Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1878-03-21

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throat some Of it was rrotruding.
His lace was covered with blood,
and a large pool. had formed on
the floor. In his right hand
was h.ll-ciosed raz n. 1t vas
noticed by Woods that there was
no blood OH his clothes Woods
stepped out, and bad his alten.
ton drawn to some blood spots on
Coble's pantaloops, which had
been suieared over with dirt. evi
IDENTIFY TO conceal them. Gard
ner was buried on Saturday, and
on the following Tuesday it was
decided to exhume the body aud
examine it more closely. 1t was
then found that Gardner's skull
bad heen fractured behind the ear,
a wound alone sufficient to cause
death. Further search was made
about the premises. and in shed
adjoining the house was found a
block Of wood, weighing twelve
or thirteen pounds, attached TO a
heavy iron chaia. The block
was spiinkled on one eide with
blood. The Coroner's jury rem
dered a verdict that Gardner
came to his death at the hands of
! Coble, AMI at the session of the
/ Franklin Circuit Court, at Win
chester, Coble was found guilty Of
murdrr in the first degree and
sentenced to be hanged. lie APP
pealed, aud last January the So
preme Court affirmed thesentence.
About month ago COble careful.
ly wrJte cut the following state
ment, which he reiterated up to
the tune Of bis departure.
THE MURDERER's STORY.
| was born in Marshall County,
Tennessee, and lived there until
twenty-five years of age; was then
transferred from there to Frank
lin county, where | lived until !
was arrested under this horrible
charge, June q, 1876.
| was never before accused of
any bad act. | was married
when twenty-One years Of age
My wife was a religious woman,
and taught me to turn from the
error of my ways, aud soon pro
f ssed hope in Christ, and have
lived In The fear Of the Lord ever
since. She soon died, leaving me
alone without any children. i
was married again. Both my
wives were orphan girls. My
mother and father both died when
| was yourg. My last vile Vic
toriI, is still living, and has one
CHILD, girl. | commenced to
preach the Gospel in 1872, and en-
lie avored TO keep it up until as
ar ested and placed in Jail, where
| have been confined ever since.
The officers Of the Jail have al
ways treated me kindly while
under their charge, aid when 7
and they pass out o. this world |
hope to meet them in heaven.
am charged with The murder
Of Felix Girdner, but | am AS in
n"cent as the judges that sit co
The Supreme Berch. The eyi
dence was before them, and ]
hope they did decide my case az
ordihg to law; and if they did, /
nope God will bless them; and, il
they did not, God will hold them
accountable for it. | don't ;hink
| ct justice in the Criminal
= Durt. Judge Bixter, | don't
ihink, gave me fair triIl. He
allowed the witnesses Tor tie
State TO TIL what they believed to
be facts, and think he and all
those men who swore my lille
from me will have to answer for
1t. | hop they will 60 to God
and ask Him to forgive them for
their wrongs before it is too late.
| am willing TO die. | will
forgive them and pray that God
will bless them. | hope to meet
them all in heaven. | do not
{ ar to die. All that tro4 bIes me
is to leave my vile and little
child 1t grieves me to my heart
TO leave them in this troublesome
word, and 70 one TO care for
hem. They have more to help
then, but | will Pive them iuto
the hands Of God. who is able to
take charge Of item. | hope
somebody will teach them to meet
me in heaven. | leave them, and
hate 10 leave them, but the best
OF friends must part. AS | see
that we must part, it draws like
chords around my heart. The
'es imony of one of the witnesses,
". j. Woods. says that Brown
Cuble came to my house and
asked me for nails to fix plow."
That part of his testimony is
right, but he fails to tell that | ,
came from Ben Lipscomb's house