The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-10-19
FIEND RAWLINGS
CONFESSES
AGAIN
VaIdOSta Murderer Makes Another
Statement About Murder of
Carter Children.

A Valdosta special to the Savannah
News of yesterday is as follows:
The most sensational statement
which ]. G. Rawlings has made since
the tragedy in which the two Carter
children were killed was to The Morn
ing News yesterday in the presence
o. Sheriff PassmOre and Tube Swindle
and OTrin Register.
Rawlings sent for the sheriff and
asked him to come to the Jail with the
Morning News correspondent and two
ether gentlemen. as he had something
to say. Arriving at the corridor and
the enclosure in which Rawlings is
confined. he asked if he would be CIV
en- a half an hour in which to say what
he had to tell He was told he could
have all the time he wanted.
well" he said, I want to go over
this whole trouble with YOU all, 50
that you may understand the trouble
with Carter, and why have acted as
4 have"
Rawlings went on to say that he
knew Carriers past life in Coffee
county. and this fact made Carter dis
like him. Carter began to pick at"
him from the start, he said. His Of
lenses were at first small but aggra-
waiting, and Rawlings paid no attention
to him. Then Carter began to go
deeper with his accusations against
him and his boys. They were accused
OF killing Carter's hogs, of stealing his
mules, and he was even accused Of try
ing to assault Carriers wife. He and
his boys were hauled up in justice
courts, the county courts, and were
continually harassed, false charges be-
ing made against them.
The Shooting Of Carter.
Rawlings then told of meeting Car
ter in the woods and shooting him,
which he said was in self defense. He
alleged that Carter had a gun and was
trying to kill him, though the eVi-
dence at the time did not show it. He
said that Carter swsre out warrant
charging him with trying to assassi-
nate him and that he was unuer bond
for assault with intent to murder.
Later on, Carter had him put under
peace bond and he then told the jus
tlce who fixednthe bond that he would
leave the state and-never return if
this bond we're released. The Justice
told him it was the law ana he would
have to give it or go to Jail. Sheriff
PassmOre wrote him at the time that
be was tired of him ana Garter and he
hoped they would keep out of the
courts.
4 know you were. tired of It, Mr.
Sheriff, the public was tired-every-
body was tired. The court officials
we're getting tired when they were
getting fees and / was paying them.
But what could I do? had appealed
10 my neighbOrs a hundred times to
lake hold of the case and settle it if
hey could"
Here the prisoner broke down and
wept, the balance of his story being
old between his sobs
What l hate worst of all, he said.
was to impeach the confidence Of my
10 that If l could only remove the
stain from Tim Mcdonald and his
amily-a stain that has been placed
jpOn them by old Carter.
Got a Man to Kill Carter.
after the peace bond, l went home
after dark Saturday Before l got up
Sunday, he came over to my house
Ina told me he had a man who would /
lut old Carter out of the way, where |
he would not bother us any more. /
lSked him who it was and he told me
AT Moore I told him that l did not
want to talk about it then, but TO come /
,ver to the house Monday and would /.
zee about it,"
who was it talking to you?p
ct was Joe Bentley. Well. Joe and
Aft come over there as agreed upon. /.
All told me that ne would put old
carter out of the way 50 he would .
lever bother anybody again. | told .
lin TO go over and spend the night at
frank Turner's house, but he refused /
aging he did not want Frank Turner /
@ know he was there. Then l sent
lin to the little house in the field to
tay all night l carried him some I
hing to eat there. / told him espe- (