Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-05-13


were drowned. Among the passengers we're a
number of southerners, mostly from Georgia,
whose fate as yet has not been ascertained.
OVENS CONFESSION.
The Lincoln Progress of last week, publishes
the written confession of Robert A. Owens,
the murderer of John w. Cheek, of York
county, South Carolina. Owens is now in
Lincoln Jail under sentence of death, which
sentence will be executed on the 28th instant,
unless revoked by the Governor of North
Carolina. As matter of interest to many of
our readers we copy the confession, making
some verbal alterations, but preserving the
facts as stated in the text:
L1NcoLNroN, N. c., April 81, 1875.
On the 22nd day of September, 1873, l and
John w. Cheek left York county, South Car
olna, and arrived at Shelby, N c., the next
day. We stopped at the house of Newton
Haines, where we remained until 2 o'clock i'll
the afternoon, and then started to my uncle's,
who lives six miles beyond Shelby. After
driving three miles, Mr. Cheek determined to
20 no further, and we returned. We camped
in the vicinity of Shelby and drove into the
town next morning. Mr.. Cheek sold 10S
pounds of lint cotton to Mr. Green, receiving
for it $500. After he had sold the cotton,
drove the wagon to the house Of Betsy Fer
guson, a cousin of Mr.. Cheeks. At this house
I took the horses from the wagon, after which
Mr.. Cheek asked me to 60 and get something
r.. L.. I kar
bought quart of brandy and took it to the
wagon, where he was. He then took the
brandy in the house, and Mr.. and Mrs. Fer
guson, Cheek and I, all drank of it. After
dinner we again drank of the brandy, and Mr..
Cheek began to get drunk. While at Mr..
Ferguson's house, young lady came to see
Mr.. Cheek in regard to going home with him.
on his return, to live in his family. Cheek
wanted her to go with him in the wagon, but
she said that she could not 60 with him then,
as she was owing SOME and could not leave
until the debt was paid. He then proposed
to come for her in two weeks, and gave her
two dollars to pay the debt. told the young
lady-Miss Haines-that Mr.. Cheek was
drinking and would not think about the mat.
ter again, when, at Mr.. Ferguson's request, l
promised to come for the young lady if Mr..
Cheek would agree to it after our return to
his home The young lady then left the
house.
While still at Mr.. Ferguson's house. Mr..
Cheek gave me 6ve-dollar bill and told me
to 90 and get another quart of brandy. | did
so, returning the money | received in change.
We then went to a store and each of Us bought
pair of shoes. Cheek also bought piece
of harness leather We then went to another
store, where Cheek bought 8 yards of calico
and some tobacco, and on returning to Mr..
Ferguson's house, Cheek counted his money.
He had $3.50 and handed me his pocket-book,
requesting me to take care of it for him, as he
was drinking I took the pocket-book, re.
marking to him that he was as sober as 1.
He then laid himself across bed, and soon
after that, Jasper Haines came and told me
that Mr.. Rudisil wanted to see me. l went
to Mr.. Rudisil, who wished to employ me as
a carpenter. and while talking with him, New
ton Haines came to me and said his cousin
John (Cheek) was up town drinking and
wanted to know where I was. Haines asked
me to 20 after Mr.. Cheek, as he could do moth
ing with him, and there was danger of his
being arrested. 1 found him in front Of
barroom. He asked if l had his pocket-book,
and on informing him that had it, he said
that was right, and proposed to 60 in and take
drink. tried to dissuade him from taking
drink, and asked the bartender not to let
him have any more, saying that had Mr..
Cheeks money, and would not pay for the
liquor if he let him have it. Mr.. Cheek,
however, found ten cents in his pocket and
bought drink, after which the bartender
advised me to take his pistol from him, as he
was drinking and might do mischief with it.
then took Mr.. Cheek to Mr.. Ferguson's
house, where we spent the night without any
disagreement whatever. There was not a
short word spoken between US while we re-
mained in Shelby.
The next morning-the 25th day of the
month-we left Mr.. Ferguson's and drove up
into town, where we bought another quart of
brandy. We then started to Dallas, N. g.,
arriving there about sundown on that day.
We stopped in the edge of town, near Mr..
Smiths, where we camped in company with
young man named Smith, who was also from
South Carolina. Mr.. Cheek got out of the
wagon to help me with the horses, but he was
so intoxicated that lie had to lie down, and
he remained lying under tree until after l
had attended to the horses and prepared sup
per- then woke him and asked him to eat
his supper He refused to eat and told me to
let him alone
After I and Mr.. Smith had taken supper,
Mr.. Monroe Smith came to the wagons MIR.
Cheek still lying by the tree-and invited US
in his house. We reused Mr.. Cheek and put
him in his wagon, when the rest of us went
into Mr.. Smiths house, where we remained an
hour and returned to the wagons and went to
bed-Mr Smith sleeping in his own wagon,
and in the wagon with Mr. Cheek.
The next morning 26th-we all rose
Mr.. Cheek was sober, and he asked Mr.
Smith his name, and enquired where he was
going. In answer to the questions, Smith
gave his name and said he was going to the
paper mill. In reply to Mr.. Cheeks question
as to where he was from, Smith told him that
he lived at Smiths Ford, in Union county, s.
/ c., and that he should turn for home that day
from the paper mill. 1t was then agreed that
both wagons would meet at o'clock that even
ing six miles above there, at the road leading
from Dallas to Cherryville, and would travel
together by way of Kings Mountain station:
Mr.. Cheek then turned to me and asked II
I had anything to drink. I told him had
not. He said he wanted some very badly.
He then went into Mr. Smiths house. While
I h. ,uo, ,,opo opa of Sn,itb's little aons who