Contributed by Paul Lemasters

“A Fentress County Murder.”

A man named PENNYCUFF was brought from Fentress county to this city by Capt. MILLSAPS on the K. & O. train Friday and lodged with Sheriff REEDER in Knox county jail for safe keeping. The charge against him is murder. About three weeks ago he had a difficulty with a neighbor of his named TUDOR, and in the fracas shot him (TUDOR), from the effects of which he died in about four days. The difficulty grew out of a disagreement between the two men about some land, as we understand, they both having been renters from the same man. The Fentress county jail was considered unsafe, hence the reason of his being brought here. [Source: Knoxville Daily Chronicle, Knox Co., Tn, Sun., 17 Aug 1879, Vol. X, No. 71.]

“Broke Jail.”

Shortly before 12 o’clock Monday night four prisoners in the Knox county jail made good their escape. They were Jim PENNYCUFF, the Fentress county murderer, who was brought here a few weeks since for safe keeping, and three Federal Court prisoners, serving out terms for violation of the Revenue law. Their names are Wm. HURT and Brannum COLLINS, of Hancock county, and Alex. NORMAN, of Anderson.

All four were confined in one cell on the third floor, which is used as the county work house department, but during the crowd of the Federal Court these were kept up there. The reason of PENNYCUFF’s being on that floor is that he is consumpted and the jail physician recommended it. It was the intention to have brought all four of them down to the main jail building yesterday, but it was too late. They have evidently been engaged at their job of getting out for some time, and PENNYCUFF appears to have been the ringleader.

They cut through the wooden floor of the cell, and broke the lock of the door, and by that means let themselves out. The alarm was not given until after they were gone. Hot pursuit was at once instituted by Sheriff REEDER and a number of his deputies, jailers, etc., and several of the boys were out yesterday, but the search so far has been fruitless. As may be seen elsewhere Sheriff REEDER offers a reward of $50 for PENNYCUFF, or $25 for each of the others, they to be delivered up to him. [Source: Knoxville Daily Chronicle, Knox Co., Tn, Wed., 1 Oct 1879, Vol. X, No. 112.]

“$125 Reward.”

I will give $50 reward for the arrest and return to me, at Knoxville, of James PENNYCUFF, of Fentress county, charged with murder, or $25 for each of the following: Wm. HURD, Brannum COLLINS and Alex. NORMAN, Federal Court Prisoners, all of whom escaped from the Knoxville jail, Monday night, 29th inst. /s/ Alex REEDER, Sheriff. [Source: Knoxville Daily Chronicle, Knox Co., Tn, Thurs., 2 Oct. 1879, Vol. X, No. 113.]