The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-15

Suddenly Watts began to cry like a child, We'll am glad you got me-" he sobbed. flor l have never had an hour $ peace or rest since that night at Cath olcshurg, Ky. Now ! am going to tell you all about myself and my companions since 1 left Rrookville"
 On arriving at that place Wcss Watts insisted on making a full confession in the presence of the sheriff. the prosecut- ing attorney and myself. It ran as fol- lows:
 Left Brookville, June so. 1S74 for Par ker's Landing. Got boat there and went down the river. My father, James Watts. traded a gun for the boat. We built shanty on the boat as we pro ceeded down the river. The names Of the parties on the boat were; Charles Peach, Oliver Brooks, James Watts. l. W. Watts. sarah M Watts and AIyrta Watts There was no difficulty on the boat until we arrived at a point near Ironton, O. We got woman by the name of Fanny Rose on board the boat and from there down to Maysville there seemed to be some trouble between Oli- yer Brooks and James Watts my father. about Fanny Rose, the girl named above. My father had been tasking of turning states evidence and on Sunday. the 9th of September, 1874, he took an aX and cut a hole in the bottom of the boat. I remonstrated with him and he was going to strike me with the ax. The water began filling the boat. which neces- sitated our landing. On the night of the 6th of September, iST4, Oliver Brooks shot James Watts. killing him almost instantly, for threatening to turn state s evidence. concerning what had been stolen down tho river by tho male DOT tion of the gang on the boat. James Watts stole nothing himself. He lived only a few minutes after Brooks shot him.
 I was on another boat about so wards above the one James Ma ,ts was on. knew that Oliver Brooks was going to shoot my father and il rlade me very 1ervcus It made mo s,cl and I laid down. I got up and started down to tell my father when l heard a gun shot, but having an idea of what h,d occIrred. vas very much frightened and Was very veal. through fear and did not go into the shanty on the boat where James Watts and Oliver Brooks were During tnie Sunday afternoon Oliver Brooks and James Watts had scme difficulty anG Brooks told us all. except James Watts that he would shoot James Waite
 1 am here to tell the whole ruth and want to keep nothing back. My father stole nothing, but he did help conceal what the rest Of us stole.
 After he was shot, and when | came
 
 and Aston, were gathering up stones on the bank and carrying them into the shanty on the boat where my father was lying. and 1 suppose thoy were takfn. them in to tie around his neck to sink him in the river, from what they said before the deed was committed, After they got everything fixed up ! heard thefl putttut, 1ny lather into skin and rowing out into the river. and l heard them putting him overheard. They used G0 or SO feet oi halt-inch rope to tie the stones to him judging from the amount that was gon, from the boat
 After they took r.y Ilthor out into tn, river and threw him in, Oliver Brook. said he felt just as wei! as he did he lore he committed tho dccd. and better too. After this there was no more con Yers1tion about il in my presence As Woud not listen to hem Tor permit then 10 talk to me about it. did not go into the room where he was Killed fer five oi six weeks. It was my rifle that he shoi him with and it wae the hest rife | over saw OF Used. but after ErCoks used il f, shoo- my father I uever shot out of il CT looked into the muzzle of it but wha, saw blood or thought | saw blood iD it. Other persons saw blood in the nuzzle oi the gun after shooting it I showed II 10 them without oivpg tler any other in. 'ornation. There was an understanding ana mutual agreement between us thal We were never to say anything about the killing of James Watts. We pushed tht boat off that evening, after my father hao been killed and thrown into the river aitd went on down stream, following our usua aNocation of stealing, etc., and We aid moi stop permanently until we got to Paducah ky. At Paducah all males in our party were arrested on the Illinois side by Mar shal Geary of Paduca.I. Frank rarland MOrrDw ( oh of general larceny committed at Budds- vile, Ky. We were tried. convicted ard sent to the penltontiary at Frankfort ky. l got three years. Oliver Brooks got two years and nine months. Pete Alstor got one year and six montrs and Charli.