The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1884-08-27
A SKELETON STORY
OF THE LITTLE wAIF FOUND BY FRAN
CANAAN

VI lhE ALE FUND ~ AAA-NA
GooDsoN.
\ We had an unexpected (but on tina
account none the less welcome) visito
last Friday. The visitor was Mr.. Mitch
ell Norwood, stoutly built, well pre-
served ysoman OF apparently sixty-fiv'
years OF age. He came to gather addi-
tfonal facts IN regard 20 the Negro
founding mentioned locally in THE
GAzKTrH for last week. Mr.. Norwood
is ga poor. but honest, man. vhs lives
with his frugal wife on their marrow
neck of land" adjoining the Taylsrs
farms, near Rogersvills Junction, in this
county. He has lived at that place
about fourteen years. His now vener-
able wife had former husband (Al-
dred) by whom she had a daughter,
twenty years ago. This daughter was
left with relatives in North Carolina to
be reared. Mrs. Norwood Ia a very In
dustrious, money-taving woman-in q
small way. She sews, quilts, raises
chickens, turkeys, vegetables, etc., etc.
and is in every way "a useful wsman
in the settlement"-the chief prop and
hspe Of the household. Well, her daugh-
ter had never visited her in her Tennes-
see home, so, last winter, the old lady,
out OF her earnings, sent her money TO
come home and see her "dear parents"
She came, when, oh horror she bore
in her arms n veiled infant which on
being unveiled proved to be an unmis-
taxable mulatts Fancy the sceneilI
At last the old man (Our
visitor) Of tender heart but stubborn
the home roof was granted the mother
and child. About
eight years ago. one William Green, of
that neighborhoOd, was convicted st
AorriStown and sentenced TO the peni-
tertiary for ten years for burning the
barn or stable Of one Lafayette Pink
stOn. By reason OF good behavior"
Green's time was shortened thrss years. |
He was discharged early laStspring and |
returned 10 the Norwood neighborhoOd.
He showed q disposition to work and |
got employment, by jobs, from the
neiEhbOrS ms farm hand. Fer the last
month or six weeks he has been assist
ing Rev. G.. Taylor In harvesting, hay
lag, etc. Sins They
saw They loved u They rushed into
each others arms ~ Saturday, 18th |
instant, Green quit work, receiving
about $40, on settlement, for wages.
That night (abeut 10 S'clOck) he and Sa-
rah in company left the neighborhoOd,
taking the child with them. Mr.. Nor
wood had read in The GAZETTE of the |
finding Of . mulAtto. male child near the !
railroad track, in the eastern suburb Of
Msrristown, on the morning OF the 18th,
and he came down to see the child and |
satisfy himself as to its identity, and
with no idea Of taking charge Of it IL |
his suspicious were realized. A repre-
sentative of The GAZETTE accompanied |
him to the home Of the well-tO-do and
cOlored family who have
charge Of the child and who purpose to
Adsptit and rear il mn their own.
When the child wAspresented, Mr.. Nor
wood instantly called it "Jimmy, and
treated il with affectionate commisser-
alton.
II is not our intention 10 treat this
subject with levity. Seriously, a muir
herous outrage was attempted by the
guilty couple, and they ought to be
caught and severely punished for the
felonious attempt. The prevalent idea
is that Green placed the child near the
railroad track where it was found with |
the expectation that it would crawl up
on the track and be mangled beyond re-
cognition. He stated to several that he |
was going back to Sewsnee to "get a
job and see the bOys"-neaning his old
the convicts. He also stated |
that he did not expect to take the child |
"a many miles" He ought to be ar
rested and punished. '...t .lf i