Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1874-02-19
A Tennessee Story.

Il SSHllCAndt COhHCClSu Will
the engineer department, Cincin-
natl Southern railway, gave us an
amusing account of most cruel
case of imprisonment at Hunt
Vile, Scott county, Tenn, during
the summer Of 1872. The re-
markable prisoner, and the cir
cumstanees attending his cruel
confinement. were first brought to
ii notice of the engineers by q
lawyer nsmad OvertOH who was
in that country investigating some
land titles. Being in Hunts
vile one day, OvertOn's atten-
tion was attracted by the con-
versation Of some trequenters
Of an apple-brandy 'mill." The
party were much excited over
the cruel and outrageous i'm
prisonment ef "one of our fel--
lows" at the instance Of some
wretch Of a United States Mar
shal. Oyerton's sympathies
were excited, and he inquired
the cause and circumstances of
the Imprisonment.
"Thar he is" said the spokes-
man of the party; "over thar on
the fence"
Overton looked across the
street, and beheld a seedy indi-
vidual, perched upon the fence,
leisurely whiting a pine Shin
gle. The sympathetic lawyer
approached the prisoner and in
quired of him if he was in
trouble.
Prisoner-"Yes; put me in
here; charge of 'licit. 'stilIin'."
O-"And they keep you pref
ty close?"
Prisoner-"Yaas. Time bout
half out. Got transferred from
Knoxville JAIL"
O-"WhO is your jailer?'
"Prisoner-"Jailer? Ha'ant
any. Garry the keys myself"
At this juncture the party
from the drinking shop had
crossed the street, and came up
to where Overton and the pris-
Oner were talking.
"Yaas," said the spokesman,
"d--n shame Them d-n mar
shals had better not come about
here no more. Come over and
have a drink"
And the whole party, prison.
er included, adjourned to the
'<milp' and took a drink of
brandy.
In a few days cone Of the
boys" of the engineer corps,
who had heard of this remarka-
bic prisoner, visited the Jail at
! Huntsville. The door stood
wide open, aud a man was IN
the only room, alone, hammer
ing away at some sort Of car
penter's work.
In anwer to the question if
he was the unfortunate person
who was suffering the toftures
: Of Imprisonment for the crime
Of making a few gallons Of eye
opener, he replied:
"Y-a-a-s. Got me in here"
! And the suffering convict put
on such a look of distress that
; the man of transits and targets
said:
"D-n shame. Come over
and let's have a drink"
And over went the two, tic
l prisoner locking the door be-
hind him.
: The next day or two, two
I
! Of the engineer corps met this
{ loul-used convict in the woods,
with gun on one shoulder and
: a lot Of game over the other
! In answer to a question they
got the stereotyped reply:
"Y-a-a-s. Got me in here.
'Licit stillin'."
A few days more, and one of
the engineers met the oppressed
, individual three miles from
. Huntsville, on his way home to
spend a few days with his fam
: lily.
I and you're the prisoner
"I-a-a-s; got me in here
y The facts herein are vouchcd
: for by the gentleman who rela-
= ted them to us, and we have no
doubt Of their substantial truth.
The circumstances reveal an
amount Of cOld-blooded cruelty
. upon the part of the citizens
u and officials of Scott county
rarely equaled in moderl times.
- cNo.aoI S,Z41Io., 4, =