Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1898-06-09
JOHN ANDREWS MURR1LL.
A Brief Sketch of the Last Years of
the Great Western Land Pi~
rates" Eventful Career.
Continued from last week.

The story as related by John A. Muir
rell OF his family relations after he
c Inc 10 Pikeville, WAS as follows: lie
said to Peter HoOdenpylO that he had
been unfortunate in bis early marriage,
that his wife and himself were the very
opposite In temperament and tastes,
and that her violent and inJolerable
disposition had caused their separation
atted she had borne him two daughters,
after thoir separation he had abandon
ed himself to all evil and licentious
habits, seeking the vilost among the
vile, gamblers, gambling and horse rae
ing being his chief delight, until he be-
came prepared for the darkest crimes
OF theft and robbery, but he denied that
no had ever taken the life OF a human
being. lie further stated that after his
conviction to the penitentiary his wife
obtained divorce and married a worth
less man, and hat her degradation and
disbonOr after marrying was such that
he could never recognize her as the
mother OF h daughters. He said his
daughters were then about grown with
a liberal education and that be CORES
pended with the oldest daughter con-
stantly while in prison.
! The stealing Of Hehning's negroes for
which he was convicted, was doubtless
the last crime of his life, for before the
expiration Of his term in the psnitenti-
airy ho was broken down in health and
spirit never more to recover. For two
years before his discharge it became ev-
idCnt that he had pulmonary consump.
ton, which required his removal from
the smith shop to the hospital and
lighter duties. lie was transferred to
the kitchen where he soon became as
efficient in the culinary department as
he was in the smith shop, rs he gave
+ frequent evidences of his skill in that
art while he was in the Valley. Muir.
rell always claimed he was treated with
great deal of kindness by the officers
OF the penltentiary the two years pre-.
Vious to his discharge. Some OF the
special acts of Kindness shown and
mentioned by him were in permitting
him to VISIT the sulphur springs in
Nashville every day for year before
his discharge, and in giving him foul
hours day in which to read tho scrip
lures and in furnishing him many val
liable books. In that number were sew
eral Of the writings OF Mr.. Campbell
One Of these books, which he prizeC
very highly was on baptism, and h,
brought this copy with him to the Val
ley, as we'll as other valuable books
the first and second volumes of Horne
Critical Study and knowledge of thu
Holy Scriptures" published in Phila
deli hia in 1896 The first volume is il
the family of John Billingsley ami tn,
second volume is now in my possession
MurrPll said these TWO volumes COS
him $25.
AT this period Murrell claimed t.
have become convinced of the error O
his life, and conceived a desire for
new spiritual life, such as he felt salts
fed was essential to his peace and haT
piness in the life to come to which b
felt he was fast approaching. To thi
end he devoted all Of his leisure an
, convAleacent moments TO the readin
of the scriptures and the other work