Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1898-06-16
JOHN ANDREWS MURR1LL.
A Brief Sketch Of the Last Years Of
the Great Western Land Pi"
rates" Eventful Career.
fC.yt}p,cI from, 1art yoak
Continued from last week.

"
history Of his family relations, ! omit I
ted to state that besides his two broth |
ers spoken or in the prison records, be !
had another brother just emerging into !
manhood. This brother was his con- |
slant companion in crime, and was fire. !
quontly spoken OF by him when rehear- !
sing any OF the incident OF bis former
life. He was also mentioned by Stow
art in his life of him, but nowhere was
his name given.
ScJtt Terry, who had previously been
in tho legislature and superintendent OF
public instruction for the state, and
who had frequently seen MurrGll in the
penitentiary, then lived at Bradrn's
| knobs, about two miles south OF Mitch
ellis, hearing that Mitchell had a good
smith at work in his shop, and wanting
small Job done, went over to Mitch
! ellis and as soon as no entered the shop
where Andrews was at work, readily
recognized in John Andrews tho veri-
table John A. Murrell, the Great West
ern Land Pirate, whom he had so often
seen in the penitenJiary. At conven-
! ont moment Terry introduced himself
to Andrews calling him Murron. Muir
rell was surprised and alarmed, for he
| thought he certainly had found place
where he would never lie known or rec
ognized ana would never hear the namo
OF Mnrrell applied to him. lie asked
! Terry where and under what circum-
stances he ever knew him, as he GER
tainly had no recollection OF ever see-
ing him before. Terry then explained
when and where he had seen him.
Murrell then gave Tory the reasons
and circumstances under which he had
M , hf, ntoi n nd n
assumed the name of Andrews beliov-
ing his reputation from Stewards publ
cation of his life together with his con-
viction and servitude in the pcnitentia-
ry was such that he feared he could not
find any roof under which he could
dwell in safety, much less in comfort, il
his true name be known; therefore he
had done so in self defence, hoping to
spend a quiet season in his fast decln-
ing life; that his confinement in prison
had been the means of completely
changing his entire nature; that his
reading OF the criptures and other val
liable books had forcibly convinced him
Of the error Of his past lito, which he
confessed had not been what it should
have been. He said that during his life
he had done great many bad and i'm
Iproper deeds, which he hoped his pris-
on life had attoned for IN tho eyes of
the law, and that the evidence OF a
great change OF heart was proven by
the fact that the things he once de-
ligh ted in we're now a terror to him,
and the things he then neglected aud
despised were now source OF great
pleasure to him; and that he had deter
mined that his future short life on this
earth should conform to his convictions
of right. With this frank declaration
and child-liko sincerity, Terry was
pleased and tried to encourage him by
promising not to reveal his true name
and telling him he would be safe here
and free from violence If he conducted
himself as he declared he would. But
1t was soon known or whispered in the
neighborhood that John Andrews was
John A. Murrell, and running from
mouth to mouth, and noighborh God to
neigh borhood, extended and pervadcd
the entire country, Many were the
dark forebodings and alarm expressed
by She people as to the object and in
tentiOn of Murrell (if it should be bim)
in coming to the mountain, many con
Gdently expecting that his purpose was
to steal horses add negroes before be
left, or, perhaps, to organize a fresh
~ y
= fact, any man whose character was not
above suspicion to have been seen con
yersing with Murrell at This date wOult
have been regarded with distrust by tht
community, as it was then but an easJ
= matter for the incredulous and those
/ who always draw hasty conclusions t.
t believe that Murrell had even then q
we'll organiz ed band of followers every
. where, and any man committing The
y crimes of the day was easily reckOneC
among the followers of Murrell. With
this state of feeling it is easy to see
t how many men could have been ostra
cised from society by associating will
him, unless no had necessarily bust
7 ness relation with him. But a few
months of toll by Murrell and a gener
al familiarity with his presence in tn
O community, and his declining health
. soon dispelled such feelings, which al
forwards gave way to unbounded curios
Q ity to know more of the man and hi
past history.
Murrell remained at Mitchell's undis
turbed or unmolested, keep ng himsel
secluded from society as much as poss
y BILE, and never ventured to Pikevill
until about the month of October, jus
=, before the Presidential election in NOV
2 ember, 1874 at which date Col. John 1
Crozior, OF Knoxville, elector for Henri
Clay and Hon. Geo. W. Rowls, OF Glove
land, had appointments to speak q
PiReville. On the day Scott Terry ha
decided to attend the speaking and IL
d vited Murrell to 60 with him and pr,
% posed TO furnish him horse to ridt
which proposition Murrell accepted
and on the morning Of the speakin
}. started from the Knobs for PikevllC
!. which was his first visit to the towI
d He stopped at the brick hotel, the
II kept by A. II. Montgomery, but no
y owned by S. II. Ferguson. Terry an
% Murrell did not reach town until tn
speaking had commenced There W;
a large crowd in town, the larger pc
ton being in the court house listenin
D. to the speaking. Murrell being
a stranger and coming with Terry, su
/ picion soon pointed to him as being tb
d / supposed John A. Murrell at JAG
% Mitchell's, and it was not long befoI
5. this opinion eliminated in knOwledg
and belief that he was veritably MI
rell. This knowledge soon reache
from the crowd in the street TO that
the court house, and soon broke up th
speaking, leaving the speakers withOl
n, hearers. No exhibition Of wild beas
= ever created more unbridled curiosit
Ii and excitement than John A. Murre
n did on the streets Of Pikeville that ia,
Large crowds followed him at ever
stap and tahnn hn tvguIH ur1.- 80 Al