Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-02-09

The Last Hours of Stephens. the Wne-
Murderer Statement OF Rev.Ar. knapp
and Mr. Skinner.
| Rev. II. ", Knapp and Mr. Charles Z. Skinner,
| in compliance with the request of sephens. hass
published statement in relation 20 ms las. noe
| The Substance If their statement Il. that on the
day preceding his execution their entire attention
was directed 70 bis spiritual welfare, including ef'
forts to induce him 10 confess the murder Ut ms
wife if guilty; that Stephens seemed % expert.
ence realizing sense of his condition that early
| in the interview he proposed season 1T PRAYER,
AMI rising frum his knear, desired u hymn ~ I
sung after which he voluntarily stated that the
pistol was given 10 him Tor The purpose Vi c"ui-
hitting suicide but that it would do no good to
Iseutiun names. He socmnIy denied ANY in'en.
ton .f using it ON the keeper Or warden. aud SAID
he once kheit down t. use il on himself. when he
believed tie hand of God stayed him. lie then
said Il know nothing Of any means used to pro-
ducc my wife's DEATH The gentlmen making
the statement say: This Confession Of sin before
God was markel by tho presence of the Holy
Spirit; he aliured all merit in himself, and plead
alone that righteousness which is Ut Christ. For
the first time since the pistol development OF Mon-
day VIC realized marked change in the man.
stephens passed the day in uninterrupted rel-
gious services until his friends left him ut half
past four T.. NJ At nall psst eleven =. NJ they re-
turned with Rev Mr. Camp, and found him sitting
The sueerngs al Jeshs in the garden of Gethse-
name. lie wcpt. but soon changed to subject Of
joy. The statement describes the religious serv-
ce> which occupied most of the night, and says
Stephens expressed great anxiety that missioDa
~ should be sustained tn labor among the prison
ers At the 1umbs. The statement concludes as fol-
lows
Toward, the tnemeu; # preparation, anid the
frequent entrcatieS of friends that he wonii con-
H. Il l,J ba
gained hi, comvo-ure AMI cheerfulness when the
Sheriff led him firth. As he made the rapid pas.
sage from the cell 10 the gailnws, lie repcated.-
I'm, Is npnsht - mel am going home At
thr moment before death he answered the qucs-
t, rrp,o G II am innocent of the death. or Of
any kunwledse concerning the death Of my wife
hy poison. This as he had promised, aud he
Las g1ne n h.- God
W. are all pressing onward 10 the judgment
scat ii Christ, Il will Le known in thar day how
much has beef done flr he praise Of man and how
ht.e for the glory of Cod. We soleunly believe.
an MT without, lust cause, that Jas. Stephens was
guli:ie>s .! his w,fe's murder"
IiALsEY W. kNApr,
No. les v es. Thirty fourth st.
CmAs. f.. SKINNER.
No LIS East Twentieth 1t.
New York, Saturday. Feb. 1, 1860.
II will he seen that the statement is not signed
Nv Rev. Mr.. Camp. The third clergyman attending
on stephens, an.i We heiicve that gentemnn's i'm
preston with relation to Stephenss innocence ARE
different from these ct Messrs. Knapp and Skin
ner. 1t Goc> NOT appear that Stephens made any
exclamation at tie mnnner in which Sanchez ob-
talaei possession ii the pistol found in his hands
1t Is evident however, that both prisoners we're
enIfsedin the plot, waaever it was. Or Sanchez
w"uld not have known that Stephens had pistol
Stephens APP ear. to have thrown no light on ihis
subject. or To have made any alluson to is.Ne,s
R"h Post