The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1880-12-15
ANDERSON HECK

ANDERSON HECK
was seventeen years Of age, the sen Of
Sir. Lafayette Heck, of Choptack, Haw-
Rirs county. The poor dead boy was
murdered without any known cause,
He was asleep when the blow was struck
He had 70 money and was only muir
7eTe3 out Of brutal cruelty. Lafayette
Heck is a poor man, was a good soldier
in the Federal army during the late war,
and since he came out of the army has
had the misfortune, by an accident, to
lose one Of his legs. The murdered boy
was his main stay, because by his work
food was partly obtained for the family.
An INTERVIEW WITH a MURDERER.
On Monday morning, tie Goth, in
company with Mr.. Blevins, we went
down to the Jail to see Je. Harris The
Sheriff turned key and admitted US in
to hall. In trent of US was heavy
door with three locks Of different pat
terms; unlocking all three of these, the
Sheriff opened the heavy door and said
Come here, Jo., some gentlemen
wish to talk TO you. Come along, you
will net be hurt"
We heard the clauk of Il chain, and
the prisoner stepped to the door Of the
cage. It was J .. Harris. He is not a
bad looking man, on the other had, he
is rather a good looking young fellow,
about medium size, weighing, perhaps,
$50 pounds, Of fair complexion, with
brown hair, mustache and whiskeIs; his
eyes are large, full, and OF a blush gray
color He is compactly built and We
would judge him to be a stout, active.
healthy man. He answered questions
readily, without any hesitation, and did
not seem at all embarrassed, except
when Mr. Blevins pointed to one gen.
tlcmen who was present, and said to
him, '1his is Charley Browns uncle.
Then his countenance fell, his face turn
ed pale and a tremor seemed to run
through his frame. He recovered his
eemposure in a moment, smiled and
said as it?" "How are you, sir
The question was then asked him:
do, how in the name of God, could
you kill those men the way you did?"
q never dose it, at all,
''Well, who did kin them, then?"
81 forget his name
Where does he live?"
Il don't know?"
Did you ever see that strange man
before the night of the murderg"
81 disremember; I don't believe I eve
er did"
where were you on tho Monday af-
teraoon before the killingg"
Z" I was in Rogersville. Late in the
evening went down the turnpike. Be
tween sunset and dark met Mr. Has
son coming home from the quarry. Soon
after passed Mr.. Hasson met Hasken
Broo2s. He (Brooks) asked me to go
back with him. told him was going
to Mr. MelindY's to stay all night.
had worked for Mr. Melindy. Brooks
gave me dram of whisky and left me.
Then pretty soon it got dark. walked
on and came up with big, rough man.
He asked me where I was going, told
him was going ever to Mr.. Melindy's.
He said, well then, you will have
good company, for am going that way
myself" We then walked on together
-" And here the prisoner stepped
as il he had flushed his story.
We asked, "Was that soon after dark?"
q don't know what lime in the night
it was.
When you reached Marble Hall what
took placer"
'The man told me to wait at the stone
steps till he come back. He wanted to
see Charley Brown ! was cold and
Numbered down by the stone wall. The
man come out and handed me the peck
etsbooll and told me to take that and go
on back down to the forks of the road
and wait till he come; he wanted to go