Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-06-20
Prisoner-Not until after we got in jail
KILLING OF DICK ovERToN.

hILllN1J Of Eh1ON.-
This boy lived with my father, he never
lived with me. On Saturday night before
he was killed, got him to go out and stay
with my little boys while me and my wife
went to preaching. He took the pistol out
of my house and hid ii under the house
On Sunday morning my wife went around
to draw a bucket of water and saw the pis-
toll sticking out from under the house. She
asked me what that meant, told her did
kot know, but guessed he would do what
he aimed TO do while protracted meeting
was going on. On Monday night my wife
went to preaching and Staid at home with
four little children. The negro came about
O'Clock in the night. had been sleeping
but the dogs woke me barking at him, and
when went to the door, he was standing
out in the yard. l asked him what he wan
ted and he said he wanted mush mellon.
/ lit the light and gave 1T too him. He was
sitting in the house eating it and went out
of doors-hada running off at my bowels
and went out to do job. Heard the little
child scream and ran back and he was on
the bed, on the child. He jumped up and
said If came in the house, he would kill
me and he took his knife out of his pocket
and tried TO open it. l knocked him down
with my fist and tied him, and then went IN
and got my ammunition and loaded my
gun and drove him through the woods, and
as he was going out there he told me that he
came out with the intention of raVishlng
my wife and burning the house over her
and the children. Said he thought was at
preaching and just as soon as he said 1t, /
shot him with a double barrled shot gun
and the next day me and my brother went
there and threw him into the cave. That
is all about it.
JOhnSOn-Iid you have any Otner mOJlVe
/ in killing him?
Prisoner-None in the world; had nothing
against the boy and never had a cross word
Johnsofi-Why did you carry him TO the
woods, instead of killing him AT the house.
Prison my wife was not in that cOndi
ton that l wanted her To see him, feared 1t
would injure her; she was in a family way.
He was Killed on the 9th of August and t.ie
child was born on the 18th day OF February.
That was the reason carried MIN TO the
woods, my wife being in that condition that
did not want her to See him. My gun was
not lladed at tile time, and while l'adIIIg IL
| thought OF my W fe. Tiierr is no tri IT, in
the repoI Is that have been cIrCulat' Il 20 tile
effect kIll.d him b Gauss NY father owed
him anything-uidn't know my father
owed him amy lining or now ttsy stood
didn't know anything about the business
and never inquired. My SHE reason Was
that found him on my Guild i'll ttse act of
committing n rape.
JuhusOn-You nave been charged with
the Lowry burning. Is there amy truth in
that?
Pris ner-Had nothing To do with the
burning of Mrs. Ilowry's house l was at
home that night here was nobody al my
house but me and my WIFI and little baby.
JuilnsOn-Do you know anything about
the W nm robbery?
PriSoner-Nut a timing in thu. world.
JohnSou-Do YOU know anything oon=
nected with man narne'i Sensing?
PrisoneF-I never heard Of the man before
now.
Iohnson-Did yon have anything tn do
witt putting coffin on outlaws door?
PriSOuer-NeVeF dit.
Jnhnson-Did you have anything 10 do
with the whipping of Bowers?
Prisoner-No sir, Had nothing to do with
it.
,Tohnson-Did you have anything to do
with any other crimes charged against you,
If there are any =?
Prisoner-No sir, l did not. These two
negroes were all that ever bothered, and
/ did that to preserve the honor of my sister
and little daughter, and for no other reason
Johnson-Did you ever take part in any
other crimes of any shape, sort or form?
PrIsoner-Never have had anything To do
with any other crimes, If had would
tell you. L never stole anything from any
body.
Johnson-Did you ever rob anybody's to-
Prisoner-No sir. 1 never did. never
robbed any man.
expect TO be hung next Friday and de-
sire my remains to placed in charge of DIR.
Sears and Polk g. johnson and carried to
Blooming Grove church. l want brother
Sears to preach my funeral and my remains
to be placed by the side of my first wife and
room enough left on the other side for my
present wife.
DR.. Sears-And you now throw yourself
upon the mercy of God and have faith in
tile Lord Jesus Christ and hope that after
all, God will accept you
Prisoner-I do.
We the undersigned, took the con
fession of VIM. Morrow last Monday
afternoon, geographically and it was
afterwards reduced to writing and
read to the prisoner who confessed it
then as he did also on the scaffold.
DR.. A. ID. SEARS,
Polk G. JOHNSON,
w. T. MULLIGAN.