The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-02-05

Confess on Of FOukS, the Slayer Of the
HerndOn Family.
THE STORY OF THE MURDER.
Avowal of the Motives That
Prompted the Deed.


miles from the Court House. Hearing on Monday
that Fouks had since his return TO the cell made
some sort OF confession duplicating another, ]
asked permission 10 interview Fouks. VINO found
covered up head and ears IN his blankets IN lar
corner OF his cell. He answered promptly 10 my
call. ana raising himself up sat on the blankets,
which were spread on The noor.
DUPLICATING WILLIS TIBB.
In answer TO my request that he would repeat
the story TO US that he mad repeated TO Nj. Wood
yard and Mr.. Brenton about the killing he said
ON Tuesday night, before the kii!Ing Willis IibD
came 10 MIR. Herndon's and asked him ttouksl II
he could not zee MIN piece OF meat from MIR.
then Willis SAID. Can't YOU slip me piece out
OF the meat house - | told tim might get Add TO
basket 10 the Kitchen ioit. mrs herndon wanted
the basket, and when II was got the meat
OH the next Thursday night ABOUT eleven O'Clock
and asked me II hau got his meat. told MN
Add got 1t. but Mrs. Herndon mad found 4 ana
Add told them who II was Tor. Willis said. "Damn
their sous reckon they VIII have me up" He
then asked me when Mr.. Herndon paid me.
ASKED me where Mr.. Herndon Kept his money,
and told HIM locked up IN the drawer:
didn't keep the Keys and | told him she
dlo. He tnen said. ii am great mind to
~ he then BID me gooi night and left, and
went 10 bed. In about quarter OF an hour heard
somebody cry, Ion, Lordl on Loril" / jumped
up and went 10 The house, and there was Mrs.
Herndon ana MI. herndon and Add lying in the
middle OF the door crying, ''Oh, LORD ON. LordW
ana Willis was standing at the drawers getting
the money. asked I'm II he had killed the old
folks. On asking Fouks what answer Wills made
him. ne said Wills made hun no answer. | tten
asked Fouks what he did. sad ne. Il ran back TO
the Kitchen and got my nat and coat and ran down
Mr.. woodward then asked Fuuks now he came TO
tell MIN about the money being In The brush pile,
Mr.. woodyard-lnen what dad you Sell me such
tales for
Mr.. Woodyard then SAID. Jesse, l believe you
got part OF that money, did you not answer
me tnat question:" fouks then saio, when l
asked Willis II ne had killed tae Old folks he SAID
Yes, but you must not tell on me- and waking
TO the door gave me apart OF the money, which
CONTRADICTORY STORIES
Fouks stories were 80 contradictory, and seeing
ne was disposed to admit nothing that would I'M
phca,e himself in the murders, out put
II entirely on another, we lett. He could
easeo eos Before his own trial and conviction
except mat he was AFRAID His eet
pretty severely irostbitten. and on Monday he
was complaining OF severe pain in has side. He
also looked Wild and excited showing that what
he mas undergone and is undergoing are telling
Rev. B. p. Dun. who visited him on Monday
for the purpose OF giving him some spiritual ad-
not save his lie. and II persisted IN would cause
him 70 lose MS soul also; Fouks insists
and. using ms own language, tell what
God has told him TO te;" yet his story,
particulars. But lew persons put anv confidence
In his story about Wills rbo, though 1t Is pretty
plausible one and II connected, SHOWS consldera-
urged ON Monday 10 have Tioo arrested on susph
clon.
After having been visited and talked with by
Rev. Is. r. Dulin, Oh the New School Baptist church,
Mr.. William L. Goodwin, Snerln. and d. w.
whiting OF the Manassas Gazette, and others,
FouKs maze the following confession wncn was
Aiterward read to him In the presence Of the
gentlemen whose names accompany the COMES
THE CONFESSION
Confession OF Jesse FouKs, coored, OF the
murder OF Mr. and Mrs. Jeremiah Herndon and
the little coiored boy, AdaIson Russell. on the
night I'll che 90 OF December. 1874, made in ms cell
In the jail OF Prince William county, virginia,
February =, 1875
az stole piece OF meat Of Mr. Herndon. which
night before the killing On thursday evening,
aIter 1 cone naunng wood. ! told TO
Wnlie / was at The nay stack the little boy Add
came and told me Mrs. Herndon mad found the
meat In my piece o. cotton ana said stole II;
got the piece OF meat from my sister, 1t was not
Mi. herndon's meat, and | wanted my piece or
cotton Mrs. Herndon tod me TO wait till Mr.. Hern
don was done eating his supper. then went TO
the Kitchen and MI. Hernuon, when he was
done supper, went 10 the meat house to see II
his meat was missing. He then went back
TO the house. AFTER while, about an hour, went
back 10 the mouse ana Iold MIR. Herndon | wanted
my piece OF cotton. MRS. Hernoon opened the
door ana went In and told Mir. lie Ind0n wanted
nv nanokercnlel Mr. Herndon told me could not
get my handkerchief until the morning | said
must nave II, was not going TO ork Tor MIN any
longer. ar. Herndon picked up the aAe and tod
me u old not 40 out OF the house he would nit
me with II. told MIN was not AFRAID OF him nIf-
ung me with the axe. did not curse him. Mrs.
.'Jesse don't nave no fuss here.n She pushed the
door 10. out dld not prop 10.
THE MURDER.
picked mp the axe handle which set beside the
door on the pofcn and pushed the door open, and
struck ner on the side OF the mead and knocked
her down. Mr.. herndon was standing near the
nre facing me, and as SOON as struck Mrs. Hern-
don | struck Mr.. Herndon on the lead with the
axe handle and Knocked MIN down and struck
him two or three HICKS with the axe handle. Mrs.
HerDdon mad got up ON ner knees and threw
the axe handle GOWN and picked up the axe and
struck her with the back OF H. KNOCKING her BACK
OF the moor. / then struck Mr.. Herndon another
lick win the bacE Of The axe. Then | struck the
little ooy two or three hicks with the OF the
axe / did not strike either one win he edge OF
the axe rne nttlc BOY was wing down on MS
blanSets he was SICK. taen TOOK the keys out
Of MRS 4erIsOns pocNet and uqo sea
took out the paper money and pulled
tne gold In the 'front.' OF the
silver IN It IN the upper part or the drawer, bus
did Gos take n. | was AFRAID 10 take 1t. Tney
used no sning but tue axe handle and the axe 10
Kill them with. did not use the hickory SICK.
had on a pair OF stockings out no snoes. mad
them on 70 go TO the house. DID not go there to
XII them. mad no sucn idea. got no blood on
~ DID THE MURDER MYSELF
''Waen ielt | thought they wouid de-. was
scared aud went 10 my sisters last as could.
When got 20 sir. O'Rear's where my sister lives.
MISS jennie O'hear mad not gone TO bed. heard
her singing. When | went into my sisters cabin
no one was IN there except her. did not tell my
sister what had zone. / went 10 bed ana after
tnat heard the ten O'Clock car whistle blow
intended TO 30 back 10 Mr. Herndon's
next llorning as II | knew nothing ABOUT
the killing, out Mr.. 0'Rear came and asked
me II would nelp him 70 Kill his SISTERS nogs |
tod him Mr. herndon would not IKE It, and told
nm what Mr.. herndon wanted me 10 do. He SAID
pc wOuld see Mr.. Herndon that day and make It
all right with him. | then said | would help to
kill the nogs. went 70 Mrs. O'Rear's 10 help 10
Kill the hogs, and on my way hid the money in a
brush pile. When sandy soutnard came 10 the
bogpen aud tod tnem that all OF the herndon
family had been murdered | cried. Mrs. O'Rear
told NE not TO cry. No one saw me CRY out
Mrs O'kear, Boo Blackburn ana Mr.. Neal
Lomax told Nj. O'Kear | had better 20 over
10 Mr. HerndOn's. but he Il was not worth
While ! could 10 no good. Wnen had done II
was sorry; did not 20 there 10 xiii them. but was