The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1884-06-11
HELL'S HOLE.
A BAND OF MURDERoUs OUTLAWS UN.
EARTHED IN MONTGOMERY CoUN-


sons, William and Charles, William
/! Outlaw and David Horn. OUTLAY
and Horn were released to-day on
4 bond of $3.50 each for their appear
l. ance as witnesses against the Nor
J. rews. These men are charged with
= murder, arson, theft and other
crimes Ransom Morrow is about
sixty years Of age, and lives near
: OakweOd in this county, fifteen
J, miles from town, and has four grown
: sons. Notwithstanding he is dea-
con and leading member in the
, ehurch, it appears that he and his
boys and the gang have been ter
rorizing over the community for the
past twenty years, managing to
t keep their damnable deeds conceal
ed beyond any proof, and the citi-
zens afraid to bring any accusation.
Consequently they have carried On
regular John A MurrelI business,
having cave near by to conceal
their victims. Some fourteen years
ago they gave out their Kuklux
signs, keeping the community in
constant dread. Some dozen or
more were arrested and tried but
had friends enough to swear them
clear. Later, stranger visiting the
community with considerable mo-
ney, suddenly disappeared and new
er has been found Several men
mysteriously disappeared, and now
and then a horse was stolen, some
sne's barn was broken open and to-
bacco missing, meat houses and corn
cribs were robbed, houses were
burned and residences broken open
and clothing and bedding stolen.
An undercurrent of suspicious point
ed to the Morrows, but no one dared |
to hint
Eight years ago, DIR. Pete Bella
my, son-in-law of Morrow, had a
fuss with an old negro, Jesse Brown,
about a house Brown had rented |
from Tom G. Keats, which Bellamy |
wanted and the negro refused to |
give up until his year was out.
Very soon Jim Brown was killed,
shot in the woods while at his work,
clearing, and brush piled on his
body and set on fire. Bellamy was
tried for the murder, and, by the
evidence of the Morrows and the
theory of the defense that Keats
was the guilty man, on the ground
that the negro was owing Keats,
Bellamy was cleared, and now the
proof comes to light the Morrows
killed Brown at the instance of Bell !
lamy, and that the latter was close
by and saw it done. Bellamy, is
now ON trial before the District JUS
tice, charged with breaking and
robbing the house Of Bailey Winn,
of bed clothing, etc, some of which
has been discovered in possession Of
his family.
Some eighteen years ago an old
man by the name of Sleigh was kill
ed, who was doubtless one of the
band, and soon after the Bellamy
trial young Thes. J. Sleigh, who
knew all the facts, commenced talk
ing freely about the Morrows and
the murder of Jim Brswn, and the
Morrow boys managed to get Sleigh
out hunting when Ben Merrsw kill
ed him. They claimed that it was
an accidental shet, and made pre-
tentions to great grief over the mat
ter, but Ben Morrow was indicted I
for the murder and ran away and II
his whereabouts has never been dis
covered. A man by the name of
Paco also knew the facts in regard
to the killing of Brown and ran i
away from the neighborhOod for t
fear the Msrrows would kill him.
Any number of little depredations
and thievings have been committed, ]
and lately the residence of Mrs. {
Conway, a widow lady, was burned.
She rebuilt and the new house was
burned the first night after it was
furnished The evidence pointed to t
Morrow, but no one dared to accuse {
at the risk of his life. a negro,
Dick Overton, was employed on
farm and Morrow was in
debted to him sixty dollars. Over {
ton concluded to move to Alabama
and wanted his money. He was a
thrifty negro and had money be-
sides this debt. This was about the
first of last September, when Oyer
ton suddenly disappeared, and the
Morrows gave it out that he had
gone to Alabama. Very soon Char
lie Morrow was seen at a wedding
with OvertOn's new suit of clothes !
IN, which he claimed to have bought
IN town. Overton's father recog-
nizsd the clothes and suspected fsul
play, but dared not breathe it. He
inquired after his son but could
never hear of him. The robbery of
the Winn House has lead to the
discovery of Oyerton's BODY In the ,