The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1882-03-15

WV VIC NlDlutC -
this instance because Of the great inter
est manifested in regard to this murder
Our readers must be their own judges il
this matter:
Il WABASH AVENUE,
CHICAGO, ILL.,, February Is, 'S2.
To the Editor Of the Home Journal, Win
chester, Tenn:
Dear Sir;-In justice to the innocen
write this confession. Myself anc
Pardner left this city for trip to Flori
ida without money, Except what We
could beat the boys out Of at scven-uF
or any other way We could.) We left
Shelbyville, Tenn, strapped the day
before the shooting the next night
pard on gray mule and myself on a
blaze-iaccd, white-footcd horse, (sorrel }
We struck in the vicinity Of the Owl
Hollow, and thinking that we might
succeed in getting stake from the Owl
Hollow store, We entered it cooked and
primed to clean it up, knowing that the
proprietor was not there ; and we hitch
ed our stock at the back of the store
and went in through Il window, and
when the young men came running up
our stock broke loose and ran around
the store, or rather my horse did. And
We ran out when we heard the noise,
leaving our grease lamp on the counter,
and everything else except two good
suits of clothes and n pocket-kniie or
so. Lo ! and behold, this put them be-
tween me and my horse, so opened up
fire on the boys to run them off; and
when fired so did my pard, (and, by
the-way, he was ms good shot as ever
pulled II trigger had no idea of hit
ting either Of them, for | could see that
they were not armed and did not want
to fight; but one of them tumbled of at
the crack of my pistol, and the other
ran off down the branch, and we jumped
our stock and lit out for the mountain,
which we reached in 2 or 3 hours ride.
Two days hence we Cor rather pard did
exchanged off the old gray mule to Il
farmer ut the mouth of Paint Rock (if.
I'm not mistakenly And from there We
went on to the Warm State. There we
sold our stock and got considerable
stake, and when VIC had cleaned up
few places we returned to Chicago, from
whence we came. ! watched the Nash
vile papers from day to day to see how
much fuss would be kicked up about
the fellow Baker being killed, and as
much as anything else to find out who
he was and to see how liberal the Gov
crnor would be, DC. And | also sa,r
that we were not suspected, and that
two notorious Poe brothers had been ar
rested for the crime. Then | began to
watch the proceedings of the trial, &c
And when they were convicted TO be
hung, | suggested to pard that VIC write
the Judge and jury and give the boys
the benefit of our confession, and then
skip the country. But he said, No
that he was not able to travel, and that
they never would hang for what they
were not guilty of. SO | desisted from
writing at that time. Since that date
my pard died with lung disease, that is
common with young men at hot
Springs. Now, | give the Poes the ben
eft of this confession, and say further
that they are just as innocent of killing
the man Baker in the Owl Hollow as
the Judge and jury are that tried and
convicted them. Anything else about
them don't know. | give this because
my pard is dead, and I'm going to put
the briny deep between me and thee ere
this reaches you. Besides, | don't ex-
poet to live much longer, and don't care
Il id how soon the times comes. Trust
ing that the Poe brothers will not hang
for n crime that they are as innocent of
as the God in Heaven, and as it is bet
ter for ninety-nine guilty men to go I'M
hung than to hang one innocent one,
and knowing that you will never hear
from me again, | am, dear sir, yours
One other word to the
young men: Try some other way to
earn your living from that of cards, for
it will be sure to lead to a quick ruin.
AS this is my first effort at writing
for n newspaper, l hope you will excuse
photography, &c. If | had
the money to spare, | would send it to
you for publishing this article; but jus
tice demands it Of you, and feel conf
dent that you will not flicker.
Some Predetermined people will
say that this is only scheme or trick
by some of Pocs' friends to excite sym.
pathy in their behalf. Well, sure
enough it is trick, but only in justice
to the innocent sufferer of humanity
that is, l, as devil as hell, wants me to
make this confession for what is worth,
for the benefit of the Judge and jury
and community in general. Not, not
that I'm any friend to said Poes any
more than 1 would be to any one ar
raigned innocently for my crime.
Find me out if you can. Offer $780,