The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1870-09-17
The Confession Of T'he0pEaiEuas
w. Evans, Under tfae' GaiioEs.

&&A 49,
The Confession Of TheophiEns
w. Evans Under the GaiioWs.
When asked " Have you anything to add
to what you have already said in the way
Of a confession?' he answered have"
He was reminded, in the strongest terms,
not. to implicate any one with TIE hope OF
being released or pardoned. His answer
was "Lwish to confess the whole matter
I was persuaded to kill Captain Hayes"
The question was asked Who persuaded
you to ommit the deedT His answer
was 1.-The Mayos.n Again he was remind
| ed'teYou. cannot prolong your life by iri'pll-
eating any one. As you have TO he 3udged
before God, do not adj to. yeas crime By
impIcalng' innocent persdns:" He was
then asked (Which Of the Mayos infilen-
ced you s" His answer was "Claudins and
Henry Mayo made me drunk and urged me
to xiii him" He was, asked Did they
paw YOU to- do til" His answer was mo,
thew persuaded me to Go it. L hope God
may forgive me for the deed"
CURLIE- C. DUSON.
+ Mr.. Edftor:-It is our request that the
above be published in your next issue: =
R. f. LITTELL.
G. C. DUSOM
Opelousas. Sept 9Th, 1870
The above communication appeared in
the Opelousas Courier of the 10th inst.
We had hoped. that the excitement which
has pervaded this community for some
weeks past would be allowed to- subside, af-
the summary execution Of r. w. Evans on
the 5thsinst.. Three tragicaT deaths in this
small town within the short space Of three
weeks, in this era Of law and order are
enough, God knowst What good purpose
the publishers of this one, among the many
contradictory statements made by Evans
propose to accomplish cannot be seen. We
find it strange that the 0pe1ousas Courier
should have consented to publish this one,
without giving the other confessions also,
as they were referred to in the first question
asked, viz "Have you anything to add
to what YOU have already said in the way
of a confession z" How will the readers
of the Courier know what had already been
confessed And we End it stranger still
that that gaIlows confession should be signed
by Mr.. Curlie G. Duson and ii alone pub.
lished at his request, a gentleman who in
conjunction with Messrs. E.. 0. Hayes, Jas.
M. White, C. W. Foreman, VIM. Harmon
and other gentlemen, acted most nobly in
quoting the friends of Capt. HAYES, and in
attempting to sustain law and order in our
midst. Those gentlemen had assured US
that in the event Of an armed party COM
ing into town for the purpose of hanging
Evans, who would not listen to their en-.
treaties for law an Order that no questions
should be asked him. For they had all
publiely expressed their entire satisfaction
with. the confessions which he had made
while in prison when quiet, calm and sober
before witnesses who had questioned him
for hours ut a time and reduced his confes.
.sions to writing.
Thew also said that they knew Gas does all
intelligent men) that the miserable vaga-
bond and assassin would not hesitate to lie,
with the rope around his neck when he
saw around him a large body of armed men
whom he knew to be. the friendsssof Capt.
HAYES, hoping thereby that the armed par
ty might leave him in search of parties i'm
plicated, and he might have a possible
chance to escape, or prelong his days.
AS " fnkk DbASCttfClJI Via w tJdAC I'LL
drunk, we defy any one to- say that they
have ever seen or known of either one of us
drinking with him at any time OF place, or
under any circumstances; and we further
defy any one to say that they have ever
seen or known of his drinking or getting
any liquor in Mayo's drug store.
We hereby, in the presence of Almighty
God, and before men, most solemnly assert
our innocence of that assassination in any
manner, shape or form. And we have yet
to hear of the first intelligent and UMPIRE
JUDGED person who believes that we had
anything to do with it in any way. Meth
er Dc we believe that any such person after
they know the facts in the whole matter,
can believe any such thing. NJ
To these who are attempting for political
purposes to send abroad throughout the par
ish the impression that we are implicated
in that matter and that we have left the
parish, allow us to say that as we have
done nothing wrong we fear no danger
here, and we do not intend to- leave, but to
i'm future as in the past and prove to the
world that we are and ever have been
peaceabIe law abiding citizens, aud that
truth and innocence can and viii prevail.
We also want the people of this parish
to know that at no time after the killing Of
our brother byaCapt. Hayes, and before his
assassination, orsince that event, did we en-
terrain or encourage any design Of person,
al violence on him or any of his friends ;
but from the first intended to comply strict
" with the dying request of our brother,
viz "Thatswe should not make a personal
affair of il, but allow the law to take its
course" Feeling we'll assured that a judi
cial investigation, before q competent court,
would have resulted in justice; and that
would have been far greater satisfaction to
us ali, than the mardering and assassination
-of Capt. Hayes, and all his friends.
In conclusion we would say to Mr.. G. g.
Dusson, r. II. LitteIl, or any other Of
Capt. Hayes relations or friends, that if
they entertain the least idea of our guilt in
this matter. that they win confer a great
on us, if.they will come forward i'm.
mediately end go before the Parish Judge,
or either Of the magistrates, make an aft
dayit against us, institute judicial proceed-
ings. and cause q rigid examination to be
made.
Weighing the foregoing evid-nce, the
confessions and character Of Thcophiaus w.
Evans, with the character which we have
ever borne in this community, then reader,
8 Judge as you would wish to be judged"
G. MAYO,
WV. III. MAYO.