Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-11-26
A DOUBLE MURDER.
A Bloody Tragedy In Hawkins
County.
Marble Hall to be Forever Haunted
by the Ghosts Of the Slain.
Two Men Murdsred In Cold Blood ana
Robbed While Asleep.
Knoxville Tribune, 2Ith.I

Knoxville Tribune, 24th.l
Night before last in Hawkins coun
ty, four miles from Rodgersville, Chas
Brown and a man named Hack were
murdered. The deed was done while
the men slept, and no eye but One
beheld the assassin commit the terri
BILE crime. Four miles from the pic
turesque and quiet little town of Rod
gersyille is a grand old mansion known
as Marble hall. 1t is perhaps the
largest house ever erected for a dwell
ling in East Tennessee GU 'ide of the
cities. Situated in the midst of an
extensive plantation, it reminds n of
a lordly castle Of the olden time.
Though Marble hall was never occu.
pied by a cruel tyrant who rung from
feudal tenants the products of their
toll, there is a history connected with
the ancient structure which might
form an appropriate preface to the
story of the dark and awful deed COM
mitted within its walls on Monday
night. In all the annals of crime there
are few Of crimes SO heartsickening
as the oncwhich it is now our duty to
record.
Yesterday morning William Price.
who lives in the vicinity Of Marble
hall, started TO town before daylight.
He had to pass the old mansion which,
as he thought, had been vacated a few
days before. As he neared tho place
he discovered by the light o~fapproaoh-
ing day, smoke issuing from the win
dows, Upon investigation he found
that the house had been entered dur
ing the night. He proceeded to the
apartment from which the smoke was
issuing and there behold a bed in
flames. A second look revealed 10
him the bodies of two men weltering
in their own blood. The flames dimly
lighted up the room and threw upon
the mutilated features Of the two men
a sickeniDg glare. The pillows and
bed we're dyed with the warm blood
of the murdered men. The struggle.
if a struggle at all had been short and
terrible. Perhaps the victims had not
known the cause of their death. The
assassins had stealthily entered the
apartment and by the light of a dark
lantern had dealt the blows quick
and deadly without awaking the I'm
suspecting sleepers. The weapons used
were axes or some heavy ipstrumen,
Of death, After the murderers had
made sure that life was extinct. they
rliled the pockets of their victims, and
then 10 cover up the damniDg triple
crime, set the pea on FIRE, hoping to
burn the building and the bodies of.
the murdered men. Then, with the
GOODNESS and deliberation of men old
in crime, they left the scene, leaving
there no clue to their identity. The
bed clothing burned slowly, yet before
daylight the house must have been in
flames but for the discovery Of Mr..
Price. who first extinguished the fire
and then raised the alarm. The
neighborhood was soon in a state oil
the widest excitement, and thou III the
murderers may have been near they
had ample time to make their escape.
The deed could not have been COM
mitted but a few hours before the dis
coveFy was made,
Charles Brown and his father, and
their families, have for a long time
owned and occupied Marble Hall.
which was formerly the property of
Rice. They were respectable me.
chanics, and we're formerly carriage
makers in MOrristown. Charles Brown
was about tEenty5eight OF thirty years
Of age, and had been married about
three years. He leaves a wife and
one child.
A short time ago the Browns ex.
changed Marble Hall for property in
Bristol. The families moved to Bris.
tol last week, leaving Charles behind
to straighten up the affairs. lie had
sold some produce, and was known to
have $500 on his perse1. He had
intended going TO Bristol yesterday
morning.
We are made acquainted with these
facts by Mr.. Il. d. Powell, Of Rod.
gersville, who came up the road yes.
terday. When he left, no trace of