Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1884-06-10
A GANG OF MuRDERERs.
Who Killed their Victims and
Hid the bodies in a cave, ar
rested in Montgomery
county, Tenn.

her Of crimes.
"They are charged with the MUIR
der of Jim Brown, col, in 1877 and
Of Dick Overton, col, in 1878. Our. '
readers will remember that the body
of Brown was found at the time
on half burned brush
pile and lad been shot through with
several bullets. Dick Overton mys-
tcriously disappeared at the time he
is SUI pc ied to have been killed, anda
skeleton, identified as his, has recent
Iy been found in Bellamy's cave"
The Tobacco Leaf Says; at is
strange that four or five men could
carry on so much deviltry and fiend-
ish murder in civilized, religious
community, as appears from the evil
dence and general detail of events
and circumstances, for fifteen or
twenty years and not to be detected.
But it seems that they started with
characters above rcproach, and were
infucntially connected: Ransom
Morrow, now about siXty-fivc years
of age, a wcll-tO-do farmer and lead
ing member of the church VIM.
Morrow, quiet, industrious, unof-
fcious man Charlie modest fellow;
Tom Morrow, a good citizen and not
mixed up in this affair; Ben Nor
row, sustaining also good charac-
ter: and DIR. Peter Bellamy, son-in
law to Ransom Morrow, the son of a
distinguished minister; consequently
if suspected of crime, no one dared
to breathe it. In fact they were be-
lieved to be good people until after
the killing of old Jim Brown, when
it became settled in the public mind
that these men were guilty, yet proof
was not clear, and DR.. Bcllamy, who
was tried for the crime, was cleared
by the ingenious defense of his coun-
sci, who charged the deed OH L. u
Keats, the prosecutor in the case
Keats was not the original prosccu-
tor, but was forced to take the place
in his own defence, Bcllamy anu the
Morrows charging the crime OF him
ailer it got into court. Brown had
been dead five or six months before
the fact came TO light, or was brought
into court. 1t is not generally known
who started the prosccutiOn,and like
" never will be, but it was not Keats
However, after Bellamy had Ieci
tried and acquitted Of the charge, the
} Morrows and Bcllamy began the
prosecution of Keats, but facts thai
they saw would be brought out in
. duced them to withdraw the prose
culion. 1t is now shown that they
determined TO kill Keats, and whit
yoi ~ TO his house for that avoVeo
purpose, were dissuaded by a friGnc
from the. deed. They gave Keats
notice to leave the country in thret
DAYS if he valued his life. lie tooh
them at their word and left. Since
! then all the petty thicving, hous'
l robbing, burning and Other crimes il
that section pointing to these men,
: but people dared not breathe 1t
Z knowing Keats trouble and the fate
of poor Tom Sly, who was shol dow
{ by Ben Morrow while hunting, acci
k detally, it is claimed, but witt crimi
# nal intent, it is believed, because 81!
: knew too much and talked tO fl eel.
! for their comfort.
10 There is no rCcounting tie crime
5, that have been committee i'll tina
o section during the past fifteen t
l. twenty years, that have been KEEP
81 Smothered up, or that wGe done s.
m mysteriously that no clueto the per
Y petrators could be had. Stranger
passing through have |een MISE
Of and no further account # them wa
4. had. Some years ago lie dead bod
IN of a strange pcddlcr wa found i'll til
N neighborhood, and the verdict of til
" Coroner's jury, as it nov appears o
st the records in the courthouse, is I
H. the effect that an unkipwn man cam
We to his death from an Unknown caus
IN Some two years ago TIC residence
in Mrs. Lowry, widow, was BURN
ur She rebuilt but befor the insurant
agent could get thoryt the new hou'
was burnt. The residence OF consti
h BILE Edmondson wasset on fire, al
III it is said that Dick 0verton told tn
IL tie Morrows did it. One mans t
zee bacco barn was robbed and he trac
vs. ed the mules to Iansom Morrow
ire stable, and said II, more about
ly' Another mans smokc-house W
aN robbed OF all the bacon; he bong
Sc a years supply, Iut it in, and tn
IN was taken. He was very sure as
ny where it went, hlt thought best
ate make no fuss about it, One mont
'u- ago Mr.. Bailey WINS house W
broken open and lot of bed cloth
and other articles stolen. Amo
other things takcn was a piece
~ new striped linsey, woven by a Ia
w. in the noighborhood. Some of
49, Bellamy's family was seen wear
the linsey made into an undersK
:, :, and it was identified by the lady W
wove it. This matter was tried t
- week before magistrate, but tn
w. was no evidence of the manner
',I which DIR. Bellamy's family got
., session of it.
b;s The scene of all this deviltry is,
10. Ian