Contributed by Paul Lemasters

“Homicide in Fentress.”

The Morgan Dispatch says that on Wednesday of last week, in Fentress county, Harrison OWENS was murdered by John STEPHENS. Both were citizens of the county. For some time they had been nursing a feeling of hatred, which culminated in a bloody crime. Immediately after the tragedy. STEPHENS left and is still at liberty. [Source: Knoxville Daily Tribune, Wed., 12 Dec. 1877, p4. Note: The Morgan Dispatch was a paper of Morgan Co., TN.]

“Murder at Jamestown.”

Jamestown, Tenn., Sept. 10.–This
little village was shocked Monday afternoon about 4 o’clock by the commission of a horrible murder. Lemuel DELK, David DELK, Jr., and John A. TAYLOR murdered Martin V. OWENS by stabbing him several times in the back and twice in the neck with pocket knives. The murderers were all prominent well-to-do citizens, and trouble is feared because the Sheriff refuses bail pending a hearing before the judge. there has been talk of a rescuing party. The cause of the tragedy has not been learned. All the parties were drinking at the time. OWENS leaves a large family in indigent circumstances. [Source: Chattanooga Daily Times, Hamilton Co., TN, Fri., 11 Sept. 1885.]

Untitled article.

One of the most brutal and cowardly murders ever known in this section was committed at Jamestown on Monday evening last. As usual, wild cat whiskey was the cause. A lot of it was brought into Jamestown, on Monday, and its effect was very soon visible, a general fight occurring on the main street. A brother of the murdered man was in the fight, and in endeavoring to get him away, Martin OWENS encountered the three men, Lemuel and David DELK and their brother-in-law, John TAYLOR. They immediately set on him with their knives, almost cutting him to pieces. The three men were immediately arrested, and are now strongly guarded in the Jamestown jail.

The county officials of Fentress Co. have now a very good chance of proving their determination to put a stop to this lawlessness by leaving no stone unturned until the three murderers have met with their deserts. We cannot expect Northern men to come down here and settle among us, if in our county seats, where are supposed to reside most of the representatives of law and order of the county,the arrival of a few gallons of illicit whiskey should turn the town into a Pandemonium, and end up by brutally murdering, as usual, a man who had nothing to do with the fighting. We are informed by a Revenue
Officer, that it is thought that the whiskey came from Pickett Co., and that most, if not all, the illicit stills in Fentress Co. have been broken up. [Source: Rugby Gazette, Morgan Co., TN, Sat., 12 Sept. 1885, Vol.5, No. 37, p3.]

“Jamestown Letter.”

Jamestown has had quite enough of bloodshed for a while, as I think. On the 7th of Setp., Dave DELK, Jr., Lem DELK, and John TAYLOR killed Martin OWENS by stabbing him five times in the back, twice in the throat, these being the fatal blows struck by John TAYLOR. They had their preliminary examination and were permitted to give bail in the sum of $10,000 each. They are now footloose till a further hearing. [Source: Rugby Gazette, Morgan Co., Tn, Sat., 3 Oct. 1885, Vol. 5, No. 40]