The New York herald., 1870-09-01
THE scAFFOLD.
Execution Of Murderer in Missouri- Els Con-
fession Written By Himself

IRON Tue ~ Louis Republican, August 90
Tue report OF the execution OF skaggs Tor murder
At b00mheld, Mo-, has excited profound interest
ana tne aIalr promises to become the leading Grim
nal sensation or the day. In this connection the fol-
lowing document will be read with interest 10 was
found In the pocket OF the condemned man after he
was hanged. One Of The pages was missing. The
aocument was folded up In an old number OF the
YO"n0 Keeper, little religious paper published by
the AmerIcan Baptist Pubic alton Society One OF the
the Arms OF Jesus, :; bore evidence of having been
frequently studied. The statement given lierdta
ct Certatir1:--
Ny recollection is went to Tennessee In Noyem-
Der last ana was absent three weeks. When came
Dack rom tennessee was told by Il. Clark that Tor
the work that lie and H. Il. Ozark had done on the
road Amounted TO $4,000, and that the Board of Dl-
rectors had issued written order for II be paid
out OF the first earnings OF the tolls OF the road Then
he said he would pay Inc as soon as he could ana no
dld roln the road. And further lie SAID 10 me that
H. f. Clark said to HIM that II Richardson nferlered
WIN ms order as II. ~ Clark was president OF the
company, 10 do likewise unto him, as ne had told
him. l asked him what he mad told nim. lie said
tnere was an understanding for MIN TO stode or put
out oI Inc. Things went on sometime. as IT WAS
supposed that Richardson woui come IN IN the alb
sence OF a.. e. c. ana take iun perSession OF The
road while h. E. q. was gone TO Texas he started
the same day cot back rom Tennessee IN Novein.
ber.l After II. Il. g. lett Richardson came Ia and
was appointed treasurer OF the company. Them ses
tnat tue order thoJ was passed Tor Ii. r. 4. Clark's
benefit. should not be paid. tnat there wasan't no
Clark Richardson, nothing but Richardsou, and
never paid f. CLARK not u dollar on the 80, 900 order
Dy Tue BOARD OF dyreciors ana further said that r.
Clark wasanit nobody but hired hand ana woident
any +. 4. OrucrS. Ilcn ille
In good fashion; then j.. q. said that he by a oath
wold DO what was talked, that was, he OH XIII htn
Tor thls reasln he had let Clark and Richardson
nave OF his own money and naa their Obligations for
sI7o0 OK there abodt Richardson told i. Clark so
ne said, that there was no Clark Richardson. II.
Il. I. nad got into trouble by law suits, ana had
made 1t what they hal all over 10 Richardson.
Ihen RICHARDSON SAID ne owned mne shares in the
company, which Is two-thlfds OF thc property, and
he tk.) took fnll possession of the road From the
time he took hoia Of the road treasurer the books
told that they had been out 3,2JO had gone soluc-
where not a dollar to Il. Clark. Tnis was m De-
cember sometime. Then 4. c. came To me; sad
about the same words sad heretofore and further
tod me that never would get dollar 0i mine and
DR.. Skaggs, deceased. ! at tnat time held Clark tS
Richardson's obligations In part a. administrator or
a coparnershlp oil -. M. and j. H. i5Aaegs not lar
from the som Of s5,o3291. went oln 10 Richardson
Tor money 10 pay on debts that we had furnished the
road FUNDS with his Obligations. He told me CLARK
II. f. had no write 10 sign his name TO IT,
tne ROAD TO the amount OF 5000, then the
remainder OF tue DEBT which was S3,U32 92
heid bound ne-hali OF the toIes over ana above
mortgage tndt ozark Richardson neld on the road.
Then he SAID tbaV the Skaggs family have had the
bun by the horns long a num- told hun over the
left sholder We have had it. Then he made iun OF
me and Told me mat he mad the bull by the norns
ana mat lie had furnished Clark II. T.. $4,000
ni.eeh M. M years ago. and mat he was going 10 nave
MS money nrst Then looked and saw our debts
coming on ne; then consulted with lawyer con-
corning #.
and the lawyer came 10 the conclusion to make
MN gave bonds aS tresherer OF The company. At
the meeting OF the board he refused to give bonds
as tresherer Oil the ground tnat n would bind him
up 100 cioast, and IL void bring things to bear that
should or ought not come, ana then he postpond t
!or some 'ime. Then II was told TO 4. O..
that Richardson had told him that he
Was not gong to give security, for he
had tho thing Ia his own hands, and had nine
shares and the papers; anu II he could not do
was to move the board, &c. THIS was in the
latter pait Of December. f. G. at the same time
stated that ne tiiiehar,sonl was going to move his
family nom Tennessee. and take perseshion OF the
Clsrkton farm. and stated that he shond move
hls family there. because he would Kill hlm first.
said, 'aIl right with me, Tor see how ne is man.
aging and working. the rascalr and further stated
l nor the widow tOr SSaes's wire) can't make
nothing OF NV hun, he isant notnns but q banS-
ana widow and ofen children, ort 10 die, q man that
wan pay his debts by taking the bankrup law, and
to be ded. Then joined in with Frank ana he said
he could kill hun AID torcher MS body alter with
when the dam old sun OF a bitch come here IN ffiy
seven, he came barcfooted as good. and ses we
bought him shoes fother, ses he, you know sence
you came here he never mas put dollar the road
ses tnat Is all So, Tor ] was on The road part OF
two years as toll geather, therefore the
ns% what s al rVSsa %sa o4 y nS aooaH and
tlme Richardson started home 10 Tennessee.
Then r. O. came to me and told me, and
heard 1t from some others, tnaJ he was gone home
70 move bus family 10 Ciarktou, NO., he stated
outher tnat ne was going to move into house that
was none by tue name OF the Page house, further
stated that he had built the house with his own
funds and no man as such should hund over him in
such way and said he would be dam II he didn't
put hln OUT or the way, and asked me II woldn'J
assist him In so dong. 1 told hum .of cOrsen as he
had acted The damned rascal with me and isabella
Skaggs; and In fact had ingerred me greatly: ana
further, told him had plenty of guns, ana would
let MIN have one at any time; sad all right. Then
while Richardson was gone home IN Tennessee, we
Talked the matter over again, and Ia the converse
lion he told me he had like 10 had him Killed at
the lnill. one day not long since. 1 asked him by
whom, ana lie said by >. L. LOoman; but the dam
coward never had spunk enui TO do it there SO
IL passed on Tor some time until Richardson
come back from Tennessee, and on the same
evening +. Z. came down to the store and told
me tine dam old pup has come Docke, ana
told me be was gong TO move his family
to NJ. shore o nur aud stated his family woid
come IN about week or more, and told me 10 have
a gun reddy, and alter supper he would come down;
that he had aust right 10 treat him as he chose |
then got gun and loaded and sot Il aside then
want To my supper from tho store Aud after sup
per went back to the store IL was after dark, and
then waited small tline and so he never cafne.
tRen Went up In town and meets f., then asA
him why he never come down TO the store (go one.
A. Our excuse was he was 90 bring bis pQQks sgd
we was TO pretend TO be settling and cofhbaring
our bo0kes 10 geather (s0 as he could settle with
some mill hands for cxcuse, he have not had
supper yet, then this was the conversation that
Skaggs il IN town, ses want to see the Buck the
Buck owes me anu the widow some money, then 1
ses to +. o. while step aside 10 STOOL step and tell
him 10 come here, OF he went and brought him.
ask him II ne was moving, ana he said he was.
JACKSON, NO., July rs, 1870.
This Is a true statement who swore loalts against
me on trial at Bloomfield court house, Mo-, In the
months OF June and July, while trial, 10 wits.
F. Looman swore lies from The commencement OF
his testimony to the last OF il. 2 to witt The negro
that was brought against me Is witness stated a lie
and talts rom the beginning TO ending to wit: X.
1innen, from Kennett, Mo-, stated thai tried to
brbe him, as Jailor to let me go, that not so he
stnmped or was poasted on that he stated by some
unnone toungue. 4 to wit: Mr.. Tichener of Clark.
ton No., stated on oath that came TO his dwellings
room ABOUT one hour before the shooting and stuck
my head IN at the door aud ask where Frank Skaggs
was that lie he testified to, for was not there
that night lie did not there, to the rest
OF his testimony have nothing 10 say concerning it.
NOW as TO the witnesses that gave In tes-
tlmony against / haven't got one ord 10 say
against them. Looman swore | tried repeatedly To
bribe him TO XIII X. Negro swore tnat just as he
left Ed. Je6er's heard gun Hred and about five
minutes after met him at fun speed with gun in
my hand and spoke 10 him, ana the truth IS was
not on that road.