The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1879-02-19
The Lorristown Gazette.
AMODERN MAGDALEN
More about the Claiborne county
Tragedy.
STATEMENT OF JESSE ROGERS.
His Wife's Singular Confession
of How Jealousy and Super
stitiOn Worked her
Destruction.
EXTR AORDINARY LETTERS.
Startling Assertion that No Muir
der was Committed and that
the Negro Jackson still
Lives.
From the New York Herald, Feb. u.
7 :
Via MoRRIsTowN, Feb. 5, 1879

From the New York Herald, Feb. r.
TAzEwELL, Tenn,
Via YOUNGSTOWN, Feb. 3, 1879. J
At daylight yesterday morning star
ed for Powells Valley, for the purpos
of keeping an appointment made for m
with the alleged murderer of Ed Jack
son-Jesse G. Rogers. While l had bee
informed that the King of the Vale.
had expressed willingness to see me
had an impression, however, that he wa
not really anxious, and l rode out witt
some misgivings. After l had forde(
the CIinch river | felt that | was i'll thu
dominion of the redoubtable Jesse, be
ing at the head of Powell's Valley. AS
l rode down the river inquiry developed
the fact that nearly every house was
owned by either a Rogers or a Cayw0od,
q Sharp, Clark or some of their con-
nections 1t was an almost unbrOken
succession of friendly Outposts, at the
other end of which stood the houses of
the leaders | then realized more fOrci-
bly, than ever how utterly desperate
would have been any attempt to arrest
these men and drag them out of this
valley by force. l had ridden only an
hour or two after crossing the river be-
Gore | met half dozen hOrsemen, with
q square built, well dressed man, mount
ed on handsome gray stallion, riding
at the head There was a mutual halt,
and at my first inquiry the leader an
noupced that he himself was Jesse ROg-
ers. After few moments private con-
versatisn he agreed to turn back with
me to his house, where we could talk
the matter over at leisure, Il will then
tell you" he said "the whole Of this
thing, from the beginning to the end
my history and my WITHSTAND all about
our trouble. l have never told it to
human beirg before, and l tell it to you
simply because so many lies have been
published that want to get the truth
out" As we rode along l had fair
view of Tie man whose name the recent
tragedy has carried over the continent
"A decisive, brave man, as one can see
Il 2lbuGt d 81 lAtAA - 5tLbNA1 WV E|ASo'-
and restful There is no trace of weak
ness about him, but rather the signs OF
sturdy defiance. Brown whiskers close
" trimmed, a firm but full mouth, pen
etrating gray eyes. a high and white
forehead, erect, supple, thickset figure,
small hands and feet, beaver OvercOat
and SLOUGH hat. As we drew near the
,Caywood hOusc-a large frame building
he said lightly My wife will be
scared when she sees US coming. This
is the third day l have left home to be
gone for some time, and each time got
hack home before night. She joked me
this m0rning about not being able to
leave her, and said if l came back to-
night it would be because something Sc
rious had happened SO she will be
scared" Sure enough, as we reiIed Up
at the gate Slight figure, with shawl |
thrown about it, ran down the steps, |
through the hall and out into the cold.
1t was Emma Rogers, 'the belle OF |
PowelIs Valley" Her husband hurried |
to her, spoke few words and she went |
in the house. | was ushered into large |
room, with an immense fireplace, in
which a goodly pile of maple and hick-
DRY cracked and glowed. Rogers seat
ed himself, and with the air of man
who has disagreeable task on hand,
went at once to work at it.
1.-THE TRUTH IN THIS NATTER"
81 am gong to tell you the truth in
this matter, and all the truth. You
probably never heard such a story from
the lips of man before, and you proba-
bly, never will again. OF course it is
hard for me to talk about it, but | think
it best to let the world know it all. l
married my wife when we were children.
I was not eighteen and she was just if
teen. Inever had any sweetheart but
her, and l don't think she ever had any
but me- don't think there ever was a
couple that loved each other better or
lived happier together. For long years
no man had better wife than had and
no man loved his wife better. Three
children were born to us, the youngest,
our little boy, alone living until now.
The first break in our happiness was
caused by me. got tangled up with a
woman in Tazewell, and got to be very
much under her influence. l was with
ler so much that it got to be public
ak. My wife got to be very jealous
md unhappy, and | confessed the truth
o her and promised to break off che con-
lection. found that / could not do it,
however, although l really didn't care
or the woman. l was just thrown in
he way of her, and things drifted along
,retty much as they did before Then
en- got to be worse than ever. She at
asst worried herself sick and was bed
asst for nearly six months. l couldn't
make her out She was moody and
luiet and kept thinking she was going
o die. talked to her people about her
nd they were afraid she was going era
y. Her grandf father and two uncles
led insane. She acted still more
trangely, until l saw that something
must be done or she would die. then