Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-03-24
CONFESSION!

The following IS the confession Of tn
condemned man, as written down by Hi
Honor, Judge Russell, the day after III,
sentence oil death was passed upon him
the material facts Of which have since beer
several times repeated to others without
variation
L got out of Wilmington jail aud went
up to the settlement. I don't know much
about how we got out-we just broke out
nobody from outside helped US that ]
know Of We gent to the railroad and
crossed the first river over the BRIDGE and
then took up towards South river-got
across Cape Fear on a raft. We didn't get
much to eat-knocked over Il pig once and
cooked it over tire-had no bread. It was
over four weeks before we got to sScuffie-
town. [ did not see Fl. B. Lowry for a
week after I got back George, Stoph
and myself got out OF Wilmington jail ~
gether. Steph. got with Henry Berry be-
fore did. [ first met Henry at lbs own
house. He and Stephen wer0 there.
first saw Henry Berry's wife a little way
from the gate, and she told me that Henry
Berry and Stephen were IN the house, and
! went in. [ have nos slepU IN house
since left Wilmington Jail, except once
or twice in Henry Berrys, and a few times
captured I was at Georges. George left
while after DARK, end didn't say where he
was going / concluded to stay all night
I heard che men when they first knocked
at the house. | got up one time, took my
gun and walked through the houee then
L saw there was no use to shoot aud be
killed by them-so I lay down and waited
for them to come in and take me. My
brother Pop had nothing to do with the
H. oh -
whites house-staid there.
I was at Leach s-Henry Berry, Boss
Strong, Stephen Lowry. George Apple
white, Zach. MCLAUGHLIN and myself--we
took Leech's brandy, &c.
[ do not know anything about the Nc
Leod murder-never heard Henry Berry
or any of them say any thing about it.
/ never heard any OF them say anything
about the robbing of Jas. 81. Mcqueen.
know nothing about the killing of Nor
ment-never heard who killed him, until
since have been in Jail have heard some
body say that Zach MCLAUGHLIN killed
him. I have heard Henry Berry say that
Hormept was meddlesome fellow. and
laugh about bis being taken of, but didn't
kill him.
Before God, was not at the King MUIR
der-have never heard Henry Berry or any
of them saw who did kill King. Have
heard Henry Berry or George Applewhite
say that they thought John Dial was paid
to swear as he did. John Dial was in the
gang before We were captured in August,
1869.
Tom Lowry was not in the Davis fight.
That is so--and say it is So as expect
soon to meet my God. There were there
Henry Berry, Boss. Stephen, George and
myself-that was the crowd.
We had just been at George Applewhite's
eating our dinuer and drinking. We were
not in the habit of gonigithere to eat, but
that day, and did not keep guard outside
while we were eating. We knew they were
hunting for us, bat did not know that they
were on that side of the creek. Ii they
had come up little sooner they would
have found us in the house. We were all
gounded in the fight but Henry Berry. I
vas shot in the arm, Stephen and George
sach in the side. and Boss right in the fore
head, the ball glancing downward
Henry Berry, Stephen and Boss were the |
men that killed John Tsylor-so they told |
ne. Tom Lowry or Stephen or some OF
hem-I don't exactly remember which,
old me 8 day or two before Taylor was