Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1881-11-29

then left. Before went away he told
me to come back before he left, that he
would study about giving me twelve
dollars month, did not think that |
would go back any more, on Monday i
went TO the quarry in order TO get work
TO do for a few days till my brothers
time was out. They had hands enough.
When brothers time was ont We was 60
ing home. Not getting work, / started
home before his my bIother's) time was
out, and went to Riley Shank's store.
A man came there and asked me to go to
Rogersville with him to take some horses
back to Clinch, and did so, and when
! got to Rogersville he got another man
to help him, and il knocked me out and
| thought | would go home any how,
and it was so late that gave out going
that night and went to Mr.. Gambel's
barn and intended to stay there till morn
ing. | got to studying about going over
to see If Charlie would give me the price
| asked him. then got out of the barn
and went over there. and he had gone to
bed | knocked at the door and he came
and opened it. He was in his slips. He
had some liquor there, They had their
bed made down before the fire. He ban
tered me to play cards for the drinks and
we sat down on the side of the bed and
played for drink game. 1 had some
money and put it up against the drinks.
When would beat him he would get
mad. We played on till we got very
tight and the young man Heck would
look in my hand and tell Char lie what
had. At last Charlie got so mad be-
cause was beating him, he struck at me,
but | did not care for it and played on
with him. There was on the fire board
butcher knife and he got it and ran at
me with it. | tried to get out of the
house but he was on me so close with the
knife that | grabbed piece of split ash
wood with sharp edge and big end which
was in the corner and struck him with
the big end Of it OH the head and knocked
him in the fire. fhe otLer one was
coming at me so fast, that L turned
around and struck him and knocked him
back onthe bed Then pulled Charlie
out of the fire and threw him back on
the bed. And as l. was cold night and
expected to lay out, grabbed the over
coat and ran out ofdoOrs. ! did not know
that had killed them for did not aim
to. When | left they were trying to get
up. do not know how the fire got on
the bed, unless Charlie was Il fire when |
jerked him out. | burnt the stick up.
/ did not kill them for their money. |
did not know that they had it. The
money was in the overcoat pocket and
did not know that had it until had gone
away from there. When felt the pocket
book ! pulled it out and opened 1t and
found the money in it, but | did not
know how much, and | did not know
what to do with it. 1t made me feel
bad, because did not intend to kill the
men or take any thing they had. If |
had not taken the coat would not have
had the money, bit 1t was cold and the
coat was on the chair, and | took il
intending to wear it home, but not to
keep it, did not know how hard
struck. l was very drunk and the rest
were too. If FIVE had been in our right
minds we would not have gotten into n
row. | went there to stay all night with
him, and | did not think that | would
kill or hurt any one till the knife was
drawn on me. God will forgive me of
all my sins, and do thank God for the
name Of Jesus, know that Jesus died
for us all, and am going to that happy
land where Jesus is, and where troubles
never come"
JOSEPH HARRIS.