The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1883-05-16
REMzNLscENoEs.
THE NOTED JOHN A. MURRELL.

THE NOTED JOHN A. MURRELL.
a Knoxville ChronicIs.
/ see in your paper of yesterday
you quote an article from the Nash
vile american in which it is stated
that Prof. Cotton has lately explor-
ed an interesting cave seven miles
from Sparta, the county seat OF
White county, and in which he
found the skulls of negroes. The
article further states it is supposed
this cave was occupied by the no.
terious John A. Murrell and that
the negroes were killed by him.
That he would steal negroes and
sell them and then steal them back
back again and kill them to keep
from being informed on and to de-
stroy the evidence of his crimes.
Murrell never figured in White
county where this cave is situated,
and dorbt whether he ever was in
the county, except to pass through
it on his way to Bledsoe county.
The scene of his operations was in
West Tennessee and Arkansas. He
was convicted of stealing negro
principally think on the testimony
of one Virgil A. Stewart. Stewart
wound himself into Murrell's conf
denee and pretended to join his
gang, aud in this way obtained con
fessions from him on which he was
convicted. Stewart wrote and pub
lished a pamphlet about MurrelPs
acts and crimes which created
thrilling sensation throughout Ten
nessee and the surrounding States.
Murrell was represented as a very
blood-thirsty man, having killed
several men, and that he was at the
head of gang that roved from one
end of the State to the other and
had their headquarter in Arkansas.
He represented that Murrell and
his gang had a large house in
very unfrequented place in Arkan-
sas, where they concealed there ne
groes and other personal property
they had stolen. Murrell pro-
nounced Stewards pamphlet a It's
sue of lies, and very logically pro-
posed that messengers should be
sent to the place in Arkansas where
Stewart said this rendezvous and
large house of him and his gang
was situated. And if it was found
as Stewart represented he would
then agree that all Stewart said
about him was true But fit could
not be found as Stewart represent
ed, then he would be a convicted
liar, and all he said and had written
would have to be set rside. | think
no messengers were ever sent to
Arkansas. But believe nearly all |
the intelligent men of Tennessee
came to the conclusion that much |
of Stewards pamphlet was romance
and had no foundation in fact. 1t
was generally believed that Murrell
had never murdered any one, and |
that he may have had the assistance
of two or three men in stealing ne
groes, but was not at the head of
any considerable gang. Stewart
did not mention the names of any
one that Murrell had murdered, and
no person was missed from the
neighbOrhoods where he frequented.
Mcintosh, the keeper of the peni-
tentiary, who was a fine Judge of |
human nature, said Murrell had |
never killed anybody-that he was
willing TO eat all the men he ever
killed-that he was not a man of |
more than ordinary sense and cour-
age. / write from recollection about |
Stewards pamphlet. 1t was pub
lished about 1888 or "a, and have
not seen it since.
/ saw Murrell while he was in the
penitentiary several times. He was
working at the blacksmith business.
He was trim made man, about
five feet ten or eleven inches high,
and did not have an unpleasant
In 1874 / canvassed
with Judge ROwles. He and / were
for elector in the Presi-
dental election between Clay and
Polk. This district then embraced
all the counties between here and
the Georgia and Alabama lines, in
Guiding Sequatchie Valley. One
day we were making speeches at
Pikeville,, the county seat of Bled-
soc county, in the valley. L had
made the first speech. Soon after
concluded my speech l started to
go down stairs. AT the head of the
stairway met the notorious John
A. Murrell. As he made one step
past me a gentleman asked me if
that was John A. Murrell. 1 said
yes. Murrell heard the question
and answer, and very quickly turn
I'd round and walked down the
steps. Before l could start down
the stairway, the crowd i'm the
courtroom began to pour Down be-
tore me to see Murrell. Judge
Rowles was left with very few audi
.ors and soon concluded his speech.
He and | spoke no more, publicly,
hat day. Murrell lived in Sequat-
chic Valley, five or six miles above
Pikeville. l think he came there
Immediately after his release from
.he penitentiary. He died soon af-
.er 1874, when he broke up the
speaking betweed Rowles and my
'elf / think be died next year.
vas through Bledsoe county a good
ieal in 1845-47, canvassing for
Congress, and understood some
persons, who We're strangers, came
% 'Bledsoe county and exhumed the
body of Murrell and carried taway.
t.,.a-. ~ JOHN III CRozIER :