Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-03-26
JOHN A. MURRELL.
Historical Sketch OF the Noted High.
Wayman Of the Southwest.
Cor. Oxford Eagle, March o.

Cor. Oxford Eagle, March 81.
at the first settlement Of this
country an unusual excitementper
vaded all classes in consequence of
the reputed feats of noted robber
named John A. Murrell. 1t was
alleged and generally believed that
he had accomplices located in every
county in West Tennessee, Eastern
Arkansas, North Mississippi and
other States. We believe Mississippi
had but few Of the Murrell gang,
though one Virgil A. Stewart, who
was an adroit, bold young fellow,
conceived the i!ea that he would
become a Murrell man and would
ingratiate himself into the good
graces of the chief, and thereby get
into the whole plot and would final
ly expose and break them up. lie
travelled with Murrell through the
Western District Of Tennessee on
his way to Arkansas, and giving in
to the views Of the chief and heartily
approving Of the scheme and prom
ising to be very useful to the clan,
and convincing Murrell of his fdel-
ity to his cause and his ability to
execute their plans, he secured his
entire confidence and got very val
liable secrets from HMM fact the
full details Of the whole conspiracy.
Stewart had to write out every piece
Of intelligence he got from Murrell,
even the names and residences of
the clan, which he proposed to do,
and which resulted in the arrest,
conviction and incarceration Of
Murrell in the Tennessee peniten.
tiary, and the ultimate destruction
of the whole clan.
His exposures were likely to end
in serious consequences, not only
to himself but to many gentlemen
who had hitherto stood fair in the
country, especially in North Mis-
sissippi and West Tennessee.
Names we're given by Murrell to
Stewart and Stewart published
them in a large book, which OBJ
tanned general circulation, and the
books were handed from neighbor
to neighbor, until we might say at
least nine.tenths Of the whole pop
ulation read it. Stewart was as
sailed by the friends of those whose
names were published. He was
sued for SANDER in Carroll and
Yalobusha and able lawyers were
enlisted against him, who found it
necessary to decry and depreciate
him by putting him in the same
category with Murrell. The ruse
was partially successful, and in
jured Stewart to some extent, but
to eradicate the impressions his rev.
elatiorS had made on the public
mind was totally impossible; they
stuck like the la6led shirt of Mes
sus.
A gentleman of high position in
society had to move, and he select
cd an obscure neighborhood to
ayaid the reproaches Of his neigh
bors, but unfortunately for him he
built u mill near another. His
neighbor procured Stewards book
and it was read by all the neigh
bors and it withered the prospects
Of the supposed Aurrell man But
time and patience accomplishes
much. BY prudent course ofcon-
duct and honorable dealings with
his neighbors he was finally elected
magistrate, and his capacity being
acknowledged and dealing out JUS
tice with an even hand, he was par
TALLY restored to public favor after
many years Of penance and social
ostraclsnl.
Thousands Of people visited the
penitentiary to see John A. MUIR
rell-we among the rest, We saw
nothing to indicate superiority in
traits of character over other men.
He looked mean, we thought, bnt
We went there expecting to see q