The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1896-03-12

officers and the moonshiners; and al
though the BynuEs had usually main
tanned an outward show OF neutrality,
there was little doubt that they had al
ways given tine secret aid to their
ncighbors ON the mountain. II was
during the life of Col. Latimer's father
that the Bynums had first brought
themselves within the pale of the law.
revenue officer had climbed the steep
road leading to the cove one afternoon,
and the next morning his dead body
was found at the foot of the decliyity
with bullet hole i'll the skull. Old
Squire Latimer was justice of the
peace at the time, and he was especial
~ active in pushing the inquiry which
finally fixed the crime upon one Of the
.Bynums. AS the evidence was mostly
circumstantial, the murderers got off
with a life sentence; but for the
squirrels part in the prosecution the
Bynums declared war upon the Lati-
n.er family, instituting O series OF per-
secutions which eliminated in the
burning of the manor-house in the val
ley. The eX-Virginian was law-abid-
ing man, and, although there was lit
tie doubt as to the identity of his enc
mics, he refused to retaliate in kind.
With each fresh depreciation he re-
doubled his efforts to obtain proof
which could be produced in court; but
his prosecutors were shrewd and crafty
and he was never able to get conclusive
evidence against them. After the
burningtof the manor house the squire
/ built THE I.aureIs" on the plateau Of
Murphy mountain; but he did lot live
long to enjoy his new home. The
plateau farm was reached byfd road
which climbs the face of the ascent
from 1regarthen. Beyond the Lati.
ner, estate it skirts the brow of the
mountain, following the line of the
cliffs and doubling around the head OF
McNabb's cove. Ono morning wher
the squire was riding alongt this road nj
point where it comes out upon the
edge Of an abrupt preeipice command
ing a view of the cove, q
ritle-shot rang out, and the fright
ened horses galloped riderless back tc
"The Daurels" When the searchers
found him short time Afterwards the
squire was quite dead; ard before moor
John Bynm was in idil at 1regarthen
charged with the commission OF the
crime. At this distance of time there
appears to be at least a reasonable
doubt of his guilt. lie was seen in the
village, and in fact was arrested there
within two hours of The time when the
murder was committed; ard while the
distance from the head of the cove to
Tregarthen by the road leading past
The Laurels" is only three miles, it is
six by the way he must have gone to
avoid meeting the searching party
This, and other facts, might have been
brought out in trial, bat the Bynums
were unpopular and their feud with the
Latimers was well known. The news
of the squirc's death spread rapidly
through the valley during the day, and
at night an armed mob broke into the
jail and secured the hapless prisoner
who was hurried to the scene of the
murder and hanged to the nearest con
venicnt tree.
With the death of John Bynum the
feud smoldered for several years. His
only brother. Jed, who was absent al
the time of the lynching, moved to
Texas q short time afterwards, and
there were left only the widow and hel
four children on the small farm in the
cove. 1t is TO be supposed that the
woman, who was Bynum by blood as
well as by marriage, did not fail tc
teach her children the catechism OF
vengeance; but, however this may be
hostilities were renewed as soon as the
boys were old enough to follow in the
footsteps of their elders.
Col. Latimcr, the squire's son and
heir, inherited little of the peace-loving
temper of his father. The first time he
found his fences thrown down and the
cattle in his fields, he armed himself
with heavy riding whip and went
about nursing his wrath till his oppor
tunity should arrive. Meeting JEFF
Bynum in the street of Tregarthen, the
indignant colonel proceeded to mett