The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1866-12-12
From the Chester Standard.
Confession Of London Jones, Freed
man,

III giving Tue following CONCESSION OF
the above named notorious robber and
murderer, it is necessary that | should
state that have given the facts as nearly
as / can, IN his own words, and that I
assume no responsibility, as to the truth
: fitness of his statements. They were
made to me voluntarily on his part, and
with the knowledge that it was my in
teniion to make them public. He says:
81 was born IN Newberry District,
-. S. c., and am now about twenty-five
years Of age. Ny mother is living, as
y. also my vile. have no children. |
formerly belonged to Mr.. Lambert Jones,
Of NewbeTry District. I knew Belton
Cline from boy, and regard him as
wanting in good sense. l Joined the
Methodist Church, South, some years
ago, under the ministry of the Rev, j. R.
Pickett, bat being hired out to persons,
who treated me roughly, I soon lost all
religious concern and became reckless.
In 1864, went into the army with my
= Young Master and remained with him
,~ until :he close IF the war. About the
:. 1st Of April / moved to Columbia. But
- before that, on the Monday night before
- last Christmas, helped to kill Jas. Cure
- ton. Ny gun was near his body when |
sEtired. He dieda few days afterwards,
. pz and If it was but shot that killed him,
! then ] am the man ahat killed him, for
my gun was loaded with buck shot. We
went iRte The house after George Broom
who had married Cureton'S daughter, ia-
* tending 10 shoot him, bat he got away.
- he did not Intend to rob the house, or
Ss.insRlt the females. Belton Cline brought
Morris toSule in Columbia, and through
their persuasion, I agreed to 60 to CheS-
Ter to rob Mr.. A. D.. Walker. This was
on Friday night before the murder of Mr.,
,tss Walker Inever saw Morris until that
night. It was not our Intention to kill
<1sssMr. Walker, but only to ROB him. We
,seame on Sunday night by the train. fIom
Z. Gelnmbia. Morris gave us "a hiSkey,
sblt / vas not drunk-i Knew all I was
doing perfectly well. Morris laid the
plan, and we did jnst as we were told to
DO. bumped on MrWalker first, while
Belt ran after Mr. Estes. He (Walker)
esturnedz suddenly. around and asked,
- What do you mean ?''- threw him
: down and by that time Norris and Belt
4 both came. L then started after Estes,
y andswhen.I had got about huudred
yards heard pistol fire. / believe
fhatBelteH= Clinelsh"t Mr.. Walker, as
Norris was very angry abo0t his being
killed and left as imtnediately. Belt and
= 81 then went on to the house, and l shot
- athe pistol IA 10 the house, for the=purpoSe
of soaring Estes. Wedid not intend to
. sSkill Mrs. Walker or Estes, as we easily
.cOuid hare done so if we wished. cut
sths wardro5er with an axe We got only
,-$6.S5 in money, besides the watch and
clothing As we came back Belt ran
. his hand IN Mr.. Walkers pocket and got
Cent two dollars more. This happened
con the night Of the 22ud Of July:l On
the following Wednesday we went into
the neighboFhoodSof Ar. Lane in New
berry, and watched fer chance to mur-
lderand rob him until Friday night, when
we accomplished it.%There was six of
rs altogether, { Nr. Clinton; G. e., in
Chester hastheir names on affidavit made
4byLendoa on Friday morning Just be-
Ecre=.his 9execution.) We intended TO
murder Mr.. Lane, and then rob the house.
Norris waked hiln.up in the yard where
- he was sleeping, aid By agreement made
before haud, while he was talking to him,
ISIipped around behind him ana struck
him on the head with an axe. The Grst
: bloTsk killed him, bat hit him the second
time to make sure, work il. Belt and
Ithen went through the. house, hunting
the money, the most Of which we gave
60 Morris who put it in . carpet bag.
We pat some into our own pockets and
HAT was alive ever got. had some
$500, and afterwards Belt gave me 500
more, in all $500, Ihave- seea Nor
isiS since that night. Belt and / went to
=. Petersburg, Virginia, where,I spent the
u1ostsof my money gambling" .,-.-..3
:, The above are the leading particulars
b. efcriIae, as detailed bv London 10 me
D. within q few days Of his execution and
!. = wesleaYe our readers to form their own
Judgement as 10 their reliability. The
+ circumstances connected with his appre-s
.lhension. triaE and escape from prison,
and rezcapt1re, are all TOO we'll known to
need repetition here. 0f@one subject
alone in connection with the prisoner
we shall. speak, aud thatiS EiSrepentaace, !
aud hszapparent ebansc in, bis moral
character. Soon after sentence ofzdeath
was passed upon him, / was, seat for to
. visit hiInin the prison. found him in
=. great distress of mind and apparently
very aesir6uS of religious instruction. |
He seemed have an imperfect, but !
- real sorrow for the sins IF his past life,
This eudeayopred to excite still more,
and tabored frSt ofalf- to show him the
horrible natGre of the crimes he had
committed. He confessed / is ignorance
ofaA religious experience-that he did
not know how to pray-and that he was
afraid to stand in the presence Of God
with al his sins resting upon him. =
asked him iGshe lad not had miSgiying>
- oEc0nSeience, vi iSt pursuing his course
efscgine.s Hesreplied that he had beer
reckless, and did not tat that time1 care
? what might happen to. him.- Bat now
he had time to reflect, and could not
think of the certain approach Of Geattr
without alarm. knew the difficulty Of
thetaSk before me, and sought on the
- one hand toseneonrage him 10 pray and
hope for pardon; ando on the other not
= to be IRhaSte TO conclude. that God had
forgiven him. 4 large part Of Friday
(the day of his execution) morning
spent With him in his cell, and left him
an.hour. or Sabeforeshe was taken ont,
wilh an humble hope that God had been
mercifnl even to sozyileoa sinner as him
SELF He expressed great gratitude for