Pointe Coupee Democrat. [volume] (False River [i.e. New Roads], Parish of Pointe Coupee [La.]) 1858-1862, 1860-06-23
NO. "a.

Is the confession OF Mathew Hues, a
policeman, who was executed in New
Orleans on Friday, the 18th, for the
murder Of young man named Henry
&. Hyams, on the night of the Sth Of
; November last:
= PARISH Prison, CONDEMNED CELL,
t June ii, 1860
; Ihos E. Adams, Esq, Chief of Police:
f Dear Sir have been condemned to
: death tor the unprovoked murder of
) young Hyams. Before die, | desire to
| state to you the facts connected will.
f his death-not to cndeavor to cxtcnuatc
my guilt but that | may not appear to
the public as more of criminal than |
am.
You will remember meeting me on St.
Charles street on the afternoon of the
day that Hyams was killed. You saw
that | was drinking and ordered me-
I home | started with the full intention
OF going home and remaining; but on
my way fell i'll with officer --who
| induced me to take another drink, and
! from whom | borrowed rcvolver-but
with no intention Of harming any one.
Soon after this, fell in with Wolff, who
had also been drinking, and we started
to SO on tro!ic together. We came to
tic door where Hyams and the two other
young men were sitting, when Wolff
commenced quarrcling with them, and
slapped one III the face. lie drew his
pistol but afterwards put it back with
| out firing. When l came up, after the
officer had spoken tos me, | drew my
pistol, when Hyams turned to go into
the house: then /. fired my pistol, but
with no intention of. hitting him, but
merely to frighten him. l then ran, in
order to avoid the officer and did not
think had hurt Hyams until | was ar
rested and told by the officers what |
had done
For this crime have had d fair trial,
been convicted, and tomorrow morning
| am to be hung
| acknowledge the ,justncss of nv
sentence, and that merit my punish
mcnt.
| can do nothing now to attone for
the terrible injury | have done to the
family and friends Of poor Iyams; but
while | stand lowering over my grave,
within but a few short hours of eternity,
and by a terrible and ignominious death,
| beg OF them to find some pity in their
hearts for me, and, if they can, forgive
me.
They can never know how earnestly
when alone in my dreary cell have
prayed God to forgive me for my crime,
and how / have besought Him for the
rest and eternal peace of him whom
have slain, nor how willingly | would
walk to the gallows tomorrow, could
NY death restore him to life.
am not a hardened criminal-this
was my first of1ense-and had | not
oeen deeply intoxicated, | should never
nave committed it. For this trust the
public will look with all tie leniency
hey can upon my case when am dead
md not regard me as one who took the
lie of a fellow being merely to crafty
/ ficndish passion or dcpraved heart.
feel that have forfeited my life to
he law, and am contented Iosdie; and |
rope that, aided by all of tie consola-
ions Of religion, to die like man, heart
'rokcn and pcnitcnt for his sins, vet
rusting through merciful Saviour for
happy and peaceful hereafter.
1t has givens me great pleasure, in
his time Of my extremity, to know from
ou that my brother-officcrs who have
erved with me SO long under you, have
OF entirely forgotten me, but have com
he'd with the last wish / can make of
lem, to give my body decent and
'hristian burial: May they never know
ne terrible bitterness Of an end like
line, and may my unhappy fate he
'arnlng to them to forever shun the
egradng habit of intoxication, which
as brought me, so early, to an iguomin-
ns death.
TO yourself, Captain Fremaux, and
Il the officers of the prison, to Mr.. Du-
ur, my counsel, and all who have
,own me kindness, with heart filed
it'll gratitude bid you all a last eter-
Il farewell. My obligations to Father
ufan and others, who have laborcd so
ndly to prepare me for death, can not
: expressed in words. May their re-
ard come from Heaven, where fondIy
pc may meet you all hereafter
Ec my body to my dear wife, and let
be inferred in the Fourth District
'tho''c Cemetery, where she may some
nes come and weep over the grave of
I misguided and unfortunate husband.
MATHEW = ] HUEs.
L 4