The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-04-17
negro lhcn made tho same confession rs bc,

pointed hy the court to defend him, lie was
triod 10 January, 1871. Besides the evidence
above stated Il was elected that the day
before tho killing Walker hnd only three or
four dolars In silver that on Sunday morn
Ing ho spent ton dollars In currency nj Mrs,
MarsiIan's and when hn was arrested i've
dollar bill Ia currency was found on bis per-
son, with n hole punched In ono corner rs
though punched with n conductors punch,
Mr., u, &, Mochead had paid Munroe some
currency short time before no WAS killed
aud thought ho paid him II bill with
hole In H. lilo knows he had such
u bill nj the time and paid II
10 some pcYon--ho thinks TO Mum
roe,
The trial in January, 1877, resulted In
conviction murder Ia the first degree and
the penalty of death was assessed. From
this Judgment Walker appealed and the
Judgment was reversed llo was again tried
in june 1873, width II verdict aud Judgment
Of the death penalty, from which he again
appealed, His case remained IN the Appel
late court until November, 1879, whom TWAS
affirmed and IN February, 1850, Judge Ford
sentenced Walker 10 be hung on the 10th
day Of April 1880.
Tho jAii being In public part Of the city,
here, and having no wall around II, tho oXo-
cniion was ordered 70 b. held about one'half
mile southeast of town, In secluded spot,
on the Little branch called Sandy.
WALKERS STATEMENT.
Your correspondent visited Walker In
his cell for the purpose of obtain
ING from him Il statement Of his case, which
he had all along been unwilling TO talk
about. He appeared hagcOrd and downcast,
and had past the last few days IN the deep seq
cusion of his cell and unbroken silence
He did not want 10 talk, but your reporter
piled him with questions and assurances I'M
ill he told another story Of the horrible
deed Of blood for which he surrendered his
life 20 the law to-day, II may be that Wal
ker has not told the truth, but his last state.
ment, made within tho shadow Of the gal.
lows, is as near correct az anything that will
ever DO known.
Tho following is what was said by the con-
demned at this last interview;
What old man Munroe was killed for
principally was about u saddle owned toy
Sam Merritt, (colored). The old man was
hauling rails NJ the back orhis field, and came
across Merritt, who had just broke jul IN
Limestone county. Merritt ran of and left
the saddle MD went to Leon county and
stayed till August. When he came back he
asked me TO go in with him and rob the old
man, as ho had plenty ofmoney. After per
suading mo long time agreed to go with
him. Tho agreement was not 20 hurt him.
He went in and | stayed nj the gate with his
shotgun. My intention was not 10 hurt
anybody inside, but TO keep anybody from
the outside going in the house. After they
came out VIZ divided the money. | went
homo and he left, and never heard of him
any more till | was arrested. When Sam
came out Of the house he told me he had
struck NJ nroe. do not know how much
money we got. After | was arrested had
Sam Merritt arrested. Messrs. Galloway,
Jones and Dallas arrested him. | was
brought here to Calvert for safe keeping, and
while in jail here that night was advised by
Anschi k not to disclose anything, but take
il all on myself | followed his nd
vice, and when | was carried to Bre-
mond ms a witness against Sam. ] got up
and stated that killed Monroe. Sam was
then carried TO Groesbeeck. Anchicks told
me il | had Sam in It that they would hang
us both, and if took it all on myself they
would send me to Huntsville TO serve out the
ten yenrs was convicted for killing George
Easterwood. do not think ] ought TO be
hung, and would be satisfied if they had
given me penitentiary for life.
Walker requested the publication of the
following note. II expresses the poor fell
lows gratitude to his consel for the zeal he
has EMPLOYED in his defense;
EDIToR HERALD: Please allow me little
space in your paper to return my heartfelt
thanks to +. II. Prcndergast, esq, for the
kindness have received at his hands | was
without friends or money and Mr.. Prender-
CAST took my case in hand and defended me
to the last. He carried my case to the APP
pellate court twice, and made good and able
arguments in my behalf would it were in
my power TO fully reward him for his trouble,
but nm numbered with the uufortunate,and
am only able to thank him. | thank him in
deed Yours respectfully,
WILLIAM WALKER.
STRONG GROUNDS.
One of the strong grounds urged for n
reversal Of the last judgment was that on the
first trial the State did not attempt to prove
that Walker was cautioned before he con-
fessed, and on the last trial the State proved
by the same witness who testified on the first
trial that he was cautioned by the Justice
Another position was, that the old law com
PEELED the jury to assess the death penalty
Tor murder in the first degree, and pending
the appeal the law was changed so that the
Jury might assess "death" or ''imprison.
ment for life" Bill Walkers attorney con-
tended that the case ought to be sent back to
the jury to say whether they would hang
him or imprison him for life.
a strange point was that Texas bad a law
q