The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1874-06-19
From Atlanta Constitution.
MURRELL's CLAN REVIVED.

| III URNGAA - C4AN 66vAV60.
Systematic Secret Murder in Pickens
| County They XIII One Of Their
! Own Number-A Partial
| History of them.
| Not long since the Constitution re.
published from the MARIETTA jour-
|NAL an account of the finding of the
body of Mr.. II. a. Turner in a creek
in Pickens county with his head split
in twain. The article alluded to at
its close stated that eight or nine
murders had occurred in Pickens
county since 1865 without a trial Of
any one.
From reliable citizen of Pickens
county we gather the following facts,
showing that there has existed in
that county band of desperadoes
whose deeds entitle them to
RANK WITH MURRELL's CLAN.
Parties disappeared misteriously,
leaving no trace behind them.
On Tuesday, the 21st of April,
last, Mr.. II. G.. Turner visited a
neighborhood's house, and failing to
return at the proper time, his wife
became uneasy, and made diligent
enquiry as to his whereabouts. =
Search was made for him, but proved
fruitless until Friday, when his body
was found in Shoal creek in the
neighborhood Of the Sharp mountain
settlement, weighted down with pom.
derous rocks and his head split wide
open. Several days after the find
ing of the body, suspicion pointed to
John Edwards, a boy of Is years Of
age, as the guilty party. He con-
fessed to the deed, and that his
brother, Vester Edwards (some older
than himself), assisted him. On the
day of the killing, they got Turner
drunk, and while he was in drunk
en- stupor, conceived the plan of kill
ing him. Vester split Turner's skull
with an axe. Vester fled to Texas
and John pleaded guilty to the charge
and was sent to the.penitentiary for
ninety-nine years.
ANOTHER MYSTERIOUS MURDER.
Some time 10 1872, a man named
Edwards disappeared, and although
he was supposed to have been MUIR
dered, his body was never found UNI
til some time in February or March,
1874, when it was discovered, much
decomposed, by the sons of Fl. G..
Turner, whose death Is recorded
above. The boys reported their dis
covery to their father, and he told
them to hush il up and say nothing
about it. Soon after the remains
we're removed by unknown parties
and has never been found since
Since then it has been discovered
that Edwards, the murdered man,
had property, and that II was divis
ded among the gang, some five or
six in number. A portion Of the
property was brought down near this
city and sold. For prudential rea-
sons we refrain from giving the
names of the members Of the gang
for the present.
A FUTILE ATTEMPT.
One Of II. G.. Turner'S sons sold
out bis property preparatory to go
ing West, and 1t Yves found out by
other members Of the gang, (he be-
ing one, it is said, } that no had re-
allied quite a sum ofmoney. They
conspired, therefore, to kill him and
obtain his money. They called on
q man named Evans to assist them
in their murderous operations, who
being very drunk, consented. The
party got everything in readiness
and called for Evans. But in the
mean time he had sobered OFF, and
when they came he declined TO take
part with them, asserting that he was
q white man and no murderer, and
declaring that he would blow on the
last one Of them if they did not de-
sist. They desisted from carrying
out their fell purpose as to young
Turner, but wrecked their vengeance
on the unfortunate Evans. In q few
days after this he was found
DEAD ON THE ROADSIDE
sufocated by stick twisted round
his neck, and beaten severely on the
breast with maui. A Coroner's in
quest was held, but bis body was not
examined by physician. The jury
returned a verdict Of death from
causes unknown to them. II is sup
posed that members Of the gang who
killed him were members Of that
jury.
The people Of the county were
terrorizsd by these mysterious and
wanton murders. Men felt 1t dan
gerous to leave their houses. The
matter was brought before the last
grand jury, and over
THIRTY TRUE BILLS WERE FOUND
against parties implicated. Some
have fed, and the officers Of the law
are ia pursuit.