Some months ago, Terry Jackson posted information where Etta Alldredge, daughter of Sheriff E.C. Alldredge, was involved in assisting prisoners escape from the Oneonta jail. Terry's fascinating contribution, which was reported in the Atlanta Constitution, concentrated on the alledged love affair between Etta and one of the prisoners. However, the incidents leading up to the jail break, and its subsequent resolution beg to be related. The event which landed one of the participants in jail was the murder of Nancy Vaughn... The Southern Democrat, 1 May 1902 Brutal Murder Committed. Mrs. Nancy Vaughn Killed Almost Within the Shadow of the Court House. Mrs. Nancy Vaughn, an aged woman was brutally murdered in a little cabin just outside the city limits of Oneonta last Thursday or the night before. Her dead body was found late Thursday afternoon by her daughter who reported the matter to neighbors. A.J. Ketchum, acting as Coroner, organized a jury at once and began an investigation. Many witnesses have been before the jury but up to the time of going to press no verdict has been rendered. The old woman lived alone and there was no one left to tell the story of the horrible deed. There are many theories as to the cause of the murder and as many reports as to the evidence that is being given in, but this much seems to be undisputed: She was murdered between 6 o'clock Wednesday evening and 6 o'clock Thursday evening. That she came to her death from a blow on the head with an ax or hatchet which was found in the cabin. The coroner's jury began its investigation, it seemed without any clue to the murder but matters slowly developed, until a strong chain of evidence is being established. Louis Gurley, a white boy about 21 years of age, has been arrested on suspicion. It is stated that Gurley was seen to go to the cabin Thursday afternoon and that blood stains have been found upon the clothing that he wore on that day. He denies having any knowledge of the matter. It is believed by some that a number of others are implicated and that other arrests will follow. This is the first murder ever committed in or near Oneonta and the people are greatly aroused over it and it is to be hoped the perpetrator of the horrible deed will be brought to justice. The Southern Democrat, 8 May 1902 The Coroners Jury investigating the murder of Mrs. Nancy Vaughn arrived at a verdict last Thursday morning fixing the crime upon Louis Gurley and his has been indicted by the grand jury, and a special jury has been drawn to try the case today (Thursday). The Southern Democrat, 15 May 1902 The trial of Louis Gurley for the murder of Mrs. Nancy Vaughn, which was set for last Thursday, was continued until next court, the purpose of the postponement being to allow the State chemist to analyze the blood stains found on Gurley's clothing. The Southern Democrat, 6 Nov 1902 The case of Louis Gurley, charged with the murder of Mrs. Vaughn has been set for Thursday of this week in the Circuit Court. A special jury has been summoned. The Southern Democrat, 20 Nov 1902 Three prisoners escaped from jail Sunday afternoon. When ordered to go into their cells they refused and when Deputy Sheriff Bryson attempted to force them to obey they overpowered him and escaped. The deputy fired three shots at them but none took effect. One of the prisoners, Mayburn Murphree was re-captured by Ex-Sheriff Sanders as he was making his way to the mountain. The two who escaped are negroes and are charged with stealing cotton. They had been in jail only about one week. Louis Gurley, the other prisoner, made no attempt to escape. The Blount County News-Dispatch, 8 Jan 1903 [Front Page] Her Lover's Jailer. Some time during Monday night, Miss Etta Alldredge, daughter of the sheriff at Oneonta, unlocked the jail and liberated two prisoners, Louis Gurley, charged with murder, and Mayburn Murphree, held on sentence for adultery. Miss Etta accompanied the prisoners in their flight, or at least one of them. The cause of her act is supposed to be love of Mayburn Murphree, who is an exceedingly handsome young man of good address. For some months he has been an inmate of the jail, and it has been noticed that the daughter of the sheriff often lingered at the bars to talk to him. Sheriff's Daughter Liberates Two Prisoners. Sometime during Sunday night, Miss Etta Alldredge, daughter of the sheriff of this county, unlocked the jail and liberated two prisoners, Louis Gurley, charged with murder, and Mayburn Murphree, held on sentence for adultery. Miss Etta, accompanied the prisoners in their flight, or at least one of them. The cause of her act is supposed to be the love of Mayburn Murphree. For some months he had been an inmate of the jail and it has been noticed that the comely daughter of the sheriff often lingered at the bars to talk to him. Notice to apprehend the fugitives has been telegraphed to the various towns and cities of Alabama, Deputy sheriffs are scouring the county. Louis Gurley, charged with murder, who was the beneficiary of the sheriff's daughter's love for Murphree, is accused of one of the most brutal crimes in the history of Oneonta. About a year ago the dead body of an aged lady, Mrs. Vaughn, was found at her residence one morning weltering in its own blood. The head had been scalped and the body bore evidence of brutal mutilation, charged with her murder, Gurley was arrested and his case is pending trial. Mayburn Murphree, the attractive prisoner, who seems to have bewitched the fair keeper of the jail, had already been convicted and fined $750. His case was appealed to the Supreme Court where it is now pending. The Southern Democrat, 8 Jan 1903 Prisoner's Escape. Sheriff's Daughter Goes With Them. Sometime Sunday night, two of the prisoners, Louis Gurley and Mayburn Murphree, escaped from the County Jail, the Sheriff's daughter, Miss Etta Alldredge, disappearing at the same time. Sheriff Alldredge was not at home at the time and it is supposed that the girl secured the keys, released the prisoners and then eloped with them. Although the search commenced before day Monday morning but little has been heard from them. All the information obtained about the plan of escape is from a negro prisoner who says they left in the early part of the night and that the girl and Murphree had a conversation a short time before they left, that Murphree, hearing a buggy drive up, told him that his friends had come, and that is all the negro will tell. Miss Alldredge is about 22 years of age and has been in the habit of carrying the prisoners' meals to them. On the night of the escape she retired as usual, and the family never suspecting what was soon to take place, were soon asleep. Then it was that the plans previously arranged were quietly executed. There were four prisoners in the jail but Gurley and Murphree were the only ones allowed their liberty. Murphree was tried at the last term of the Circuit Court on a charge of seduction and was given a heavy sentence. His attorney gave notice of an appeal to the Supreme Court but no bill of exceptions had been filed. Gurley is under indictment of the murder of Mrs. Nancy Vaughn which occurred about eight months ago. The Sheriff has offered a reward of $50 for the arrest and detention of Murphree and has sent circulars and telegrams all over the country. A thorough search of the country is being made. The Southern Democrat, 15 Jan 1903 Caleb Murphree has been placed in jail here charged with aiding Lewis Gurley and Mayburn Murphree in escaping from the jail on Jan. 4th. His preliminary trial is set for next Monday. Escaped Prisoners Still At Large. There are still few new developments in the jail tragedy. No trace of Gurley has been found. Murphree and Miss Alldredge were traced through Cullman County and were last seen in Franklin County, Alabama, driving a road horse to open buggy, going West. Horse had about given out. This was Jan. 8th. It is believed that they will either stop and rest in North East Mississippi or will take train there for Dallas, Texas, where Murphree's father lives. The following is a description of the missing parties: Mayburn Murphree-Medium dark complexion, small black eyes, black curly hair-usually wore it long and parted in middle-has small black mustache and was continually twisting it while talking, round face and is a little round shouldered. Height 5 ft. 7 in., weight 145 pounds, wears No. 7 shoe. He is a gambler, drinks whiskey freely, does not use tobacco and will not work. Education poor. Writes poor hand but puts on better appearance that education would indicate. Miss Etta Alldredge-Height about 5 ft. 5 in., weight 140 pounds, dark hair, large blue eyes, large face, shoulders a little round and stooped. She wears No. 6 shoe, age 22 years and has several small gold fillings in upper front teeth. Lewis Gurley-complexion fair, eyes light blue, hair very light, eyebrows and eyelashes, white, had a short chin, white mustache. Height 6 ft. 2 in. Has a peculiar expression about the mouth. Scowling downcast look and when talking to him, he looks at you sidewise, as if looking downwards and out of the corner of his eyes at the same time. Age about 21 years, weighing about 160 or 170 pounds. Stands erect, has no education and his language is rustic. Has been in jail 9 or 10 months and is somewhat bleached. The Sheriff will consider it a favor if other papers will copy this description. The Southern Democrat, 22 Jan 1903 Sheriff's Daughter Found. Miss Etta Alldredge, who is alleged to have released Mayburn Murphree and Lewis Gurley from the county jail the night of Jan. 4th, and eloped with them, was found near Attalla last Friday by one of the searching parties. The two escapees were not with her and it is reported that they left her on Jan. 12th, and were going to Morgan Valley. The Sheriff and a number of his men are searching that country, but the only news from them up to time of going to press is a telegram from Ex-Sheriff Bledsoe from Hartselle, dated Jan. 20th stating that he had struck trace of Murphree at that place. The Blount County News-Dispatch, 22 Jan 1903 Miss Etta Alldredge Found in Etowah County. Miss Etta Alldredge, who liberated Louis Gurley, charged with murder, and Mayburn Murphree, an adulterer, was found last Friday near Avery, in Etowah county. She was found at the home of Mrs. Sarah Kelley, grandmother of Murphree, by a deputy Sheriff and her cousin, but Murphree and Gurley, who it is believed have been laying out in the woods near Kelley's was not found. Murphree has lived in the neighborhood and is well acquainted there. The girl was taken to the home of her brother near Liberty and is still there. The Blount County News-Dispatch, 29 Jan 1903 Joe Wagner has been arrested and placed in the Oneonta jail on a charge of assisting Louis Gurley and Mayburn Murphree to escape jail January 4th. The continued trial of Caleb Murphree, charged with assisting Mayburn Murphree and Louis Gurley to escape from the Oneonta jail on January 4th was concluded Wednesday, and he was bound over by Judge Davidson to the next session of the Grand Jury. His bond was fixed at $800. The Southern Democrat, 5 Mar 1903 The Sheriff has received information from the Sheriff of Jackson County that he has a man filling the description of Lewis Gurley who escaped jail Jan. 4th. The Southern Democrat, 12 Mar 1903 The man captured in Jackson county last week proved to be Lewis Gurley who escaped from jail January 4th. He was identified Tuesday by Sheriff Alldredge who is expected to return with him tonight (Wednesday). Gurley is charged with the murder of old lady Vaughn near Oneonta about a year ago. Murphree, who escaped with Gurley, has not been recaptured. The Blount County News-Dispatch, 12 Mar 1903 Gurley In Oneonta Jail Again. Sheriff Alldredge arrived last night from Scottsboro with Louis Gurley. He was arrested by the authorities of Jackson county upon a charge of robbery, with little evidence against him. Gurley's name is familiar to our readers; he and Mayburn Murphree having escaped jail (assisted) January 4th. Gurley says he and Mayburn Murphree and Miss Etta Alldredge first went to Attalla and remained that neighborhood for several days. Leaving Miss Etta there with Murphree's grandmother they went to Jackson county. He says Murphree left Jackson county about a month ago. The Southern Democrat, 7 May 1903 The case of Lewis Gurley charged with the murder of Mrs. Nancy Vaughn, near Oneonta, about a year ago, was nol prossed. The case was set for Wednesday and a special jury had been summoned to try the case. The solicitor stated when the case was called for trial that he didn't believe he had sufficient evidence to convict and that he doubted the guilt of the defendant and would therefore nol prossed the case. The Blount County News-Dispatch, 7 May 1903 Louis Gurley is free. The Solicitor, in nol prossing the case, stated that he did not believe he had sufficient evidence to convict him and that he doubted the guilt of the defendant. Gurley was charged with the murder of Mrs. Nancy Vaughn, near Oneonta, a little over a year ago. The Southern Democrat, 14 May 1903 The case which attracted most attention in the court last week was that of the State vs. Caleb Murphree charged with releasing Lewis Gurley and Mayburn Murphree from the county jail on Jan. 4th. The trial consumed about three days and was of unusual interest because of the fact that a large number of reputable witnesses testified to seeing the defendant on his way to Oneonta on the afternoon preceding the escape. In fact according to the testimony he was seen all along the road from Liberty to Oneonta where it appears he arrived just before night. While according to the testimony of a large number of witnesses, who, so far as was shown to the court, area as reputable as the other witnesses, the defendant was with a sick man near Summit on the evening of the escape. The jury, after being out about eighteen hours returned a verdict of not guilty. The Gurley Case. In nol-prossing the Lewis Gurley case Solicitor Hunt has made himself the object of much unfavorable criticism. As to whether Gurley is guilty or innocent of the charge is not the point. If it was wise to nol-pros the case at the present term of the court why was it not wise to nol-pros it a year ago? The facts before the solicitor were the same then as now. If the defendant was not guilty he should not have been forced to remain in jail all this while. The case has cost the county more than a thousand dollars. This could have been saved if the solicitor had acted upon the case a year ago. He alone is responsible for all this expense. He claims that he did not have evidence sufficient to convict, but he certainly ought to have known that when the indictment was found. His only excuse for the delay is that he was waiting for developments. The holding of Gurley only served to stop further investigation. The people felt that the man who had committed the most heinous crime in the history of the county was in the hands of the law and that no further detective work was necessary. If Gurley had been released at the last Spring term of court the investigation might have continued and the guilty party brought to justice. His release would not have prevented a new indictment being found against him if developments pointed to him as the guilty party. The history of the crime with which Gurley was charged is well known to most of our readers. In the latter part of April, 1902, Mrs. Nancy Vaughn was found dead in her home near Oneonta with a great gash in her head inflicted with a hatchet. After many days of investigation the Coronor's Jury rendered a verdict charging Lewis Gurley with the crime. An indictment was immediately returned by the Grand Jury and the defendant remained in jail from that time until last week when he was discharged except about two months after his escape last January. Who committed the crime? Will it ever by known? If the money spent by the county had been placed in the hands of some good detective the guilty party would doubtless have been brought to justice. The Southern Democrat, 8 Oct 1903 Mayburn Murphree Recaptured. Mayburn Murphree, the convict who escaped from the county jail last January, is again behind the bars. He was arrested at Iron city, Calhoun County one day last week by Sheriff Alldredge who has been making every effort possible to locate him since his escape. Murphree was at Iron City trying to marry again and a letter was written to the Postmaster at Summit inquiring about his character. The letter was sent to the Sheriff and he went immediately after him. Will F. Hendricks of Birmingham, formerly of Blountsville, accompanied the Sheriff and helped to make the arrest. Our readers are familiar with the history of the case. The escape of this prisoner caused the greatest sensation of anything that has ever occurred in Blount County. Besides all the money the Sheriff has paid out to re-captured his prisoner, the cases growing out of the escape have already cost the county several hundred dollars and they are not yet all settled. The Sheriff has spent $400 or $500 in trying to re-capture this noted prisoner. The Sheriff wishes us to state that he is very thankful to the people for their assistance in the matter. Follow up: The case of Nancy Vaughn, like that of Frank Hanna, remains one of Blount County's unsolved mysteries. Did Gurley actually kill Vaughn, or was he unjustly accused? We'll probably never know. No monuments were located in Blount County for Nancy Vaughn, Lewis Gurley, or Mayburn Murphree. Gurley and Murphree probably moved out of the county to escape any lingering ill will. Etta Alldredge's infatuation with Mayburn Murphree was short lived. Perhaps Terry Jackson can be persuaded to make a follow up post on who Etta eventually settled down with. Now a question: Do the subscribers to this board read and enjoy these rather long informational posts or had you prefer only have in your email boxes shorter exchanges related to Q&A on family lineages?

At 09:33 AM 9/30/2006, you wrote: >Now a question: Do the subscribers to this board read and enjoy these >rather long informational posts or had you prefer only have in your email >boxes shorter exchanges related to Q&A on family lineages? I read these and truly enjoy them.... also save them. The RootsWeb sites are a great help with tracking down genealogy information. But also ...... from material such as this they are helpful with learning interesting things about the history of the families and the area. For me, that's important. I'm interested not just in the family tree as an outline with names and dates. I also want to know as much as possible about the circumstances, the local history, and other such things that tell something about how they lived. So, at least for me .............. do keep this kind of material coming. It's GREAT !!!! Carl Thomas Knoxville, Tennessee