Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-08-14
THE FAVORITE ISLAND HORROR.
Full and Complete Text Of the Confession
OF the Murderer.
A Tale Of Cold Biooded Atrocity-.Hs Shoots
the Old Man while Laughing
In His Face.
Ho Kills Mrs. 6oods with an Ak, but Did
not Violate her Person.
End Of Career of Blood and Crime.

The following. purporting to be the text
of the confession of Charles Beck, the
Favorite Island murderer, was found on
board the steamer George W. Cheek, on
her up trip, by the officers of the boat,
yesterday. They have no idea who left it
there, nor where it came from. 1t was pub
Iished in its presented form in the E'Ue1l-
ing Ledger yesterday evening. The editor
OF that paper, to whom the manuscript
was given, states that it was "well writ
ten and was doubtless done by member
of the midnight court martial" The
story, so " versciously" circulated by two
or three individuals, and so circumstan-
tally detailed
THE COURT MARTIAL.
We, unknown persons, having duly
organized a court-martial at Favorite
Island, Tunics county, Mississippi, this
10th dRy of August, 1870 after satisfac-
tory evidence, passed sentence OF death
on Charles J. Beck for the murder of Matt
GOode and Mrs. Goode, on the 10th day of
May, 1870. The prisoner made the fol-
lowing
CONFESSION:
I am only eighteen years Of age; was
born in Indiana on the 3ist of March; my
fsther was q farmer; 1 was raised to work
on a farm; 1 was not used to be around a
ago; was with menagerie and circus for
a short time; afterward had been coming
and going, working at different places.
THE FIRST Rad ACT
I committed was on the 23d of July, 1869,
when / stole my brothers horse; l sold
It, was caught and put in jail, and in
about two months one of the other pris-
oners broke Jail and made my escape;
changed my name to William Saunders.
Mr.. GooDR's MURDER.
On the 10th of May killed Mr.. Goode
and Mrs. Goode. 1 killed them directly
after dinner, between / and 2 O'Clock in
the afternoon. / was in the habit of hunt
ing for an hour or SO after dinner every
day, bus that day / took the gun to the
corn-crib, and when the old man came
after the bridles / shot him; he Was look
ing upat me and laughing as pulled the
trigger, but said nothing-neYer spoke
/ he fell dead, got down out of the Ion
and put my hand in his right pocket, and
got s. and some odd cents.
MRS. GOODIES FATE.
left the gun at the crib, with one bar
rel loaded, and went Immediately TO the
house. Mrs. Goode was sitting down by
the fire in her own room, smoking, when
/ went In; told her one Of the cattle was
in hole, and Mr.. G. wanted her to come
ana utlD KtA IL Ouls L NOoA oil nh
and walked behind her into the woods on
the path; then struck her on the head
with the ak, and dragged her to one side
OF the path; when / caught hold of her
body to drag it away, one of her slippers
fell of; afterWard at q short distance the
other came of; / did not move them;
think dragged her ten or twelve feet;
hit her on the side of the head.
SHE FELL AT ONE LICK,
and never spoke nor drew a breath after,
though did not notice much; 1 dragged
her on her back, by her feet, and hsr
clothing slipped up; did not commit q
rape on her, and cannot say how 1t was
that the part OF her clothes under her
were straight, while those over her were
displacsd; did not disturb her remains
She made no noise at all, and mistrusted
nothing; she thought great deal of me,
and / was sorry directly had done it;
had nothing against her; hated to kill
her in the house, and got her outside be-
cause / thought would have ahanee 10
do il behind her back and not look at her.
IN THE HOUSE.
I returned to the house directly after
killing Mrs. Goode. The reason the beds
were not made that day was that Mrs. q,
was busy fixing them-making slips, etc.
Mrs. GOOds sent me to the store on Ar
kansas side for the shot bought there;
do not think any Of it was in either load
Of the gun; but as you say, some shot the
same size as what got at the store was
cut out of the crib-pUncheons, they
might have got mixed; did not buy it to
I kin them.
LEAVING THE ISLAND.
left tho island in their skiH at 3 or 4
O'Clock think-it might have been later
II was confused and could not be quick;
/ took with me wssh-pan and hatchet,
his gun, trunk, watch, some of heI
clothes and her locket; l got $40 in his
trunk; / knew exactly how much money
I be had, because l was with him when ht
changed IL at the store; ] crossed the