Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1880-03-05

llow-prisoner, and then we would ask
him some questions. He dictated the
confession, and said as he hoped to
meet his God with repentant heart
it was true; and we held the pen
while he made his mark to the follow
ing:
! KILGoRE's CONFESSION.
lThe language is his, and we will
not correct it: we might wrongly al
ter his ideas by so doing-EDIToR
LEDGER.l
MEXICO JAIL, Feb. 9th, 1880.
MR. II. NJ. WHITE: Asit is your
request thatI should make public
concerning my troble [ will do So,
knowing that death is at the door.
| wish to say to the people of this
county that did not Kill LID. Will
ingham of my own accord. Willing
ham was hauling off Robert Railey's
and nv corn, which made Railey very
angry at Willingham. Railcy told
me to borrow Krunkle's gun, and
shoot Willingham-which L did.
Circumstantial evidence placed me
! behind a tree. was not behind the
5 tree when Willingham came along
was standing close to the fence in the
q road. Ispoke to him: he got angry
. and pulled his revolver-got off the
wagon-came towards me. l told him
not 10 come any further, or L would
n shoot. He kept advancing; l shot
It him twice; then went to Railey':
house; met Mrs Railey; told her thai
| had shot Willingham, but hoped h'
= would get well. did not want tt
take the gun with me that morning
but Raitey said yes, take the gun ant
II shoot him. that Willingham woul'
a kill me unless shot him. | did no
want to have any trouble with Will
" in"ham. but Railev kept urging III
al on and would never have been i
:, this trouble if Railey had let m
> alone. and not excited ME into doin
t, what | did. WALKER kILGoRE.
After reading the above, we aske
RS Eiimore some questions, and gleane
he about as ro44fu ~ -: He had only to
ms the above to one other msfs-; -:.. tn
ne was Mr.. Dingle, whom he knew
h. could contide in. Railey had been
see him: told him tkilgore) not
vi tell As it would do him no good to
him before the trial not to tell tn
n he (Railey) had told him to sho
1t WillingLam, for when he should co
tress that. he would admit he went o
II. ON purpose to kill Willingham. NJ
he and Mrs. Railey both knew l we
sc, out to kill Willinyham-no one cl
lt- knew il. make this confessl'
lat now. because | don't want to d
ey1 with Il lie, on my heart. borrow
~. the gun to Kill Willingham, went o
ed that morning on purpose I" catch III
rs AS he came from the corn field. al
Itii talk to him. After | had shot hi
y" Railcy told me to go to town al
of rive myself up. He also told
ar. what to tell the man that gave III
OF self up to-
n' kil.orc told us all the above a
rec. much more to the same impo
yer While we were talking he bowed
lhd head. and We saw tcars-real tears
A'' reaeutanc.-trickie down his pa
n,.r careworn checks. II his story
Nv true. he was LED into Il terrible crIl
PITY for which lac will suffer Il horn
death.
III, Ills sentence was the most sole
the thing we ever heard. aud Is very
dI- ureSsivc. as our readers NAV see.
There j. no duty SO iisagaceable
ore an executor Of Justice as the sentc
up inc of a fellow man to death, e'
when he knows he deserves 1t. L
'a'' core is the third man ever Judge +
nun ter sentenced to death, the other t
ore beium colored men. Judge Porter
=" "a very sympathetic man, and 1T '
with tears in his ewes he senten'
40. iKileore to death He pr faced
" IL la " 1S.,S, I6spslder
y~--.'.i 1tcd remarks. Although
,,ry court room was crowded. YOU co
how. hand