The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1880-12-15
The Morristown Gazette.
The Marble Hall Horror.
All INTERVIEW With 10. HARRIS.
THE MURDERER'S APPEAR
ANCE.

The readers Of THE MORRIsTOwN Ga
zETTE have already been informed Of
the horrid double murder committed al
Marble Hall, in Hawkins county, On the
night of November %, 1880. It was,
taken in all of its details, one Of the
most brutal aud horrid murders ever
committed in the State. The TIVE young
men, Charley Brown and Andrew Heck,
were asleep on a feather bed on the floor
in room in the southeast corner Of the
building known as Marble Hall The
murderer crept into that room and with
an axe or some ether heavy blount il
strument struck Mr. Brown across the
forehead, just above the eyebrows,
crushing the skull and doubtless killing
him instantly. Then another blow, with
the same weapon, on the side Of his
head just abeve the ear, sent young
Heck to eternity After which the
clothing ef the two murdered men were
thrown upon their bodies and ceals of
fire thrown over them ia order to burn
everything and destroy the evidences OF
the crime. Mr. William Price, who
lived a hundred yards away, happened
to awaken, he smelt the smoke from the
burning feathers and licked around to
find from whence the smoke proceeded.
After searching his own house and find
ing all safe he glanced over 10 Marble
Hall and saw the light in Lii. Browns
TooIni going to the house he found the
front door locked, he then stopped at
the window and called to Charley, but
received no answer Of course, because
there was only death in that room; he
then hurried to the rear of the building
and found the back-hall door unlocked,
opening il he called to his wife who was
spending the night with Mrs. Blackley.
She awakened as did also Mrs. 3. when
Price told -Agm something was burning
IL Charley Browns room; the ladies told
HIM to 60 in and see about the fire; if
the door was locked to break it open;
upon reaching the door Price found it
unlocked, lac turned the knob and open
ed lie deOr; the room was full ef smoke,
the two men were lying in the bed on
the door. Mr.. Price thinking they were
sutTe Gated to9k one of them by the feet
and dragged him into the hall, all COW
cred with fire, and CHANGING at his face
he found that the man was dead and
that his skull Was crpsbed-Ae had been
murdered. lie then dragged out the
dead body Of the other one, eNtinguish-
ing the fire which had nearly burned OF
their undergarments, and !heu pulled
euf the burning bed, and put the fire
out. The neighbors were notified of
the crime as soon as possible and gath
ercd in to see about the affair- Seen al
ter daylight the Coroner, Mr. James
Brooks, Sheriff Blevins and other Off
GETS We're on the premises. There was
good deal OF talk among the pcighbogs
as to who had committed the crime
Suspicion concentrated very rapidly in
one direction and inquiries were made
orJo Harris. He could not be found /
He was not there A warrant was issued /,
by Esquire John Altum and placed in
the hands Of Sheriff Bob Blevins for |
Harris arrest Mr. Blevins took officer !
Isaac Price with him and started out on !
the hunt of the missing man. They
soon got wind of him aud found that he
had been seen going toward the Clineh /
mouniaiu. All day, cautiously they
traiEed him, crossing Stone mountain,
Clinch mountain and Oh to The edge OF |
Hancock county at eleven o'clock Tues
day night they came upon him in a .
cabin in Pumpkin Valley. He had only /
been ia that cabin few minutes when I.
Bob Blevins stepped in with 3 pistol IN
his hand and commanded him to sur
render, which Of course he did without F.
"a struggle. Upon searching him the !
Sheriff found in his pocket Charley /
Browns pocket book with two hundred |
and ffty three dollars in paper money |
la it, The officers brought Harris to
Rogersville and placed him in Jail, where |
lie is now confined, chained by the .
ankle and locked in secure cage.
MARBLE HALL,
the place where the double murder and
the robbery were committed, is very /
fine mansion, erected thirty years ago
by 0ryillo Rice, Esq who opened a
marble quarry in Hawkins county, and +
brought into nedce tha beautiful Yarie- .
gated marble wlGehshas since become
so nous in he market Of the world.
MIR Ride asea agoot-deal OF this beau
tifui marg 2 in Qgsanleating aud finish .
ing his magnificent and costly dwelling