The morning call., 1891-03-26
MURDERER MURRELL.
He Bathed His Hands in Blood
for RObbery's PurpOse.

The name Of John A. Murrell stands to-
day among the blacklist on the criminal rec
ord of the South, and to visit one of his
haunts either in Tennessee or Arkansas is
not a pleasant thing. When gazing into a
yawning cave where once this red-handed
assassin dwelt thousand ghostly visions
seem to leap into the air and as many echoes
ring out for revenge.
Murreu was bold in his operations. he
possessed promptitude of decision that was
wonderful and a tenaciiy OF purpose that
was equally noted. In his earlier days in
Arkansas he was known for his brutality,
says the Memphis Commercial There can
yet be seen in Lee County little mound on
Crowleys Ridge which bears the name of
MurrelL 1t was one of his favorite resorts.
The mound is about forty feet above the top
of the ridge, and will measure probably fifty
feet at the base. The center was dug out by
Murrell, and the hole viii measure liz cir
conference about ten feet, while it is fully
twenty feet III depth.
Ii was in this place that the noted outlaw
perpetrated some Of his most fendish crimes.
The little mound is situated in the eastern
part OF Lee County, and the 81. Francis
River struggles along at the base Of the
ridge upon which it stands. 1t was here
that Murrell would sit in solitude and gaze
upon the little stream below, watching
anXiOusly for some boat to appear that lie
might murder the crew and capture the
cargo, and how well and how often he has
succeeded in this need not be retGld
But probably the most striking illustra-
ton of the mans brutality and fearlessness
can be found in the adjoining county,
Phillips. only a few miles below the mound.
Just north OF Helena, about eight miles,
can be seen a very large lake spreading over
several hundred acres of ground and reach
ing from a towering chain OF hills on the
west to the great Mississippi River on the
east. Just before this bOdr OF water joins
the river it narruws into channel of only a
few yards IN width. MurTell and his assist
ants. for he certainly had c0nfederates,
although but few of their names have been
learned, would force steam boats through
this neck and into the lake. Alter compel
ling the crew to run the boat into the lake,
the outlaws would murder and throw them
into the water
To-day a visitor to that portion of Arkan-
sas can see the upper parts OF the boats cap
tured and wrecked by Murrtll and his asS0-
ciate robbers. And 1t IS an ugly scene. At
morning when the sun, peepiug from be-
hind the trees that skirt the eastern bank of
the broad Mississippi, pours warm light
upon the lake. the dilapidatiOn and wreck
and ruin is mournlully apparent. The jack
STATS, half rotten, and rusty chimney stacks
and deCayed pilOt-hOuSes and splintered
bows, ali go to form spectacle that IS for
bidding to the eye, and yet there is about
the scene a something strongly fascinating
to the spectator. In this lake these evil
dences OF the lawlesSneSs OF John A. Muir
rell will live until time shall wipe them cut
of existence,
From this ugly scene the mind is taken to
another wherr, in later years, the wild
vines have wound around a little pine bush
which is mirrored in a crystalline spring on
the west side OF Crowleys Ridge, but few
miles south of Mariana. Not far from this
pine tree, half-cUYered by a tangled mass Of
weeds and grass and vines, can be seen a
griuning skull it has remained there for
years and has been bleacnld by the blazing
sun. 1t could tell its own story if 1t were
given a tongue. Nothing has ever been
known of it, except that it is the skull of
one of the assaSsin'S victims. Where this
white symbol Of horror, around which
loathsome yiperS wriggle and Squirm, now
lies, once could be seen Murrell, ferUciouS
and thirsty for blood, bathing his hot lips in
the little spring that dubbed from the
mountains side. The cave lie occupied
during the day can yet be seen at this place,
and the pine tree Is as green as i'll the years
agOne. There are many Yawning cayerns
in the hillsideS in which, perhaps, there are
skeletons to tell their own stories Of mid
night murder, each leaving new horror to
swing above the sepulcher of the man
whose flesh has long sin { furnished food for
the graYe-WOrmS.