The Dawson journal., 1885-05-07
A WILD FAMILY.

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startling story of an unnatural
family life Of hermitage is just re.
ported from the wild mountain
section Of West Maryland. About
twenty years ago Thomas Mnr-
ply, aged twenty-five years, son
of former well-known and high
ly respected farmer of Carroll
county, eloped with Ellen Gerrett.
the sixteen-year old daughter of a
local preacher of the same county.
No tidings were ever heard of
the elopers until a few days ago,
when they were discovered by two
gunners, named Henningham and
Phelps, residing in hut.in an iso-
lated portion of the Blue Ridge
mountains, in Frederick county.
The young men, while hunting,
were startled, on Tuesday last, by
seeing a young and pretty girl,
clad in rough garments, fee from
their sight like "a wild animal.
They followed the girl, and soon
came upon rude hut, almost con-
cealed from view by underbrush.
A brawny man, with long, flowing
whiskers, stood at the entrance of
the hut with q gun in hand, and
demanded of the intruders, what
they wanted. The fact that they
were hunting game in the noun
tains, and accidentally happened
on the scene was made known, and,
after much difficulty the story of
the hermit and his family was OBJ
tained from the man, who was
none other than Murphy.
After tho elopement he says he
endeavored to get work, but was
unsuccessful, and then resolved to
kill his wife and himself. With
this object in view, Murphy per-
suaded the girl ELLEN to accom-
pany him to the mountains, where
he intended to kill her and then
blow out his own brains, but upon
thinking his heart failed him, and
he could not summon courage to
commit the deed. He and the
young girl remained in the noun
tains that night. The next day
heavy rain storm set in, and a tenn
porary shelter was arranged out of
branches and leaves.
After passing several days in
this manner the girl was taken
i'll from exposure, and came near
dying. Murphy killed small game,
and the two subsisted upon ber-
ries and birds for months. At
length the girl gave birth to a fe-
male child, and was without at
tendant except Murphy. The next
day Murphy went to the village
to purchase q few articles, and
since that time he declares most
positively he nor his family,which
consist of two children, aged nine
teen and eleven years respectively,
have ever seen a human being un-
til they saw Henningham and
Phelps Tuesday last.
Four years ago a baby boy was
born. A few months later it died
and was buried by Murphy and
the girl Ellen. About two years
later Ellen was injured by fall
ing tree and died, after suffering
intensely two weeks without med
ical attendance of any kind. Muir
ply says he dug g grave and bur-
led her beside their child. Hen
ningham and Phelps says they saw
the graves of both. They also
state that the young daughter of
Murphy is beautiful girl, pite-
ously ignorant. She does not
know of such thing as an alpha
bet The boy, now eleven years
old, is equally illiterate. He is
called "Son." The hut in which
they have lived SO long is made of
branches of trees covered with
mud. Murphy says he has no de-
sire to live among civilized people,
and that he is contented with his
lot Action will be taken by th 10
Frederick county autho rites to
care for the young girl and her
brother.
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