The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1869-04-28
4 Murderous Confession.

5. - 4 Murderous Confession.
: The Sherman (Texas) Courier, of
the Sd instant, gives o long account of
the hanging Of two men named
Thompson and Blackmore, for the
murder Of the Missourian in Grayson
county, on the 24th of January last.
They both adG,itted .aeir guilt and
the justice Of their punishment. Their
.dyingadvice is we'll worth the thought
%ful consideration of the youth of the
country. We publish below the con.
fession Of Thomson in full
am to die to-day, and my sentence
is just. | desire to 1.-Two, for life is
sweet and can't say that am afraid
TO die, but I ain not willing to die.
AS lpass off before you, however, and
join the uncounted company beyond
the flood, | desire to administer O
warning to the young men of my coun-
try, that they may turn to good ao-
count.
have lived long enough to attest
from my own experience that mans
circumstances are inexorable, and that
they make him what he is. No man
is independent of the company he
keeps !; he may vainly think so, but
before he is aware of it, that company,
be it good or bad, has moulded him
into it's own image. Young men,
these words, issuing from the trem-
bling lips of dying man, are worthy
of earnest attention!
While yot boy, 1 mingled in bad
company, and can soc now, too late
to improve the lesson it brings, how
ever, that my mind and morals took
on bias, that like the hand of un-
yielding destiny has led me to this
sad and solema hour of my proGtless
history. played at cards and it soon
led into gambling. I took the social
glass with my friends, but soon de-
tected the presence of fondness for
the exhilirating stimulant. It grew
into a habit with me, and not unfre-
quontly I was beastly or wildly intox-
,icated.' Itwas an habitual and per-
sistent Sabbath-breaker; and often
without the knowledge or ooneont of
my parents, would steal off from
home to play at cards, or fish on Sun
days. [ have liveda wild and wicked
life, While the war was going on, I
was with very wicked company, and
did many things along with my COM
rades, ought not have done. u RE-
:" After the war was concluded by q
peacc, went back to my home in
Missouri, but was pursued and driv-
on, away from home; from political
differences and private prejudioes, I
could not live there in peace. I then
came to Texas, thinking Iwould make
this State my home, but not long
afterwards l went back to Missouri,
but | could not stay. Last fall T re-
turned to Texas and felt almost des-
perate. l had been to your State but
u short time when I aided in the COM
mission of the crime for which I am
presently to suffer and die. I am
deeply sorry ! did it, but can't undo
it now. As to Mrs. Mallow, with
whom | was boarding, she is good
woman, and entirely innocent of any
connection ;Whatevor with our crime.
I thought for rawhile thaEf was safe in
the wiekedness r had dome that M
one would aconsa me of aoino the
deed bnt son,ehoy Itbs arS nf GnJ
seemed to Ia mon ma and ~ y al s;n % hos
found mo out. I do beI;eye that a
mans sins. sooner or later blood.
hound-like. will scent I'm j. IA
hunt him down. T have been r,,nn;nr
III sir. a long time, butithaa oyertaken
mo at, last. sn n .,,,3 ,,,,,.I..-u
yaAnd now young men, as T turn