Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1916-09-01

almost instantly, for threatening to
turn states evidence, concerning what
had been stolen during our trip down
the river by the male portion of the
gang on the boat. James Watts stole
nothing himself. He only lived few
minutes after Brooks shot him. ! was
on another boat about sixty yards
above the one James Watts was on.
knew that Oliver Brooks was go
ing to shoot my father and 1t made
me very nervous. It made me sick
and laid down. l got up and started
down to tell my father when I heard
a gun shot, but having an idea OF
what had occurred I was very much
frightened and was very weak through
fear and did not go into the shanty
on the boat where James Watts and
Oliver Brooks were. During this Sun
day afternoon Oliver Brooks and
James Watts had some difficulty. and
Brooks told us all. except James
Watts, that he would shoot James
Watts.
II am here to tell the whole truth.
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 I
came up. either Brooks and Peach.
or Brooks and Aston, were gathering
up stones on the bank and carrying
them into the shanty on the boat
where my father was lying. and |
suppose they we're taking 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 l heard them put.
ting my father into a skiff and rowing
out into the river. and heard them
putting him overheard. They used
sixty or eighty feet Of half-inch rope to
tie the stones to him. judging from the
amount that was gone from the boat.
After they took my father out into
the river and threw him in. oliver
Brooks said he felt just as we'll as he
did before he committed the deed, and
better. too. After this there was no
more conversation about 1t in my
presence. as / would not listen to
them nor permit them to talk to me
about it. did not 60 into the room
where he was killed for five or six
weeks. 1t was my rifle that he shot
him with and it was the best rifle I
ever saw or used. but after Brooks
used 1t to shoot my father l never
shot out of it or looked into the
muzzle of it but what I saw blood.
or thought saw blood in 1t. Other
persons saw blood in the muzzle Of
the gun after shooting it. l showed
1t to them without giving them any
other information. There was an I'M
Outstanding and mutual agreement be-
tween us that we were never to say
| anything about the killing of James
Watts. We pushed the boat OF that
evening, after my father had been
killed and thrown into the river, and
went on down stream. following our
usual avocation of stealing, ETC.. and
we did not stop permanently until we
got to Paducah. Ky. At Paducah all
the males in our party were arrested
on the Illinois side by Marshal Geary
of Paducah. Frank Farland. Wood
Morrow and Bill Green. on a charge
Of general larceny committed at
Buddsville, Ky. We were tried. con-
victed and sent to the penitentiary
at Frankfort, KY l got three years.
oliver Brooks got two years and nine
months, Pete Aston got one year and
six months and Charlie Peach got
three years. Brooks got pardoned
through his wife on the 14th of May
or June, 1875. and I got pardoned on
the 7th Of July, 1875.
Brooks and his wife got Peach par
doned. Brooks wife. as I understand
it, had Illicit relations with the son
Of the governor of Kentucky and
through the influence of the son on
his father Peach was pardoned. My
wife got Governor King to write Gov
ernor Leslis. then acting governor OF
Kentucky. and through his interces-
sion / was pardoned. After Brooks
was pardoned he stayed until Peach
and l got out. AS soon as ! got out
| / started for or back to Paducah. KY,
and left Brooks and Peach In Frank
fort. left there on the 7th day Of
July. 1875. and have never seen any
of them since. Up to the time I left
Brookville I was in the habit Of going
out with gang composed o.
(Here follow the names.)
II make this confession of my own
free will and without the expectation
of any reward or through any fear.
make 1t because this thing has been
lying on my mind like a lead weight
and I concluded would tell the whole
thing just as 1t occurred. My wife
and I had q conversation at one time
In regard to the affair and we thought
Of going to the officers and telling all
II \ k>ssA H<e AtA