The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-08-28
THE MARK OF CAIN.
Carried by a North Carolinian
Who Shot His Brother.
The Man Now in Jail in North Georgia-An
Old Murder Story Recalled by the
Mark on the Murderer.

A few days ago Terry Shelton was brought
from North Carolina to Georgia upon war
rant sworn out in Fannin county.
AS he boarded the car, having come several
miles through the country, the idlers at the
country station stared hard at the strange
man. and wondered who he was
The passengers looked once, and looked
again, and wondered who he was.
At every station, as new passengers came
in, they would stop, and stare, and wonder.
"Who is that MANI"
whats the matter with him?"
"Didyou ever see the like?'
1t was that way everywhere The babies
even seemed to understand That something
was wrong and they stared too.
Not once during the ride did the strange
man leave his seat-never once lifted his eyes
from the floor. His PREDETERMINED hat was
slouched down to his eyes, his hands thrust
into the pockets of his blue jeans trousers, and
there he sat.
"Who is that MANI"
TT'What's the matter with him? ?"
The strange man is Terry Shelton, and the
mark he carries Is the mark of Cain. That
was nine years ago, tho murder was III 1879.
Human judges have declared him an innocent
man, and human justice has meted him life
and health, but the mark is there.
Maybe, as Shelton himself says, the judge
that branded Cain has branded him, and the
mark will go with him to his grave.
The story was told here yesterday by one
familiar with the details, North Carolinan
that has known Shelton for years.
"Terry and Tom Shelton" said he yester-
day, "were brothers. Their father was an cd
ucated man and wealthy one, but he died in
the war and the boys have been brought up by
their mother
She was horrible woman--a tigress. The
property OF the old man was squandered and
lost, and the boys grew up vicious and unedu-
Gated. Tom was the elder. They both mar
Itvrn1 nj Tsg,tvn 70 ntnn
county. Their mother lived first with one and
then with the other.
The boys were hard workers and shrewd in
o trade, so in spite of their dissolute habits
they might be considered az well-to-do farmers.
One day in 10 Tom went over to Ierry's
house. and while he was there they began
quarreling. The mother of the two boys stood
in the door and watched. Suddenly both
sprang to their feet, Tom with a knife and
Terry with % pistol, and an instant later Terry
had fired. The hall Went through Toms fore
head, killing him instantly.
Terry told this to the iailer.
al had an empty barrel In that cylinder and
thought that would be tho next one to be
struck / intended to snap that OF Tom to
stop him, and then if he came further to kill
him. l didn't intend to shoot. 1t was mig
take, and l am not guilty OF murder"
On the trial, however, the old woman swore
in Terry's favor, put all the blame on the dead
son. and as she was the only witness Terry was
acquitted.
Three weeks later she came back to town
and wanted Terry arrested. She said that
Terry had provoked the quarrel and that the
murder was cold blooded.
1t was too late for that.
Terry Shelton went to Alabama, then came
to Georgia, and went back to North Carolina
to escape punishment for crimes committed
here.
/ saw him when he first came back to North
Carolina. When no had left his head was
covered with q magnificent growth Of curly
brown hair He was very proud OF 1t, and
even in Jail used TO keep it well combed. He
had q thick, heavy beard and long meustache
When he came back their was not q hair on
his body. His hair beard and mnstache were
gone. There was no sign Of eyelash or eybrow,
and his body was as free from hair as the
palm of your hand
The effect was startling 1t would frighten
| yon to look at him. The skin was natural
and healthy in color and condition, but abso-
1utely bare.
/ could hardly recognize him even after he
had spoken to me.
"Where is your hair?'' / asked him.
81 am Marked" he said quietly.
"HoW do you mean?"
"By the Almighty, just as Cain was mark
ed"
"Wasit all taken out at once?"
| "No, it was pulled out, one hair at a time. 1t
| took eighteen months to get it all out"
cone hair out at time" repeated after
| him.
Yes my brothers. ghost did IL. whenever
| ] sat down, he sat behind me and began pull
| ing them out. When L went TO bed / could
feel him plucking them, out one at n time. 1t
! lasted that way for eighteen months, and it
nearly killed me. No way to stop it, 1 was
absolutely powerless,"
"Did you do anything for it?"
"All that could be done. The doctors say
| there was no blood disease, no skin disease.
| They tried everything they could think Of to
save my hair, and to restore what was lost, but
! they did no good"
| "Doyou still do anything for it yot?"
ono, 1t is Gods own mark and Godjonly can
take it away. Everywhere | go now people
point me out. Those that know me tell their
! children that killed my brother, and their
| children will tell their ehildren's children.
| Those that don't know me stare and wonder.
| Somehow or other it makes people distust
me. IT will be So suppose, until l die 1t Is
| Gains mark
| at didn't reform him, then?"
"No. He tres to reform sometime, butt it
does no good lie wanders around, and al
ways in trouble. Tie people in our country
believe as firmly as SHELTON does that the mark
| is q curse that will go with him through life.
| The man is Cain, and that is Gains mark"
ssEozrEg- a.