Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-01-03
EVIDENCE I'm THE WIN. MORROW
CASE

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CASE.
The following ia the evidence in the
case OF the State vs.. William, Ransom,
and Charles Morrow for the murderof
Dick Overton, colored
VIII. EDMONDS0N.
/ live i'm Dist. No. Q. Know the de-
PENDANTS. Bellamy's cave is about !
mile from Rams Morrow's and 4 mile
from VIM. Morrow's. / knew Dick
Overton. He lived mostly at Ransom
Morrowis, had lived with the Morrow
family good while. I was in the
cave last Spring with Sam Shepherd,
Cave Edwards and others. We found
the skeleton OF man. Nearly all the
flesh was rotten. We didn't know
who it was and didn't bring it out to
the light. 1t was 33 yards in the cave.
We couldn't tell whether it was a ne
gro or white man. We found a hat
three or four feet from the skeletons
head. There is hole in the cave like
a ditch, IL or fifteen feet deeper
pendicular. The skeleton lay near
this hole, and could have been kicked
into it. 1t was not lodged ON a ledge
in the side of the ditch. did not ex-
anime the pockets of the clothing on
the skeleton. I went in the cave ON
the 30th of last May with Jim Paccaud,
Howard, Cave Edwards and Shepherd,
ane have not seen Dick since last
Spring year ago.
Cross Examination.-Iti is fifteen or
twenty feet from the slope to the
mouth OF the cave. The skeleton was
fifteen feet from the light. There is a
large rock in the cave and it is very
dark down where the hole is. There
The Skeleton was lying with its feet
nearer the hole than its head. It was
lying on level. Couldn't tell who il
was except from its forehead. Dick
Overton had a peculiar forehead,
Couldn't swear who it was.
SAM SHEPHERD.
went into Bellamy's cave last May
found body in there; Jim Paccaud,
Howard, Edmondson, Winn and Ed
wards went with me. II was dark in
the cave. We didn't take the body
out. / was not there next day. Ed
wards went and told the Overtons. ]
never saw the body afterwards. / had
known Dick Overton; did not under.
take to find out who the body was.
FRANK OYERT0N.
Dick Overton was my brother.
lived four months at John Mcrrow's
and went to Kentucky. / lived al
r. Morrows from July until sowing
wheat time. Dick lived at r. Nor.
rows until he was missing; had been
living there for 6 years, off and ON.
went to the cave when Mr.. Edwards
came for me, went with him and
found Dicks body in the cave. Did
not bring him out till the follow
ing Monday. Nearly all the flesh
was off; some ON the cheeks, lips and
legs. knew it to be Dick; he wore
pair of striped pants John Morrow
had bought for me and which he
Dick had put on. ] knew his hat
and knife; had borrowed his knife
Sunday before, the last time / saw
him. He had brogan shoes on. last
saw him on Sunday, the Goth of Aug
ust. He was working at Rams. Nor.
rows; he was 20 years old. had
heard Dick say in the presence Of
Charles that he was going to Alabams
| to preach as soon as Rams Morrow
paid him. MIR. Morrow gave az an
| excuse for not letting me have some
money about a week before Dick dis
appeared that he wanted to pay Dick
what he owed him. Said he bad to
pay Dick as soon as he got his money
from Meacham. The last time saw
Dick he was in the horse-lot with
Charley and Bill. got back Friday;
Dick was not there. Mr.. Rams Nor
row said, Hello, | thought you had
gone with Dick, / paid him up and he
has gone.' He asked me at hog kill
ing if had ever heard from Dick. |
answered no. He then said "That is
strange; / am afraid he got to show
ing his money at some depot and
somebody has upped him." Mr.. Bill
Morrow asked me if had ever heard
from Dick, in the presence OF Jack
Hambrick. The Morrows never told
me how much they had paid Dick.
Cross examination Il had heard
Dick say in presence of Charles and
Tom that he was going away, the week
before he disappeared; that he was GO
ing as soon as paid. Chas and Tom
were close enough to hear him. had
been to meeting the week after / last
saw Dick.
Redirect examination Il saw some
clothes at Mr.. Morrow's when Charley
was married that looked like some that
belonged to Dick - pants and two
shirts. Charley told Tom to put on
the pants that were like Dicks. / had
never seen any shirts there before like
them.
Cross examination - Charley was
married on the Goth of December
after hog killing. The clethes were a
pair of black cashmere pants and two
white shirts with short wristbands,
about two weeks before he disappear
ed. Dickaid he had bought them
at Indian Mound. I knew Dick had 2
new shirts and pair OF black pants.
Saw these clothes the day Charley
was married, or clother like them.
Alex. Bailey and Elma Bellamy were
there. Shirts looked like they had
been worn some. Tom put on the
pants but did not put on the shirts.
| had them in my hands. | did
not know where Dick was. Mr.. 4.
Morrow said Dick had gone. to AL
ALBANIA to preach. Dick once went to
Trigg county, KY. went with him.
I saw Dick last the 26th of August a
year ago. When I went into the cave
on the 2eth Of last May | found body
in there about three feet from the
hole-head sorter up the hill. The
flesh was nearly off of his legs. His
pants were torn, but want rotten much.
He had no coat on; his shirt was
whole and stuck to him. His hat
was two feet away from his head !;
there was nothing over his face. The
flesh was off his head-ears gone
flesh on each side of nose and lip
enough to see his moustache, part of
the lip was gone. When / was wit
ness here before, / said | could tell by
his face and moustache who it was.
There was enough flesh left to tell
who he was. Had ON striped pants of
brown and black cotton goods, white
shirt, brogaa shoes, wool hat with
piece out of the brim-blaok handle
knife with one blade broken. Dick
had on these clothes the last time I
saw him. | never saw the knife but
once, borrowed it from Dick to cut a
string. didn't notice the knife found
in the cave very closely. One Sunday
night last spring Bill Morrow asked
me in the presence of Mr.. Hambrick,
his father-in-law, if | had ever heard
r. Al