The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1893-05-12
JOHN A. MURRELL.
The Life, Character and Exploits
of the Noted Thief.

AOOuI bHS y Cd4 VI OuI 1<OEu lCOOs
in the county of Williamson, in the
State of Tennessee, OF poor and OBJ
scure parents. there was BORN a boy OF
excellent natural mind, and bad he
been properly trained no doubt he
would have made a very different
man to what he did make. When |
say his name is John A. Mnrrell all
the old citizens who are now living
and who are his contemporaries will
know that this boy was destined to be-
come famous in this Stale and the all
joining States of Kentucky, Alabama,
Mississippi, and in the then rerrito~
ry of Arkansas, not for his good, but
for his bad conduct.
John A. Murrell was noble speci-
men of humanity by nature, fine form,
active and strong, fair skin, blue eyes,
more than ordinary mind, quick of
perception, and uutll he became con-
taminated by evil company, ready
to accommodate his fellows, among
whom he was a favorite for a long
time. With very little education and
no discipline from good persons he
grew up with a low code of morals,
aud at about the age of Is years was
publicly whipped for some petty lar
ceny.
This maItreatment seems to have
had bad effect on his future life and
considering himself ever disgraced
from that time he showed a dispOsi-
ton to prey on the rest of mankind
as best he could, so he evaded the
law. He was the leader of gang OF
horse thieves that raided tie country
through all the States of Tennessee,
Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi and
Arkansas Territory. Whenever the
Murrell clan, as they were calle1,
succeeded in stealing a horse, jack,
negro slave, or any other valua bic
plumber, they generally ran it off to
Arkansas Territory, then wild, un-
settled country except by such men
as the clan. Their principal camp
was what is called Council Bend on
the Mississippi River. Among nu-
merous other thefts, Murrell induced
some negro slaves belonging to Rev.
John Henning, Methodist preach Ell
In Madison county, near Denmark.
to leave their owner promising them
their freedom. Once in his camp
some accomplice would take them to
New Orleans or Vicksburg, or some
Southern city and sell them, with
the understanding that the slave wa,
again to run away and come back tC
them and be resold, they dividing
the money thus fraudulently obtain
ed with the negro slave, and 1t was
stated that after their gang hac
sold a slave several times, and he be
came troublesome, either for wanting
a divide or for being too notorious
the killed him ard threw his disem'
boweied body into the Mississippi
river, which last accusation, however
Murrell strenuously denied TO the
day OF his death, sIlemnly swear Ing
that he had never killed man in his
life though he had been thief anc
robber, and had stolen numer0u;
articles; and from his known natura
good nature number of his contem
poraries of the first-class of citizen;
seem to believe his statement as tC
murder.
John A. Murrell and his clan hav-
ing become too notorious for then
comfort IN Middle Tennessee, he re
moved to Madison county, i'll Yves
Tennessee, and settled not far from
what is now known as Britton's Lane.
the place where Gen. VIM. j ackso
had fight with FederalIsts 10 1863
The traces of his quarter race track
are plainly to be seen at the present
day, and from his cabin variOu;
councils were held and raids made on
the citizens, but so cuDningly devised
that tor long time no proof could
be obtained against Murrell though
ii was usually beloved he was guilty
of many thefts. Horses, negroes ana
various other valuable property were
spirited away In a most unaccOunta
be manner, various plans were tried
to detect the authors OF these depre-
dations which for long time proved
una vailing. The whole community,
particularly the slave owners, were
armed and on the alert to detect the
thefts. About the year 1886 a young
man named Virgil A. Stewart pre-
tended TO join the clan, ingratialed
himself with John A. Murrell and
learned from him all his secrets, his
associates, etc., made trip with him
from Madison county, crossing
Hatchie river at Estenaula, staid ali
night at a village in Haywood county
called Wesley, which place is about
two miles west of Stanton Depot, on
the l.. d N. railroad. and staid with
man named Brdgers, who kept a
motel and whom Stewart said was a
mem Der of the clan. Thence they
went through or near Covington, in
Upton county, aud crossed the Miss
issippi three miles below Randolph,
and down the river in Arkansas to
the camp at Council Bend.
During this trip Stewart learned
from Murrel a number of his thetts,
and what became of the stolen prop,
erty, among other things all about
Henning's negroes. Stewart betray-
ed Murre!l aud he was arrested br
the Sheriff of Madison county tor