Greene County herald., 1913-03-07

Murreil was compelled to 80 away on
some call OF his nefarious work. Dur
Ing that ride and on subsequent oc-
casions tbs colossal villain told In
part the story of life bristling with
crimes Of every sort with smack OF
internal pride which Satan himself
could not have surpassed.
MurreIl's mother. Tennessee
mountain woman, had, in spite Of an
honest father, trained her young son
as a thief from early childhood
While yet a STRIPPING. he began to
steal horses. and In disposing OF these
he fell in with various small predatory
gangs, who did not hesitate to MUIR
der as well as rob. Young Murrell's
superior address ard cunning made
him an adept in disposing of robber
loot, and he gradually became initiat-
ed into all the successive grades OF
crime
He brought to she business great
craft and power Of organization and
the ability to make use of the villaiEy
of others.
He was arrested for horse-stealing
and was sentenced to the penitentiary
for three years. He was model pris-
oner and gave up his spare time to
assiduous reading, more especially to
the study of theology. law and the
rudiments of :he healing art
Stewart mat the bandit chief, and as
they rode wsst Murrell told him that
they were an the way TO one of the
principal headquarters of the clan
which was on an island in Missisr
sippi bayou, just across the river from
Memphis Here he would meet some
of the principal men and be sworn
into the fand
MurreN was exhilarated into fierce
hilarity, for this Napoleonic ruffian
seems to have been inspired by a gen.
ial liking for his chance recruit which
banished all his native caution. He
had, in his craving for perfect con-
fidence. beguiied himself into the con-
viction that in Hues he had found the
very twin of his soul. He now outlined
to his companion something of the
colossal scheme of a negro uprising,
over which his diabolical spirit had
brooded so long.
This may seem too bold to you,
Hues, but that is what glory In" he
said. "All the crimes ! have ever
committed have been of the most dar-
ing I've been successful In ali of 'em.
/ am confident shall be victorious in
this matter. I'll have the pleasure
and honor of seeing and knowing that
by my management have glutted the
earth with more human blood and de-
stroyed more property than any rob-
ber who has ever lived in America or
the known world. | look on the Amer
lean people as my common enemy
They have disgraced me"-thus he
designated his short term of impris-
onment-"and they can do no more.
My life is nothin' to me, and 1t
shall be spent as their devoted enemy
My clan Is strong. brave, experienced
and rapidly increasing in numbers.
shouldn't be surprised If we number
ed 10000 at the time of the uprising
And I am strong in the high standing
of so many of my chief councillors.
many. indeed, in honorable and lucra-
tive offices. Should anything leak out
prematurely, those men would drive
away the fears of the people by ridi-
cule, turning 1t into cock-and-bull
story.
We have considerable money in the
hands of our treasurers to complete
our purchases of arms and ammuni-
ton, to fit out the companies that are
TO attack the cities and towns. We
will manage to get possession of the
different arsenals and supply ourselves
from every source that may offer. The
negroes wouldn't want many arms till
they get 'em from the houses they de-
stroy, as knife, club, pick or an
ak will do to murder families at night,
when they are dazed with sleep and
terror ut the light of their burning
homes"
Stewart tells us that he afterward
marveled that he refrained from
shooting Murrell then and there, for
he always kept one hand on a pocket
derringer, a silver-mounted pair of
which had been given him the day be-
fore by this incarnate demon.
Perhaps the feeling that the one
soft spot in Murrelrs nature was the
curious infatuation for himself re-
strained his itching hand.
They found themselves on the banks
Of the Mississippi, at that time storm
lashed, at dusk. but the rowboat on
which Murrell relied was gone. So
they applied for hospitality at the
house of planter named Champion. |
He looked askance at Murrell when
the latter requested the loan OF q |
skiff on which to cross. Stewart at |
once appraised him as an honest man
and not one OF the many secret con-
federates Of the robber gang. Cham
pion felt a note slipped into his hand |
as the twain parted from him next |