, 1874-06-18
N1URRELL'S CLAN REVIVED.
Systematic Secrct Murder In Plckens
County, Ga....T1l cy Kill Ono Of Their
Own Number.

County, Ca. cy Kill OllG Of Their
Own Number.
From tha Attanta (ca.) Constitution.
Not long since the Constitution rcpub1iahcd
from tho Marietta Journal an account of tho
finding Of tho body Of Alr. II. g. Turner in d
creek in Piokons County, with his head split in
TWIN. Tho article alluded to ut it's cosc stated
TINT eight or nina murders Ind occurred iu Pick
ems County anco 1865, without trial of any ollo.
From reliable citizen Of piokena County We
gather tho following facts, showing tlAt thcro
las existed in that county band OF dcaperadoos
whose deeds ontitle thom to tnnt with Murrelrs
clan. Parties disappeared nyHtorioualy, leaving
no trace bohnd them.
On Tuesday, the 21at of April last, Mr. Fl, G..
Turnor visited noighbor's house, and falling to
return at tho proper time, his wife became uu-
eaBy and made diligont inquiry NJ to Lis Wlloro-
abomta. Search was made for him, but proved
fruitlose until Friday, when his body was found
in bIaoai Creek IL tho neighborhood of tho Sharp
Mountain settlements, weighed down with
pondoroqs rocks and LIS head split wide opon.
piciom pointed to john Edwards, a boy Of 1G
yoars Of ago, as the guilty party. lie confessed
to tho dood, and that 1iB brother, Yestor Ed
wards {aome Older than himaelf). assisted him.
On tho day Of the killing thoy got Turner drunk,
and, whils he WAS in i drunakon stupor, con.
coivod the plan Of killing him in reyonge for an
old grudge against him. Vastar split Turner
skull with an ax. .Vester 1ad to Texas and John
pleaded guilty to the charge and was sons to tho
Pouitontlary for ninoty~nino years.
Some t,ne in 1872 a man named Edwards dis
appeared. anl although ho was supposed to
liave been murdered, lis body was never
found until some tinc in February or March,
by the Sous Of Il. &. Turnor whose death is ro-
corded above. The boys roportod their diseoy-
cry to their fatiior, and lie told them to hush 1t
up aud eay nothing about it. Soon after tho
aud has noyor boon found since. Snce tAon it
haB been discovered that Edwards, tho MR.
dere1 mnn, had property, nnd tAat it was divided
among the gnng. nolne tiyo or six in nunlbor. A
portion Of tie property was brought down near
this city aud sold. For prudential roasonu wo
refrain from giving tho names Of the members
of the gang for the proaent.
Ono Of II. G. Turnor'B Bons sold out his prop
erty preparatory to going Wosut, and it waa
being one il is aaid) that 10 lad rea,zo%d % ditto gu
lii him und obtnin hiH money. fley called on
man named Eyaus to assist tein in their
mnrdorons operations, who, being very drunk,
readiness and called for Esann. Dut il tic
mean ti1no he Ind sobesed on, and whu,l
they came ho declined to tako part with
thon, assigning that ho was a whito man
aud no murderer, and declaring TINT ho
would blow OIL the Int ono Of .thom if they
did not desist. They deeiated from carrying out
thoir. foil purpose uB to young Turner but
wrenhcd their vengeance GU tho unfortunate
Evans. ln 4 few daya after this ho waA found
dead on the roadalIe, suffocated by etioh
twHtol round Ills nook, and beaton severely on
tho breuat with maui. 4 Coroner's inquest
waa hold, but his body was not examined by
physician. The jury returned verdict Of death
from cauBoa unknown to ti.o,n. 1t il supposed
thHt nalnbers Of tho gang who killed him wore
membors Of tint jury,
TIC people Of tie county wore terrorlzed by
thoso myhtoglous and wanton murders. A1ou folt
1t dangerous to luAve their houses. THO mattor
Wah brought before tho laBt Grand Jury, mud
over thirty truo bills were found againHt larlicH
implanted. bomo llnyo iIsi, sud tho officers Of
the law arc In pnrul,it.
1t III sud tilat H. G. Tnrnor, who was murdered,
belonged to The band.
Tho clan haB now hcen brokon up, and the peo-
pl0 hroRillo Hou.e freor
Tho people Of Piolons County aro doing all
they eal to- bring those ,niacroauta to Justice.
anu do not doeolyo the oLluYuy which Justly
attaches to theao loaposaloss.