Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1879-12-23

Ep'-bU you tntn KNOW VINO uluf
DEEs.--I do not, God knows.
EDO you know anything whatev-
or Of the killing of Fugatef
deem. --Nothipg In tho world.
ED.-whero were you at the time OF
the murder1
DEES.-I was In my own field at my
daily labor.
ED.-Was Fugats relative Of yours
DEES.--Hc is my wife's nephew. Hi
father is my wife's brother, and while
his father and were unfriendly, he and
| had talked over our trouble and were
friendly.
Eds II tue that you filed the lock
OF that gun, SO that the gun would moi
shoot? saa
DEIs.--Ho I never did. II II was fl
ed II wac done by some one else and
know nothing about it.
lie then remarked that he had COM
menced the preparation of paper which
he would furnish Inc next morning and
ask me TO publish. During the inter
view he frequently exclaimed "blesscd
be God--bless his holy name," and
would clap his hands icrvcntly. Prom
Using to call next morning we withdrew.
Next morning at 8 o'clock l again
called with Mr.. Wax and VIC again en-
tered his cell having the doors closed be-
hind us so that no one but ourselves,
Dccn and bis wife could hear what was
said. lie seemed TO be good deal I'M
manned, but the morning had been
much occupied with religious services at
the door Of his cell and lie seemed much
wrought up with religious excitement
and frequently shouted. assured him
that all hope was over and that probably
this would be his last chance to furnish
dying statement to the press and ex-
horted him not to mar his prospects
hereafter by Withholding anything. TIe
again positively and cmphatically, but
with much agitation and with tears in
his eyes declared 81 am innocent" III
reply to questions, he said he neither
killed Fugatc, nor knew who did. In
reply to the question whether he knew
of any one was at enmity with Fugate,
he said he knew Of only two such men,
but declined to name them, until assured
by us that their names would not be
published. One of them named ---
he said lived either In Lee or in the
lower end of Scott and he had often
heard him say he intended TO kill Fu-
gate. Others had also heard him say so,
The other one while at enmity with him
had not, to his knowledge, threatened to
kill him. Both of them had been fire.
quently in Fugate's neighborhood, but
he did not know that they had ever of
fered him any violence.
He then handed me the following pa,
per, which he asked me to publish:
IN JAN, December Is, 1870.
Having been sentenced to die, feel il
Is my duty to warn all men to be ware
Of those false witnesses who testified
against me. There is not word of theil
statement before the jury that is so.
will give you the names of those persons
Hamilton Reynolds, Joseph Barker, and
Marion Fletcher. They have, by theil
false statements, inflicted great punish
ment upon Inc and my family, but
hope God will forgive them.
DANIEL DEEM.
Written and signed in our presence,
SAM'L. II. SMITH.
ISAAC G.. GRAGAN
Asking him il this was all, he lighted
cigar, that was offered him and said he
would like me to append the following
STATEMENT.
(Which | took down verbatim in hi
presence, and aftcrward read to him, and
to which he said, THAT Is all right now.")
"Orphy Dcanc, my cousins daughter,
sat In my front door and picked wool
that day, and saw me at work In my corn
field when Fugate was killed, and could
see Inc plainly whenever she looked out.
jane Harris, who had stayed at my
house Sunday night, and was there UNI
I'll about after eight O'Clock Monday
morning, sworc that 0rphy Deane could
not have seen me for hedge Of privet
bushes, and | declare, and others must
know, ~ God knows, there never was
such hedge or any other obstruction
there. There was, and is one privct bush
that stands, and then stood three or four
steps to the left, but II did not interfere
nj all with the view alluded TO. l was
working there with my two little boys
with our hoes. | and one of them work
cd with the hoes about an hour anda
half, and then | plowed a willie and they
hocd' We picked mp our hoes IN the
wood yard In full view of them, and
passed out through the orchard to the
corn. We went to work about s O'Clock,
or may he between Sand 0. We worked
there nll day, only leaving for dinner,
quitting, ns ! always did about an hour
by SUM-" At this point Deem became
very sick, and vomitcd twice. When
we laid him down he simply exclaimed
In feeble voice "blcsscd he the name
of the Lord" when he had partially re-
coycd he said sing Jesus paid Il all."-
During the singing he frequently clOpp-
ed his hands aud to the extent of his