The New York herald., 1870-08-28
STARTLING NARRATIVE OF CRIME.
Confession Of Beck, the Murderer Of tie Gooda
Family How the Murder was Committed
Beck's Career az Told by Himsels-
Fate Of the Murderer.

[From the Memphis Avalanche, August III
Our evening contemporary, the Ledger has
received from the scene or the late lynchinr or
thereabouts what purports to be confession Of
Beck, the murderer Of Dir. and Mrs. Goode. ON
Favorite Island, who was taken from iaii in
Tunica county, Mississippi, few days ago con-
veyed to Favorite Island. and there hanged or
buried alive, as has already been published Tho
confession il prefaced by the following
We, unknown persons, having duly Organized !,
court martial at Favorite Island. Tunica county.
Miss, this 10th day Of August, Is70, after sats.
factory evidence, passed sentence Of death on
Charles j. Beck, for the murder Of Matt Goode and
Mrs. GoOdc, on the 10th day of May, 1870 Tho
prisoner made the following confession IL am
only eighteen years OF age; was born in indiana
on the 3Ist of March; my father was q farmer
was raised to work on the farm; 1 was not used
to be around u town very much; left home "a
long time ago; was with menagerie and circus
for u short time afterwards had been coming and
going, working at different places. The first bad
act COMMITTED was on the 22d of July, 1862 when
/ stole my brothers horse; sold 1t, was caught
and put in jail, and in about two months
of the other prisoners broke jail and / made my
escape / changed my name to William Saunders;
on the 10th of May killed Mr.. Goade and Mrs
Goode; | killed them directly after dinner, he
tween and two o'clock in the afternoon; was
in the habit of hunting for an hour or SO after din
ner evcrv day. but that day took the gun 70 the
corn crib, aud when the old man came after the
brides shot him; he looking up at me and
laughing as pulled the trigger, but said nothing
never spoke--iell dead l got down out OF The
loft and put my hand in his right pocket and gos
five dollars and somo odd cents; left the gon at
the crib with one barrel loaded and went iInme-
diatey to the house; Mrs. Goode was sitting down
by the fire In her own room, smoking, when
went in; told her of the cattle was in a hole
and Mr.. Goode wanted her to come and help get
II out; ] took an axe along and walked behind
her in.o the woods on the path; then struck her
on the head with the axe and dragged her 10 one
side of the path; when caught hold of her body
to drag it away one OF her slippers fell off; after
wards, at short distance, the other came oil;
did not move them; think dragged her ten or
twelve feet; / hit her the side Of the head;
she fell at one lick and never spoke nor drew a
breath after, though l did not notice much;
| dragged her on her back by her feet, and
her clothing slipped up; did not commit u
rape on her, and cannot say how 1t was that
the part of her clothes under her were straight,
while those over her displaced did not dis
turb her remains size made no noise at al, 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, because thought
would have chance to do il behind her back and
not look at her. ! returned to the house directly
after killing Mrs. Goode the the beds were
not made that day was that Mrs. Goode was busy
fixing them--making slips, &C.; Mrs. Goode GENT
me to the store, the Arkansas eide, for the shot
bought there; | do not think any Of it was in
the size of what got ut the store was cut out OF
the crib-puncheons; they may have got mixed /;
did not buy it to kill them left the island in
their skf ut three or four o'clock, think il
might have been later was confused and could
not be quick took with me washpan aud
hatchet, his gun, trunk, watch, some Of her
clothes and her iocket got forty dollars in his
trunk / knew exactly how much money he had,
because was with him when he changed it at the
store l crossed the river at Stewards landing
angling down the opposite side; when landed
tied the skill, and met white man near
the house he told where the General
Anderson would land, aud went with to tho
skf; gave him drink OF wniskey; after
wards small boat came along hailed her n
a0d shot off both barrels of the gun; ! did not
know what boat IL was-could not read the name; ;
! cannot read nor write / took passage to Mem
| phis as William Saunders on this l put on Mr.
| Goodies pants boots and coat before left nv
own coat put in the skin To sit on some niggers
came to the bank when hailed the boat they
helped me with the trunk, and | gave taem tho
skiG until called for il /; | offered TO sell the ski
10 the white man saw at first, but he said he had
use for it; my coat, the washpan and hatchet
were in the skill when gave it TO the niggers, bot
said nothing bout them; took quart of whis-
key away with me from the island; L got il out Of
the demijOhn. and did not open the faucet of the
barrel to let the whskey run out: had been
thinking over the deed for q week or two before
there were none directly or indirectly concerned
with me IN it, and never mentioned it to the
other man VINO was working with me there did
not Kill him he left OF his own accord have no
doubt yon can find him al his house now did AZ
good work as any one could ; l worked out my
r..
OF four dollars, which be would pay me at any
moment. He and she were very agreeable ana
never once spoke cross word TO me. was
always used to company and after the other man
friends. wanted TO get back home again I
thought il would take too long To get money
enough TO go. knew he had only little money
and killed them both to get out ofIny distress.
INDIANA HORSE STEALING.
got to Memphis next day and left same day in
the cars Tor Washington county, Indiana To NV
friends. | stayed there three or four weeks
Afterwards stole Mr. Kitchon's horse, about Eve
or six weeks ago. went there at night and took
him for spite, because Mr.. Kitchon would not let
me stay there at my brother ern-aw's house after
broke jail for horse stealing in 1869. He said be
would have me arrested again il l STONED there
| took the horse to my uncle's brothers, about
100 miles distant from Grcensburg Decatur
county, Ind, where my father stays. They ASKED
me no questions about the horse. / was arrested
the same night. | had only one or two dollars
in money when wasarrested. These three
acts are all / ever committed. did everything
Oy myseli had no accompIices and never belonged
70 any organization nor to any band OF horse
thieves or anything else. II stood trial thought
1t would not be a hanging matter, because no orr,
was on the island to see commit the murder
] joined the North Methodist church once; 1
thought had religion; they gave me six weeks
trial before being baptized; did not remain i.
member long. do not expect any mercy here,
but think ! have hope of it hereafter. have
no message 10 send to any OF my family relations
asked my brothers. pardon before leaving, be-
cause knew | would have to die when came
here. consider the sentence passed upon me az
lust, and that the proceedings have been con-
Quoted in justiiable and fair way. | do not
wish TO pray now. / prayed frequently for for
glvcness while | was in jail never confessed
any thing to my kinsfoiks about the murder; taey
accused me oft, but never told them whether +
did 1t or no. | want yon TO write them how |
died, and tell them 90 take warning by me. Tell
my father advise him to meet me in heaven 1
think am saved--rcady 10 die, and my way is
clear. Tell al! my friends | think I shall get
there, and write to Matt Mickey, Greensbure. Ind
and tell him what time was hung.
FATE or THE MURDERER
The statement concludes as folows:--He y,s
executed by hanging at the corn crib where ho
murdered the old man Goodo. The body was jeft
hauging until claimed by the proper authorities.