Scott County, Tennessee’s History in The New York Times: Part II
The Helenwood Devil
If you’ve read much about Scott County’s history, you’ve undoubtedly encountered tales of the Helenwood Devil. Our own Museum of Scott County even features an exhibit about the storied creature, a giant, creepy looking statue made by Helenwood man Cruise Sexton, which he claimed to have dug up while prospecting for coal. It was such a big story in its day, that it made it to the New York Times‘ August 12, 1921 edition.
500-Pound Winged Image, Dug Up by Coal Prospector,
Perhaps Carved by Cave Dwellers.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Aug 11 – Further information as to the petrified body of gigantic proportions found near Helenwood, in Scott County, Tennessee was received here today…
The freak is described as having a head of abnormal size adorned by horns resembling those of a ruminant…
Sexton believes the object may be an image left by some old tribe of Indians or cliff dwellers.
Click here for a more in-depth look at the Helenwood Devil.
Axe Murder Near Huntsville
About midway through a July 26, 1889 piece called “Telegraphic Brevities,” theTimes reported on an axe murder near Huntsville, TN. It listed the victim as one R.J. Williams, who was engaged to be married. His poor fiance would be left grieving instead, as L.J. McDonald struck Mr. Williams with an axe, nearly decapitating him. He claimed it was in self-defense, but was locked up for it anyway.
Judge Kills Lawyer in Helenwood
Can you imagine the story it would be in Scott County today if our judge shot and killed a young local attorney over remarks made about his wife? According to a Times article, that’s exactly what happened in Helenwood, Tennessee back in July of 1906.
Samuel Parker was a young Helenwood lawyer who played football and baseball for the University of Tennessee. Judge J.B. Fulton was a prominent attorney and politician in Scott County. On July 5th, 1906, as Parker stepped off of a train, he was shot by Judge Fulton, who claimed that Parker had made remarks about Mrs. Fulton. Parker didn’t die instantly, and upon his death bed, emphatically denied the accusations that he had made remarks about Mrs. Fulton, and claimed that he was shot by Judge Fulton without provocation.
Judge Fulton surrendered, though it’s not clear how much time he served, if any.
One Scott Countian Killed on Election Day
We Scott Countians can get really riled up when it comes to politics — you need to look no further than the Scott County Liberals & Friends discussion forum to see evidence of that. But in the November election of 1910, someone in Scott County was killed on election day. As if killings on election day are routine — and they very well may have been back then — there is only one line about the killing in the Times article dated November 10th, which primarily focuses on the results of the election.
The Wheat & Fruit Crops Look Fine
And speaking of politics, it’s hard to believe there was a time in our nation when the Republicans were the “radicals.” It’s true, and in May of 1867 the Times reported that the “radical blacks” of Knoxville, Tennessee held an “enthusiastic” convention, where 800 voters marched to Governor Brownlow’s home. Governor Brownlow — who was interestingly enough pro-slavery and pro-Union — told the group of African Americans that he would “protect them in their rights with all the power in his hands.”
The connection between the two stories isn’t clear, but the Times then goes on to mention that:
Capt. Chambers’ Scott County Militia have been ordered to Anderson County, to remain there during Court, in which several important suits of a political nature are to be tried.
The article ends with a complete non sequitur: The wheat & fruit crops look fine.
