Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1821-05-08

From the st. Genevieve Correspondent.
Confession Of John Duncan, who quaS
executed on the 5th instant at 81.
Aichaet'a, Madison county, .f6r the
murder ofJ. B. Stehhens, his wife, and
tzvo children, on the l5th Of Deem
Der tast.
l, JOHN DUNCAN, now confined in
Madison county jail, and condemned to
be hanged on the 9Th day of the present
month of April, for the murder of Jacky
b. Stephens, his wife and two sons, do
give freely to the world all the circum
stances relative to the murder of the
aforesaid Stephens and family, to wit -
/ arrived at Fredericktown on or about
the twenty ninth day Of September last,
and made Samuel Anthony's house my
home. About two weeks from thence |
went to David l.. Carruthers's, and re-
NAMED at said Carruthers's about FIVE
weeks at which place | had my washing
done, until started 10 leave the country.
From thenceI went to William Anthony's,
and remained there and at David L. Car
ruthers's and Samuel Anthony's altern-
ately, until the thirteenth day OF Deem
Der, it being the day that Stephens and
family were murdered. About one
week after my arrival at Samuel Antho-
ny's, said Anthony mentioned tome, that
Jacky B. Stephens was suspected of hav-
ing stolen sum of money from David l..
Carruthers, and that he (Anthony,) Car
ruthers, and others, had, on suspicion ia
ken said Stephens and whipped him, for
the purpose of making Stephens confess
the theft, but had been unable to make him
do SO; although they had given him about
three hundred lashes l Duncan re-
piled to said Anthony, that thought
they were wrong in whipping him so
much; that after certain number of
lashes, the flesh would become numb,
and could not be felt. Anthony then in
quired of me what plan l would adopt
to make him confess l replied, that
! would have built fire, and place the
bottoms of his feet SO near it as to burn
them; or would dig grave, and take
him 10 it under the pretence of burying
him alive. To which Anthony observed,
that the plan was good one. further
observed, that if Anthony and others
would take Stephens into the woods,
would yet make Stephens confess
Some few days after this conversation,
said Anthony told me that he had spoken
to George Nifong, and that if would go
to Nifong, he (Nifong) would assist me
to get Stephens out, for the purpsse of
making him confess. Invent according
ly to Mr.. Nifong's, and mentioned to
him my business, and that Anthony had
sent me. Nitong answered, that not
much ought to be said about it, that it
should be kept secret. I replied to
Nifong, that | was going to David l..
Carruthers' and would be there in the
evening, when and where, if he would
attend, we could converse on the subject.
He promised that he would meet at said
Carruthers' and did accordingly meet
me there the evening Of the same day.
Previous to Nifong's arrival at Carru-
TIERS said Carruthers came home, and
brought with him spade. On my ask
ing him what he was going to do with
the spade he said, to dig a grave. I
also asked him, if he had heard of the
arrangement made by Anthony, Nifong,
and myself, to get Stephens out for the
purpose OF making him confess to the
taking of his (CarruthersY moneve IN