The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1884-07-15

| ulu duQ SfIC0 Vos'
made, but too late. The train
moved too fast. Only a few
could spring on, not enough to
resist the officers, and they sprsng of
again, and Charles Hamilton reached
the Sedalia Jail in safety. where he 70
manned until his trial.
On the 18th of April he wrote Mr..
Cottrell, his Warrensburg employer,
the following letter.
FRIEND CoTTRELL.
have wronged you in a most
shameful manner and most humbly
beg your pardon. l am quite broken
hearted and am in the need ola few
friends to help me to prove to the
people that tried to make man OF
myself. made the acquaintance OF
this friend who has got me into
trouble, in the penitentiary two years
ago and he treated me as well as l
could expect friend to do, telling me
before he left there that he would write
to me, and 30 he did, after he got me
up there requesting me to come to
Sedalia and 90 into some kind of bust.
ness with him. / received So the day
l was let go and paid my fare to Soda
Liza. When / arrived he had no
money and asked me for what l had
left from the fare. / told him | must
find work somewhere and boarding
bouse. He wac at work and told me
his word was good where he boarded
and be would stand good for me for
two weeks. I then gave him the
money I had left and boarded with
him, looking for work every day, but
the weather being so cold it could not
be had. At the end of two weeks
told him 1 must 60 away and find
work, so I left him and came to War
rensburg and you know the rest.
knew if [ staid any longer he
would get me into some kind Of
trouble. Every day he had chance
to speak he would want me to do
something desperate. He knew by a
continual coaxing he could almost
persuade me to do anything, He
knew nv weak nature too we'll to let
me alone. He knew l would keep
NV mouth shut when in trouble, and
thought after a deed is done, to save
himself, he would put me in the hole
for it by turning states evidence
against me. You know his game as
well as do. By the loss of sleep
and a few drinks In me that Sunday
night ] submitted to his hellish desire,
and to-day am confined behind the
bars.
Hoping to find you a man that will
assist me, a poor helpless wretch led
, astray by an unknown devil who
knows nothing but steal, rob and
, kill. God knows my heart was right
before / committed that deadly MUIR
der. l did not break his skull with
the blow I struck; he would not have
! been dead to-day had it not been for
, his choking the man after l knocked
him down, and then laying him across
the rail before he was dead. The
man was not dead when We left him.
As soon as / struck the blow was so
overcome with horror that / stood
: about paralyzed with fear. | could
do nothing but look on. l am feel
ing more dead to day than alive. My
brain is wandering at times 30 badly
that I can hardly think of anything.
, I think that / will 60 mad before
many days. Life is burden to me.
T I'll ever can call my life on this
l earth my own again l, by the help Of
God. will never assist another man
who tries to tempt me to do wrong
: again, as long as l live. / never will
forget this deed as long as life remains
y in NV body. Although | am down
and helpless I can honestly say ]
I never would have committed thi;
deed had not been under the infu
v ence of liquor and been tempted by
that man.
e Never did 1 strike any man the
q first blow to my knowledge up to tha
q day. I would not have done tina
had not drink Supplied my brain anC
d friend coaxed me into it. l sent
,, nov best regards to all at the hotel
hoping you will not look down on mi
because of the falsehood l have told
before the truth was out. am sorr.
/. / ever had to lie to you, but circum
e stances compelled me to do 80. For
- give me. ask from the full depth Q
: nv heart, which is quite broken. |
YOU will stand by me now, though
20 have done wrong, it will be a grea
help to me and consolation to know
re that / have some one whom l Cal
l. rely upon, and if ever l can repa
ne YOU for the assistance that you rende
I'd me will repay you fit is the las