The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-02-26
CHAINED SKELETONS.
The Gave of the Famous Murrell Gang
Found.

The Cave of the, Famous Murrell Gang
Found.
Correspondence Nashville World.
HUNT1NGDoN, Tenn, Feb. 13.
On the l1th instant we left Hunting
don for the Southwestern portion of this
County fnr q few days. bird and squirrel
hunt, having for our companion A. M.
Lee, the acknowledged prince of post.
masters. Being securely seated behind
a two forty (hours) thoroughbred, we
we're soon on our hunting ground, it be-
ing in the immediate vicinity where We
were both born and raised, as a matter
of course we were we'll acquainted with
the woods. While following a rocky
branch, known as the Gin Branch, we
came to where it skirted the margin of g
high hill, our setter, Charlie, made a
dash at the rabbit, and both rabbit and
Charlie disappeared in the hill. The en-
trance was what we supposed to be a
crevice in the rocks, as the margin of the
bill was covered with large sand rocks ;
in moment the bats came pouring out
by the hundreds; the weather being
chilly they fell to the ground in stupor
as soon as the air struck them-their
slumbers had been disturbed by the dog.
We were enjoying the fun when, to our
astonishment, several large horn owls
came Topping out--one gave dismal
hoot as though he had not seen daylight
in years, or wished to frighteu us away.
Becoming uneasy for fear our dog could
not return, Mr.. Lee went to the entrance
of the cave, taking pole aud probing
some six feet, he found it made an abrupt
angle to the right; the opening was
barely sufficient for common. sized man
to enter; be groped his way until it be.
came SO dark that he returned and re
vealed the terrible news that it opened
out into what he believed to be large
ball, and that he could hear Charlie run.
uing around ard whining, as though be
was lost and could not find his way out.
We sent to neighboring house and pro
cured a lantern, determined to rescue
Charlie at all hazards. With lantern in
hand We both entered, compelled to crawl
on hands and knees for some distance
before we could walk erect .he entrance
turned first to the right, then to the left,
in zigzag form; finally we met Charlie,
and his bark, as it echoed and rs-echoed,
astonished us 60 such an extent that we
raised our lantern over our heads, which
threw bright light around. We stood
dumb for moment; we were shocked
and Mortified; the surroundings were re-.
yealed; we were in large room, cejled
on sides and overhead with rude clap.
boards. Before US get large table with
mutilated pack of cards in the centre p;
heavy wooden chairs around the table; q
couple of large aud rough shop-made
knives ON one corner. As soon as we
could collect our senses and calm our
staggered brain we found we were in a
secret cave that had once been occupied
by band of outlaws, but who or when,
was the question. In surveying the
room, which was 18x18, We found, in one
corner, black something; holding the
light close, our blood was chilled; it was
large black man, his skin and flesh dry
as those who, in ancient days, were given
passage over Sharon; large and rough
made chain was locked around his ankle
and fastened to q staple in the floor. In
the opposite corner lay the dried frames
of two huge bloodhounds in an old and
heavy wooden box was found two old
fashioned horse pistols with flint locks (;
they had undoubtedly done service in the
revolution there was also several pair
OF haudcuhs. We began to think that
we were in the regions of the damned.
Wsen looking on the rough wall there
we saw "the handwriting" 1t was
John A.. MurrelI, 1925" We were in
the great outlaws den; we could then
see that the man chained had been stolen
by the bold bandit-brought there and
chained until they could run him South
and sell him. The presumption is that
when the cave was deserted he was alive;
the doom was sure, but what agony he
underwent-chained and alone-his face
like Millions devil, "glinned horribly a
ghastly smile" The bloodkounds had
been kept for the purpose of recapturipg
any slave that might escape. As we
were about making our exit our compan'
ion, Lee, called our attention, in an ex'
cited manner, to another object. We
turned around and he was pale and the
lantern trembling in his hand he point
ed under the table, and there lay the
form and dried frame of another human
being. Examining close it proved to be
that of once beautiful female. She toe
was chained. She had died horrible
death-starved to death. Her long yel'
low hair still clung to the dry skin on
her head, which hung in golden tresses
over her bosom that once heaved with
the breath OF life, though now cold; her
once ruby lips were parted so as to dis.
close set of pearly teeth. How came
she in robbers den? She could not
have been victim to Cupid's dart; il
30, why chain her? She undoubtedly
bad been kidnapped and held for ran
som. But our hearts grow sick as we
write several letters were found of q
suspicious character, but as they contain
the names of people in Middle Tennes.
see, we decline to give their contents.
The discovery of the den has caused
great excitement in the neighborhood
Numbers have visited the place, and q
few have ventured in. Mr.. w. @. Blair,
on whose land the cave is, refused to
have anything disturbed until the people
could see it. He permitted A. NJ. Lee
to remove the dragoon pistols, which
have John A. Murrell's initials stamped
on the barrels. Any person wishing to
see them can call on him at the postoffice
in Huntingdon, where he will take great
pleasure in showing them.
Tho priceIpsspess of Man.