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- [S78] Atchley Funeral Home Records, Volume I, 1930-1954, Larry D. Fox, (Smoky Mountain Historical Society), 4 agu 1944.
Pfc. Robert Marion Robertson obituary
- [S106] The Mountain Press, 14 Sep 2009.
Authors detail infamous case; Saturday is 60th anniversary of Perry’s Camp murders
by JEFF FARRELL
Two longtime law enforcement professionals have turned their expertise to a local case that captivated their attention as children and remained in their minds for 60 years.
Steve Watson, deputy chief of the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office, and retired FBI agent R.S. Allen collaborated to write “The Perry’s Camp Murders,” detailing the murder of Charles Perry and Josie Law. They’ll be signing copies of the book starting at 10 a.m. Saturday — the 60th anniversary of the murder — at the site of the crime on Flat Branch Road. The building where the murders happened isn’t there any more, but the signing will take place next to a water wheel on the property.
The case was one of the most memorable in years for Sevier County, according to both authors. People gossiped about some details, including that Perry had been beaten and tortured before he was murdered, but after that initial talk they had few opportunities to learn more. Two of the men accused, Claude Robertson and Hermie Lee Jones, pleaded guilty shortly after the trial started while the third was released.
That meant few details came out during the trial, and there were no appeals to result in transcripts or additional facts getting added to the record.
“There were things I heard about it, about the torture and that kind of thing, and there weren’t details beyond what was in the paper at that time,” Allen said. “I wanted to know the details, and I wanted to write about them.”
“I remember the matter because of the way Perry was tortured and so forth, and there was all kinds of talk about it,” Watson recalled.
“It scared everybody, even the children at the time.”
Those memories stayed in their mind throughout their careers, and after talking about it last year they decided to put together a book about the crime.
For longtime observers of the court, and police procedure, the story highlights some of the changes that have happened in the meantime. The defense attorneys accepted the plea agreement shortly after hearing evidence that might not have made it to court under today’s rules — after an initial search of the Jones home, authorities returned while no one was present and found some of the most damning evidence, including items that appeared to have been taken from the crime scene.
Watson and Allen reviewed old newspaper clippings and other records to compile their own time line of events, and talked to people who knew the victims and the perpetrators. While the established motive for the crime was robbery — authorities believed the men tortured Perry to find out where he was hiding a large sum of cash — Allen and Watson believe there was a feud between Robertson and Perry.
“There was bad blood between those guys,” Allen said. “I think revenge was his primary motive.”
For more information on the book and the book signing, or to order a copy, go to theperryscampmurders.com or call 877-289-2665.
n jfarrell@themountainpress.com
- [S112] Census, 1920.
Name: Claude E Robertson
Residence: , Sevier, Tennessee
Estimated Birth Year: 1910
Age: 10
Birthplace: Tennessee
Relationship to Head of Household: Son
Gender: Male
Race: White
Marital Status: Single
Father's Birthplace: Tennessee
Mother's Birthplace: Tennessee
Film Number: 1821762
Digital Folder Number: 4390948
Image Number: 00263
Sheet Number: 14
Household Gender Age
Parent Francis M Robertson M 41y
Parent Sarah A Robertson F 38y
Claude E Robertson M 10y
Lucy J Robertson F 8y
Lida Robertson F 7y
Tip Robertson M 6y
Eunice Robertson F 5y
Mattie Robertson F 4y
Marion Robertson M 3y
Hazel M Robertson F 2y
- [S75] Atchley Funeral Home Records, Volume II, 1955-1973, Larry D. Fox, (Smoky Mountain Historical Society), 3 May 1964.
Robertson, Claude E 55 div b. 4-1-09 TN d. 5-3-64 State Penitentuary Davidson Co f. F M Robertson m. Alice Rambo P-Forge Cem Survivors: 1 bro Tip Emert 6 sis Mrs Royce Loveday Mrs Henry Householder Mrs Swinfield Conner Cleo King Mattie Lafollette Eunice Robertson.
- [S34] In the Shadow of the Smokies, Smoky Mountain Historical Society, (1993), 329.
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