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Newspaper Articles Knoxville, April 23, 1806 Horrid Murder!! Extract of a letter from a gentleman in Hawkins, to his friend in this town, dated April 19, 1806. Dear Sir, “There was on Tuesday night, 8th inst., one of the most horrid murders committed in the upper end of this country, ever heard of. Michael Doherty, was murdered by his daughter, about 13 or 14 years of age, with three strokes of an axe, the old man was asleep, with one of his little children in his arms; the first stroke was in his temple – he turned, and the girl gave him two more in his forehead, which put an end to his existence. The girl, her brother 10 or 11 years old, and sister 8 or 9 years old, rolled the old man on a hand barrow, to carry him off, the oldest girl took one end, her brother and little sister the other, but the little girl was unable to carry her part, and the sister (the murderess) whipped her severely to make her carry it, but she could not. She then opened the cellar (or potatoe hole) and rolled him in, where he lay until Saturday, when he was fund; the three children and two mmaller ones slept there every night. When the girl was apprehended she said she had killed her father, and had done so because her father had killed her mother. Since her being committed, she says she did not kill her father, but that it was her brother, and says she was scared, and confessed she had killed him to save her own life, for she was afraid the men who took her would hand her; the brother and sister says she killed him, and flung him in the cellar where he was found; the girl intended on Saturday night to have cut him in pieces, so as to enable her to carry him off. The old man drank hard, and when drunk was very cross in his family; that she used to tell him of killing her mother, and he frequently whipped his daughter; that on the Sunday before the murder was committed, she got an axe to kill her father, and put it under the bed where he lay, by which it appears she was determined to commit the murder on Sunday night, but did not until Tuesday night; then did intend to have cut him in pieces, to have removed him, (in a girl of her age) is astonishing!”
Whitecaps Arrested
Knoxville, Tenn., Nov. 2 - Thirteen members of the Whitecap Band who took part in the battle in which three men were killed last week, in Sevier County, have been arrested.
They are: William Ware, Henry McQuin, William Trammel, Arthur and John Sonton, John Martin, Lou Carver, O. L. Montgomery. Horace Davis, D. R. Bates, Issac William and Jesse Brown.
The Browns confessed and gave the names of the others, who have now sworn to kill their betrayers but are kept in separate cells.
Marrying and Dying
Dreadful Tornado
This spectacle, the most awful that can be conceived, was viewed with indescribably satisfaction, when the citizens of Knoxville found it had crossed the Holstein about three quarters of a mile below the town, and attached itself to a ridge of mountains on the opposite side. Very little rain fell in the town during the storm.
We have been informed by a gentleman who was near the river, that the water was carried to an almost incalculable height. Many of the most beautiful plantations on the river are said to be stripped entirely of their improvements - amongst others we have heard particularly of Mr. James Miller’s five miles from this place, on the Nashville road. We have heard of only two lives that have been lost, but fear that is not all.
Knoxville, October 14
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