San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1888-03-22
Only IIhlnkl

The confession OF young Forsylho
II the murder OF Treasurer Hill, IL u
'ad commentary on the influence OF
the whisky traffic on society, This
horrible crime WAS not only committed
under the influence Of liquor, but tho
detection was made from the same
influence. No sooner had the deteo-
tive, Mr.. Parker, arrived Mt Pamela
than young Forsythe approached him
and Joined in the search. His con.
duct was not altogether natural, and
the detective, In order TO see whether
he did not have large sums OF money,
availed himself Of young Forsythe's
fondness for gambling. He won all
the young mans money at several
sittings, but he returned With re
plenisbed pocket.book continually.
The detective set q watch TO SEQ
whore young Forsythe went, and
found no went home in every instance.
As silver had been taken from the
treasury, the detective asked Forsythe
for change. He brought it. He was
seen to visit n woods near his fathers
honse. There the silver was found.
Forsythe was arrested, confessed it
all, asked them TO hang, but not burn
him. He climbed the ladder TO a limb
OF q tree and at the word, with q rope
attached to the limb and around his
neck, leaped off to an awful death.
His confession is about Ms follows:
Some of Forsythe's relatives went
to the Jail to see him and have m in.
terview with him. To them he stated
that he alone had anything to do with
the murder; that he knew he had to
die and that he was ready. The only
time that he evinced any weakness
was when he was asked if he wished
to see his mother He bowed his
head and shook it negatively, but
said he would like to see his father
and brother. His relatives told him
to prepare, for it was his last night
on earth; that the people were deter
mined to lynch him. He said he did
not care if they hung or shot him,
but he did not want to be burned.
The indifference he displayed, the
lack of sense OF the enormity of the
crime, is marvellous in one so young,
for he was barely 81. He sat in the
courtroom debating his confession
as coolly rs could butcher telling of
such an every day occurrence as kill
ing a beef, and this stolid indifference
or "gameness," lasted to the end. He
was Of powerful physique, dissipated
and wild, drank freely all the time,
and the only exculp ation he offered
of his crime was that he was so drunk
he did no know what he was doing.
BY this one tragical act the light
of two homes has been extinguished.
Little can those exempt from such
anguish realize the unrelenting
agony that wrings that mothers
heart. It is the agony in her heart
of a death that will not die. We
depcecate extravaganza and desplse
almost morbidly, all forms of fanati-
cism, but we deliberately declare that
the life of Treasurer Hill and the
broken heart of that mother are worth
more than all the liquor, and the lib
erty which the selling Of it represents
in tho world. May q merciful God
hasten the day when the conscience
of an enlightened civilization may
awake to the enormity of legalizing
traffic which daily results in the most
awful forms of crime
We copy the above from the Texas
Baptist and Herald. We think it is
probable that the mob who took
young Forsythes life, for a murder
committed under the evil influence of
intemperance, was composed mainly
if not altogether, of anti-prohi1i
tionists. We wonder If they did not
at last realize, in his deed, the legiti-
mate results OF the traffic to whose
support they have stood pledged7
Yet we suppose they did not, or they
would scarcely have felt warranted in
assuming, as they did, the Office of
both Judge and avenger of his crime.
Again. it is to this monstrous evil,
fraught with such direful results, that
George Clarke and his disciples de-
mand that all democratic voters must
swear allegiance. or be ruled out of
the party. They must not even be
allowed to keep silence on the sub
ject, but must openly renounce their
and moral and Christian
principles by endorsing this idea of
Clarke and CO., as q part of the state
platform, under pain of political ex-
Intelligent Democrats of Texas.
what think your Will you obey this
insulting behesti We
shall see.