The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-05-28

Jake Graham, who was hanged in Rose
dale, Miss, on the 22d instant for the
murder OF John Lane and James Reed, u
full account Of which appeared in THE
ApPEAL the day following the execution,
made the following confession and re-
quested j. p. Pressgrove to have it pub
lished. Mr.. Prcssgrove came to Memphis
yesterday and gave 1t to THE APPEAL. 1t
is now printed for the first time.
THE CONFESSION.
The charge OF killing my wife and child,
in Belle county, Tex, is not so. i was
out in Texas about twelve months before l
came here. never was married. / am
twenty-seven years old and was born in
Desha county, Ark. The crime |
committed was not juslllable by hanging,
as was influenced in doing ii. am
willing to die, and have resigned myself
to my fate. think will 20 to heaven,
for | have been converted, and believe in
the Catholic religion. My reason for going
west was sickness l had been sick for
three years, and followed the life OF a COW.
boy MS means OF regaining my health
and making livelihood. | went west on
the 2lst OF October, 1885, and left in May,
1856. l helped drive herd from New
Mexico TO Kansas City, and after settling
with my employer came through to Fort
Smith, Ark, where | became employed
by man by the name OF Bruin, in cut
ting crossties. | left him on the 9TH OF
September, and came home, where
stayed with my brothers and sisters.
February, 1857, and my brother came
ON west side OF sunfower river and
boarded with jackson. Ella Boggs' uncle
| became engaged to Ella Boggs', and got
into this trouble aftcrward. Manning and
Turner, the men | killed, threatened my
life II ! married her and | had 10 stay
away from my sick brothers. | was
obliged to go on the east side and hire 20
my brother-in-law for three months lie
paid Inc OIL, and ! went 10 Tom Hunts 10
help my brother work out five days work.
| damascus Hunt and Daniels read noto
to me; il was a plan TO kill James Read
and John Love, and they asked me and
Oliver Martin TO help them. | told them
did not want TO 90, but they said ! had
heard the secret and had 10 20, and said
that IL did not go they would kill
me and throw me into Dougherty
bayou. / told them ] had no car
tridgcs, and they said that should be
no excuse, that he would borrow them.
damascus Hunt shot Reed aud left Dan
iels and me TO guard the boy Markham,
about n mile above where they were.
| They came bace and told us they had shot
Reed, and took us 10 the ford. They then
went 10 dinner and left Daniels thcro &c
guard me, taking the boy with them
Manning and Turner came along, Turner
having shotgun. Manning said 10 Tur
ner: "There is Graham, now shoot himl'
lie threw his gun up 10 his shoulder ant
shot him, and Manning threw his han,
behind him with the intention ~ shooting
me and fred on him. fired three shot
at him, and in about one week gave my
self up. | had no lawyer at the prelim
mary trial; II | had had one ! would hav
been allowed bail. They sent me Of
TO Jail without any bond. There wa
ono man concerned In the attempt 10 XII
Reed whom | must not mention. lie wa
not concerned in the killing did. Nj.
father and mother are botl dead. NJ
mother died in March, 1883, and fatho
died on the 2sth of January, 1886. hay
two sisters aud two brothers living. j "a
II had stolen ~ many cattle ~ A. a
Jackson | could not look COW or a hog il
the eve. lie Is the man that accused M
OF killing my wife and child, which wa
impossible, as | mover was married.
never killed anyone besides Manning an,
Turner except an Indian, and killed hin
while in battle. ! was In two lndial
fights and don't know that ever kille'
any except the one mentioned. Will
out west In 1886 | hired 20 man by th
name OF Powers 10 drive a herd 81 10000
head; he had sold 500 head II
Kansas City; there were sixty-seycn COW
bows and he sent sixteen 10 Kansas City
| was one OF the sixteen, and when "
reached the Red River In the Pan Handl
we were attacked by about fifty Crccl
Indians and held MS about quarter
OF an hour, and out OF the fifty We killc
twenty-five OF them. They killed one {
us. / killed one Of the Indians who wa
no more than twenty steps away and Is ia
only onetha know killed. shot hir
and | saw him fall. We arrived the
safely In Kansas City and returned 20 on
former employer, had 10 live on hard tao
for eight days Aboutono month after th
We were attacked by about thirty Apach
Indians. The Indians were led by the
, chief, Victory. Our boss man, Powell
ordered us 10 move the Indians ava
from there. We sent one
! our party, Mexican, 10 them with III
. orders. They refused 10 go, and opcne
= FIRE on ms, killing one our men before "
had made any move. There were ecvc
squaws with babies and eight bucks killc
In the fight the Indians then rctrcate
and can't say whether | killed any I
/ not, but shot TO kill. We burned the
wigwams and buried the dead. ] want m
two brothers 10 take warning from me an
stav out OF bad company.