Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1857-07-30


, to the store where the murder ha
been done, over three years before
i Some dozen in all, officers and 9th
ers, were present, the affair beinI
kept secret from the public. Whel
the door was closed, the. bandag,
was removed from The maus eyes
and be found himself, to his uneon
eealable horror and disappointment
in the presence of that stern an(
solemn assembly, and in that lata
store | never saw remOrse or sf
fright so yividly depicted as in hi;
glassy eyes and asby complexion
and when the gag was removed IRON
his mouth be fell upon his knees and
exclaimed:
| %, sirs, what are you going to do
with me?'
Stand up!' said the grey haired
attorney who had come with Us. :
The man bumbly obsyed, though bis
knees trembled and two of us sup
ported him whilo the faint light oI
the two lanterns revealed the agoni-
zing workings of his soul,
'Unlortunate man, said the attor-
ney, we have brought you hither by
night, to place you, face to face with
the man you murdered in this store
more than three years ago.
Il did not murder him; it was
iSilence!' interrupted the attor-
Dey. You were engaged in the
blood business, md you vainly
thought that the Judgment Of God
woald not overtake you because the
eye of man had not seen you, and
you and your companion had fed on
three years cruise. But the blood
of the murdered is ever eloquent
Their spirits often rise from he dead
to point out the guilty. And in this
fearful case, though so long period
has elapsed, the skeleton of John
Hagrer isabout to confront you, and
see if your eyes are sblet rest up
on it, while we bring other and Orer-
whelming proof against you Look
there
Those present stood from before
the guilty mae, aud be now saw upon
the floor, De4r where the murdered
Hagner had been found, something
covered with a. white cloth as~if
dead body or skeleton lay beneath.
!. Shall we remove the cloth?' asked
one.
The question Was superauous, for
the conscience stricken wretch COW
cred his face with his hands, held
his head down, bent nearly double,
and shrank back in terror, screaming
out:
No, no, don't do that II is true.
/ helped to kill him, gentlemen. but
/ didn't stab him. 1t WAS Tom
BoarsoD who did that. ] only beat
him about the face, and if the man
were alive, God knows be would say
so this very moment. Take me
back 70 Jail, gentlemen; it is horrible
to be here. Take me back, and |
viii tell you all just exactly as it
was; but don't make me iook at
that
The wretch shuddered throughout
his whole frame, bis teeth chartered
and his eyes rolled SO that it was
deemed best to comply with his en-
treaty. and be was carried to the Jail.
The rule | had conceived had pro-
we'd effectual. Fright and guilt had
so wrought upon the superstition Of
the man, that doubtless he might
have imagined that if the cloth bad
bafn removed, the grinn;ng skeleton
would have stood up to accuse bin
While he was under the Influence of
his fears, be was placed under oath.
and stated that when the three had
come in sight Of the store, seeing
me, Boarson started the cry of Fire
and when | had gone, they entered,
picking the lock.
Hurriedly striking light, they
descended to the cellar, When Hagner
abruptly refused to do anything
more in the business. He repented
he bad gone SO far; said he bad never
committed robbery and never
would, and in spite of their expostu-
lations and threats, he ran up stairs.
Infuriated by drink and disap-
pointment on the very verge Of seiz-
ing the prize, they rushed after him,
and swore that if be did not tell
where the box OF money was buried,
he should not leave the store alive.