed tnat IL was lOr tnlS pur-
pose that the robbery was contemplated.
Another noted character, who 1t seemed. might
have had a hand Ia the late murder was man
named George Meyers, whose criminal record
might have excited the envy OF many an old Jail
bird: A , few years. years ago =. n,.o he was IN
and, more recently, he was known to have
robbed the house OF Colonel Banks, prominent
citizen at BeersheDa Springs, the great watering
place and summer resort OF the South. Two other
young men named Purdom, whose characters were
stained with crimes or q helnous nature, were
q la n
was travelling companion TO man who was
found dead IN his room at the hotel ut McMinn-
vile, and on Purd0m's representation he having
occupied the same room with him. II was sup
posed that he had committed suicide. The other
Purdom keeps clear OF any officers OF the law in
his community
The investigation reveals the fact that the four
that that tney might run ID down any game from human
being TO ground hog. From tracks discovered
near the door OF the murdered man there seemed
TO be four persons present, although he himself
saw only two, the other two having stood on guard
while their companions did the "buslness" OF the
occasion. After the arrest they were examined
separately and questioned as to their
whereabouts on the night OF the muir.
other in his statements. No two agreed as
to their purpose In getting together or as to when
ana az where they slept but on the other hand two
together and the other two could not agree as to
wnere they put up the night before but they were
the morning after the murder. and seemed to have
lost sleep by their appearance. After their arrest
answered that it had been 'lost on the run.u
The woods were searched aud one
%no the a.erea %aas sne Ssss By ana the
the deed was found. IL was OF peculiar material,
and seemed to be made OF one-hali OF child's
sack having eye nose and mouth holes torn IN ",
| with pieces OF white sewed on below the eyes.
| The stuff composing the mask was nDe, ana such
as could not nave been obtained In those parts
from any country merchant, which circumstance
formed new INK IN the chain OF evidence,
and, rightly followed up, could not out leau
directly TO the guilty parties. This discovery
was made on Saturday night and before
| IL was day Sunday morning several determined
! L. LAIIlA "A 1