The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1891-03-20
MURREL, THE ROBBER.

Philadelphia Times.
An account Of he life Of he once
celebrated John A. Murrell, o
Mississippi, in early times the lead
er OF a band of outlaws whose op
erations extended from the Obi,
river to The gulf Of Mexico, would
furnish material! for a cord Of dime
novels.
Murrell was born in southern
Tennessee about 1890, and when IL
years of age was senl 10y his father
II prosperous Methodist preacher
10 Louisville TO be educated. For
u lime he did we'll, but alter
awhile took TO gambling and was
soon on, of money. One night lie
lost large sum to Pennsylvania
horse dealer named Shaner. In
The course of the game this man
tod Murrell that he was going
south the next day and would car
nv away more money from Louis.
vile lhan he had brought there.
Accordingly he lett town and
about three miles out was halted
hy masked man, pistol in hand,
and told to "siand and deliver
Shaner was a brave man and made
a clutch Tor his holster that held
his Derringer and The next instant
dropped from his horse dead, with
bullet through his brain. The
ubber and murderer was John a.
Murrell. He coolly searched his
victim and was believed 10 have
found only small sum ol
money. Remonniing he led Shan.
cr's horse into the woods, and eX.
changing saddles, made his way
into town. The saddle was fine
English one, and Murrell deter.
mine,! 10 keep il for his own use,
and took 1t 10 a harnesslnaker
named Frew, leaving directions to
have il recovered. In doing this
Frew found in the padding $2500
in Pilisburg money with noie
asking anyone who might come
into possession 10 send informa-
ton ito my brother" This was
signed Felix Shaner. The mans
body had been found and identi.
fed, and Frew ut once notified the
authorities of his discovery. Muir
rell got wind oi this, and, with the
officers at his heels, rushed down
to The bank Of the river. He hail
ed Two men in n boat, offering
Them 500 TO take him aboard.
They al once agreed, and, although
fred on from the bank, succeeded
in making their way in safety 10
the other side Of The Ohio.
Once oul of danger Murrell look
ed with some curiosity at on of The
boaimen. lie was short, bui very
broad shouldered, with a swarthy
face and an enormous head. His
eyes were like those of corpse,
and The young man shndtlered IN
voluntarily as he recognized the
man from descriptions that were
posted at every cross-r0ad. "Ain'l
you Mason 7" he asked. "Yes, my
smart younslcr, I'm Mason, the
river pirate. What dye think of
mes It's lucky l met you or the
traps would have had We. What
We been doing :" Murrell, with all
his nerve, felt sentiment of fear.
No more bloodlhirsty william than
Mason ever lived. There were re-
wards ON his head in three States.
His business was robbing The keel
heats on The Ohio and he spared
the lives of none who fell into his
hands. The rendezvous of his
gang was at cave in the rocks
below Paducah. Murrell told his
story and Mason at once proposed
that he should join his banditti.
He agreed, and his initiation into
crime was now fully consum mated.
For oyer year he participated in
scenes OF cruelty and became hard.
ened in vice. He had more intel
lect than Mason, who was mere
and he now began 10 or
SdilLC Wuut HC ihtCuftCo cuOuft W
a robber republic. Nearly every
ruffian in the southwest was
brought into his band. The coun-
try was .sparsely settled, and by
force or intrigue he got control Of
the elections in many Of The river
of Mississippi and made
his own men sherifrs and Justices
OF the peace. Law-abiding people
were appalled,. 1t was impossible
to hold a murderer or horse-thief,
as The collusive law officers ACCEPT
ed straw bail and the culprit rode
away. Emigration was pouring
into the State, but so unsafe were
The roads that men travelled in
bands 10 insure safety, and yet
their horses and negroes were stol-
en- and they themselves were shot
down with impuniiy. Murrell left
this work 10 his subordlnaies and
was constantly travelling, seeking
new associates and making new
combinations. Clergymen. lawyers,