The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-07-16
Would Have Confessed Long
Ago If He Had Not Been
Afraid of His Brother Will.
EXONERATES PHELPS
Says Man Convicted of Aiding
In Escape of Himself and
Brother Was Innocent.

81 shot Mr.. Davis, firing at close
range, first once. then twice and then
once again, then Will Boyd fired one
| time with his 45 at close range.
do not know how nor who shot Mrs.
Davis declared Bob Blackwell in the
county Jail yesterday afternoon.
| Blackwell is under sentence TO be
hanged at Crestview July % charged
| with the murder of the two aged
people.
The murder was committed nearly
four years ago near Crestview and
those charged with the crime have
| been fighting supreme court failed
to reverse the former decisions Of the
lower courts and the pardoning board
refused To recommend clemency or life
Imprisonment last week.
Blackwell was visited by the gov
arnor just before the board met and
at that time denied that he was guilty
of the charges. Upon leaving the
condemned man the governor warned
him TO Prepare TO meet hfs God"
Losing all hope Of winping out in the
long fight Bob Blackwell calmly con-
fessed to the details of the murder
and of the actions OF himself win
Blackwell and Will Boyd just before
mad after the old people were muir
dered.
Will and Bob both made their es-
cape from the local county Jail July
), 1918, and were again arrested
soon after the escape. Will died Of
tuberculosis in the county Jail short
ly after the rectpture. They sawed
out of Jail with saws Bob stated were
furnished by Frank Penton.
I'VE left the building in a hurry
Immediately after the shooting and
did not get any of the money" he
continued. Il shot Mr.. Davis, but had
to do it in self defense. If / had not
shot him he would have killed me
and / have wished a thousand times
since then that l had let him Kill me
then"
BIack~elTs Statement.
II was orking at Syiacauga and
Will sent for me to come down say
ing that he had a proposition where
We could make some money. He wrote
me several letters and finally / agreed
to come down. VIII Boyd came with
me. When we got TO Pensacola VIII
explained the deal TO us and told us
how easy il would be 10 get the money
and have no trouble.
THE old couple had $4,000 in "A
hurting anybody and split II, each one
of US getting $1,000" VIII told US. We
got to thinking how easy the money
would be made and we agreed TO the
robbery. win said he knew
the people well and knew they kept
the money in a little trunk in their
bedroom.
We got some shoe polish from
Kress in Pensacola and went to
Crestview. We walked through the
woods and sand until it seemed we
had walked so miles. Our feet were
sore and even bleeding. We got in
the ncighborhood Of the house and
stopped TO rest and wait until night
fall.
While waiting we BACKED our faces
so we would look like negroes and
after dark we started again. We
went a little piece through the woods
and Will called us TO stop and wait
until he returned, after showing US
where the house was.
He left US and stayed away a little
while and then came back and We
discussed the robbery He left Us
again and came back in about an hour
and told US everything was all right
and after going over the robbery
again we went 10 Ine mousse
Forest is Fired.
"Will told US to go in the house
and ask for a drink Of water and
Boyd and 1 went in and when we
asked for water Mr.. Davis told US
where the well was, and we went
around and got some water. We saw
4 big fire down in the woods a good
piece away from the house and some
1ne left to go TO a telephone TO notify
he officers at Crestyiew.
I'VE went back to the front where
Bob was and he told US 10 go in and
demand the trunk from the old peo-
pie, telling us there would be no trou-
bic at all We did not want to go
without him, but he insisted and said
hat he was known to the old peo-
pie and they would know him through
he black polish. We finally agreed
I'VE went up to Mr. Davis and de-