The Monroe journal., 1921-08-05
TON JACKSON, A CONVERT,
LAYS BARE HIS PAST LIFE
lie tIxats-> a SENSATION li, tnnIc>>ins
L. si.r banning a.. Pressing tub
and the Ayden hMvi.
M lrsr HAD 10 CONFESS II.

GFtt aXillr. Au-. 4.-Tom Jackson.
fo.mtr tobacco auctioneeT and farmer
RhO rtceUtiy confessed his sins and
b, -an preachiEs Throughout this SEC
ticn. last night created considerable
eNcit, n.eug IN ANOou when he dseiaf-
"a THAI be burned TIE Ayden aoteiI
about seven wears axe 10 get tas III
,uranee from Il building ot AZ own
which adjeiI I'd the hotel buildins.I
Besides masiu- this startling asseF-
tlul before the larse satherlnS q
peopl, wao had assembled OF 4 pm
cipai streDt Ci tbs town TO hear TIE
'.allpetd confessions as previously
announced from the pulpit OF a near
is church. Jackson laid bare his en-
lire TIT, aud sti forth a number 81
deeds last either subject him u llit-
time confinement IA TIE ptnitehtidgs
or a minor sentence, Whichever Nay
The court max decide the matter fol-
Iewing his arrest and conviction on
his owl evidence.
jackson. who is about 80 years o.
axe and a native OF Pin county. was
converted II the McLtndon meeting
in this city last summer, ana since
tnat time has been preaching III Nafl-
ous sections, Il is said he became 50
enthused over religion thar he ae'
cided 10 lay ba.c Gis llte's work be-
tore the public and announced the
fact at services near Ayden last week.
H. declared then that his conscience
tortured him beyond endurance and
demanded that a confession be made.
He set the date for the confession
Tor yesterday and as a result large
crowd gathered in the town TO at
tend his services.
He was refused permission TO hold
services in principal church Of the
, town and immediately stationed him.
,, self on one OF the principal streets.
. The crowd soon gathered. aEd eN-
perienced thrill after thrill as he told
of a career "a condemnins as any
, could possibly be
In describing the fire which was
. one of the most destructive Ayder
had in years. Jackson declared that
, he didn't mean TO destroy so much
. property hut set fire TO his own build
ing. which adjoined the hotel. merel!
for the purpose Of getting the insur-
, ance.
/. Il slipped 10 my place of business
that night armed with shot snt
, intending to kill anybody that IN
, terferred with me- he told th'
crowd. hut thank goodness. didn'i
STE a single soul except doctor who
appeared at his Office for a shor'
time and then departed | waited
, few minutes TO see If anyone eis'
came that way and then applied som,
, gasoline to rags in the rear OF my
pressing club"
He said he then slipped silentl}
away to his home and in n shor
time heard screams Of fire. fire. fire
a., from the direction OF his place OF bus
: mess. He looked out and the entire
town was lighted from the flame
of the burning buildings. The fir
n had been discovered just In time Z
save persons sleeping in the hotel
two or three OF whom barely escaped
e being burned alive
After this thrilling narrative OF IN
IS cendiarism told in voice choked =!
. emotion. jackson told of othet deed
! not quite So heinous. and declared h
. felt h, couldn't continue living. feel
n ing the weight of the crime upon hi
= shoulders
y Il don't care what the law doe
# with M. because it can't possibly tor
r. Iture M as much as the knowleds
5. of my own guilt"
!, H said that he didn't feel that h
r could continue preaching the Word o
# God without laying bare his heart I
the world He believed he would b
l. forgiven more quickly and felt tn
l. responsibility to great one TO con
d tiuue preaching and tooling the pee
a pie as H. had been doing
q The entire section has been arou'
is cd over tio confessions and there
~ considerable speculation as to wha
.. action will be taken against JaeR
Is son. Many people believe the man &C
,e his idea of publicly confessing h
re sins from McLendon. who told
y story of his life In the series of SCI
rs mons here
or II was intimated in court circ!'
% here this morning that he would
,e arrested and placed on trial for burr
nj ing the hotel. and II may be that !
,e will be placed in Jail during the da
a The crime H. punishable by lifetin
of Imprisonment or minor sentenc
nj whichever way officials decide.