by Wesley Harris
A standing-room-only crowd gathered in late April at the Union Museum of History and Art in Farmerville for a presentation exploring the life and legend of Louisiana outlaw John Murrell, widely known as the “Reverend Devil.”
The program, delivered by Ellen Abercrombie, drew on years of research compiled by her late husband, Wayne Abercrombie. Together, their work examines Murrell’s shadowy presence across the Old South in the early 19th century, including Louisiana, where he allegedly operated an extensive criminal network.
Abercrombie outlined both documented history and enduring folklore surrounding Murrell, describing him as a multifaceted figure—slave stealer, burglar, counterfeiter, river pirate, horse thief, gang leader, and even a fraudulent camp meeting preacher. She emphasized the difficulty of separating fact from myth, noting Murrell’s story exists at the intersection of criminal record and regional legend.
Murrell used the “Neutral Strip” between Spanish Texas and Louisiana as a hideout. The Neutral Strip, also called the Neutral Ground or No Man’s Land was a disputed area between Spanish Texas and the United States’ newly acquired Louisiana Purchase. Local officers of Spain and the United States agreed to leave the Neutral Ground temporarily outside the jurisdiction of either country. The area, now in western Louisiana, therefore had no controlling government so thieves and murderers found it a secure hiding place.
A significant portion of Abercrombie’s presentation focused on “Murrell’s Cave,” long rumored to have been used as a hideout and storage site for stolen goods and buried treasure. According to Abercrombie, the cave system—described in historical accounts as large enough to house men, horses, and supplies—was later destroyed by the U.S. Forest Service in the mid-20th century due to safety concerns. Remnants of the site lie within what is now Kisatchie National Forest.
The cave legend fueled decades of “treasure hunting” across central Louisiana, particularly in the Kisatchie forest. Abercrombie recounted how generations of local families—including her own—followed cryptic maps and “waybills,” searching for hidden caches marked by carved trees and coded symbols. While hunters have uncovered relics such as tools, metal fragments, and other artifacts, no verified treasure trove has ever been found.
Murrell’s alleged organization, said to involve hundreds of associates, relied on such maps and markers to conceal and recover stolen wealth. Yet, as Abercrombie noted, logging, land development, and the passage of time have erased many of the original clues, further deepening the mystery.
Treasure hunting within the national forest is now prohibited.
Murrell’s fate remains uncertain, with competing theories suggesting he was killed by his own gang, escaped abroad, or quietly disappeared. He is traditionally believed to have died in 1854, though definitive evidence is lacking.
For attendees, the program offered both a historical account and a reminder of how deeply legends are woven into regional identity—where history, mystery, and storytelling continue to overlap.
**Several books have been written about Murrell. While out of print, they may be available at your local library:
Reverend Devil: Master Criminal of the Old South by Ross Phares
The Great Western Land Pirate: John A. Murrell in Legend and History by James L. Penick
Treasure Hunting: The Bandit of Murrell’s Caves by Walter Bruce
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