The Russellville Democrat., 1886-05-26

Below is the statement of the crime as given to the press by Barnes: STATEMENT.
 Il am g years and two months old; was born in Blount county, Tennessee. About the Sth of No
 vember 1885, Charles Hoffman, who owned and run gambling devise known as n Wheel of Fortune and myself started from Plummer's, in Conway county, going to Pine Bluff. Arkansas, and returning on the 20th of the same month, and on the day of the killing of Hollman at night. Before I left Plummer's for Pine Bluff and some time after Hoffman had arrived at that place, John Cul lens and I had conversation about the probable amount of money that Holman had at that time: and, we agreed that if he had the amount which we then supposed he had, we would kill him ana take it from him. However, we abandoned the idea for that time. When 1 returned with Holman to Planners l met Cul'ens and Russell Watson and we all had Q conversation together: during the conversation some one of the three, which one 1 cannot say, proposed that we get Holman to go down to negro festival to be given about three miles from town, take his sWheer' and exhibit it there, and after the festival was over, we would kill him for his money. The pro- posal was accepted and the agree ment entered into by all of us. It was agreed that was to go with Holman to the festival, and that Cullens and Watson should come at night; and, after the festival broke, the two latter were to leave and start back toward Plummer's to avoid suspicion, and return to where Holl- man and I would camp that night, near the place where the festival was given. Pursuant to agreement, after the festival was concluded, Cullens and Watson, who had gone down on horseback started back home. but re
 turned in about three quarters of an
 hour, and found Holman engaged in game of cards with two negroes. l tole; them to leave and return in a short time and that 1 would get rid of the negroes. They left and after remaining q few minutes returned the negroes having gone. Hoffman and I had made down our bed under the Wheel table and were lying down when the two returned; Holl
 man was lying next to the fire. When Cullens and Watson rode up Hoffman called to them and told them to get down and renew tue fire, and that he and 1 Iwould play game of cards with them; as he finished speaking he rose to sitting posture on the bed, and reached my hand
 under the place where his head had been lying and got his pistol with
 which I shot him twice. It was l B caliber Smith & Wesson five shooter. The first shot struck him about two inches above the right ear, and the second about one inch to tho rear of the first. When the first shot was fired both Cullens and
 Watson started to where their horses were hltchcd, and returned voluntar- fly to where the dying man lay, and pulled him from under the table by the feet and legs while was putting on my shoes. Hoffman was groan- ing at this time, and Watson took a dirk knife from his person and hand 1 ing it to Cullens, told him to cut
 Hollman's throat; Culens handed
 me the knife, but l did not use 1t; l picked mp the axe lying near by, and struck the dying man three blows on the front part of the head with
 it; we all then picked him up and
 put him into the wagon, and he groaned once after we put him in; l struck him agaln with the axe, and
 immediately threw it into the lake. I told the other two to harness the horses while I put the balance of tue
 plunder into the wagon; but had
 to assist them after gathering up the
 plunder, both Of them being so badly
 frightened that they could do noth
 ing without my assistance. When
 we had hitched the korses to the
 wagon, Culens held them while Watson got some corn stalks and burnt them over the blood on the ground, and I got tow sack and an oilcloth that we had over the wagon sheet, and wrapped them around the head of the murdered man to pre- vent the blood from running into the
 wagon bed. Cullens then turned the horses and wagon around, and he and Watson asked for division of the money we had gotten of Holman, and we divided it, they receiving $20.00 each, and my self $l2.00 in money, and the balance of his property. Alter the division of the money, we started back toward Plummers, Watson riding his own horse and leading CalIens' in front, and Cullens and myself in the wag on with the dead body. The other two had some controversy ahont