Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-06-13


/ life would be sale there. On Saturday
night, he remained ut Strahm's, and
while there tonE u tablespoonful OF
strychnine, which he had obtained of II
prisoner ut Sioux City. under the impress
sion that he would be hung. The dose
was too heavy and reacted, but made
him dcathly sick
On Sunday morning, while still quite
sick, he was taken by the Sheriff to St.
Helena, nine miles below on the river,
the county seat OF Cedar County. He
) was accompanied by several citizens OF
that County. and Il number of persons
from this side of the river either went
With him or followed shortly altcrward.
During this time, there seems to have
been but little said concerning the prob
able fate of the prisoner 1t seems to
have entered the minds OF each resident
of the community that there was but one
courac 10 pursue il, order TO insure the
punishment of dangerous man. No
question was felt rs TO his guilt, and all
seemed to conccdc the desperate clIarnc.
ter of the fellow. He had already mur
dcrcd n comradc, and subsequently qui.
ct and pcaccablc citizen. and feeling
seems 20 have possessed every mind that
M life was safe while he had m cxis.
tencc. The county being sparscly settled,
this feeling of insecurity was generally
felt, while the want Of Jail or any safe
place of confinement nearer than Ere.
mont. made the chances OF his being
safely kept until The law should take It's
course, vcIy lew indeed. This we men.
ton, not in The ray OF excavation or
apology for the actors in the tragedy. but
~ m explanation oi seeming anomaly
rather.
At any rate, the people of the county,
or, II. least, of this portion OF il, and in.
cuding all who were informed Of The ar-
rival of The prisoner, wcndcd their way
to st. Helena. They did This without
any undue haste, but with m evident
purpose fully matured and their number
included those most distinguished for
their peaccablc and law abiding cllarac-
ter in ordinary times. and under ordinary
circumstances Though they said little
OF their purpose, i, was none the less
strongly fixed. and none knew this pur
pose better than the prisoner himself.
Upon his arrival at ST. Helena, 4 mum.
Der o! persons cndeavored to get II con-
icSsion from him. but in this they were
unsuccessful. There being no Jail in
which To roninc him. he was fret taken
to the bar.room OF the hotel. and after
wards, as the crowd increased, up stairs
the irons, meantime, remaining upon
him. Several efforts were made to get n
confession from him, but they were un-
successful, until abont two hours after
his arrival there By this time, the crowd
below had increased To about two hun.
drcd. and they having taken vote on
The question of hanging him, it WAS do
cidcd largely in the affirmative.
He begun by conlessing 70 the murder
ut Font BHdiord, for which he was tried
in Yanklon, and acquitted in October,
1869 In regard To that murder, he con.
Tossed that Swiahcr and himself commit.
ted K. Jameson and Cafl'rey, the muir
dcrcd man, started out for walk, and
Swishcr followed, and when some dis.
tance from the Fort. SwiShcr being be-
hind put Il pistol close To Catfrey's head
ami iii liIed-.Jamieson then took Cailrey'
knife and cut his throat. They thcnriled
the body, and obtained Sl65 instead oi
Sl3, rs sworn by Swisher on the trial
and dragged the body to the river. He
then denied any knowledge OF LoclIe'S
,. murder. and appeared angry whenever
the subject was approached, and toi
some time nothing could bo obtained
from him. About two O'Clock, Il mar
told him that the crowd was getting cX
cited and clamorous, and that he had bu
n tow minutes to live any way. 1t wa;
then that he made the remark that he
''suppoScd he would be hung any way
and might rs we'll confess" He then con.
iesscd to the murder OF Locke, and was
taken down stairs to the porch, where he
8 made the following confession, in
!, speech to the crowd
q "FELLow CITIZENS Il have come tC
make free aud open confession OF ;
crime that | have committed. | know
that | will have to be hung, and | only
I ask to be hung Ike man, and that yol
will not abuse or mutilatc my body aite
9 am dead. | have received good dea
of abuse for murder committed up a
Fort Budford. the principal part OF which
was done by the man himself who testi
}. fled against me. He shot The person. ant
q we got 2l65 from him instead OF Sl3, a
y testified by Swisher. killed this MAJ
4 Locke down here. had quartercd witt
:. him the day before; but that was no cX
cusc / had time to reflect; but | killed
g him. We were going through the timber
f together, and had some angry words
when caught the AK out OF his hant
!. and struck him with it on the head.
think struck him twice. Locke neve
spoke after struck him think kilet
It him Immediately"
C Jameson then spoke Of being in Yank
/. ton n long time, in prison-was yer,