The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1921-03-24
A Graphic Account Written by
. the Final Victim of the Law

4S' TAIe lying IN the cell with two
men suddenly found myself stand
ing up In the floor praising God with
all my heart, soul and BODY. From
that time till now have tried to serve
him and obey Him, and / feel that my
burdens today are light. And I can
say today: They can hang me for the
murder OF my wife, but hey can't
make me guilty of such a crime. I'd
rather be in my condition today than
In the condition of those who have
| caused me to be here in the face of
the gallows. If / have come to the
gallows it is not because l have been
Dadly raised. L was raised by an
honest father and a good mother.
They raised me to stay at home, to
behave myself to everybody, to work,
to tell the truth and to deal honestly,
This is what they teached me and l
can say that have always dealt hon
estly with all men and, if I had my
rights, / would not be here. If it
were done by good people, I would not
think hard of it. l can tell the char
acter of three of the party who have
sworn my life from me, but I will let
1T all go, and meet my doom and
leave them theirs.
My Wife's Death
Here is all can say in regard to
my wife's death. 1t might have been
in this world. She had tried for a
year before her death to get me to
join the Baptist church, but l knew
that was not fit to join. T know that
she tried to hang herself several
years ago. This is all the truth so
far as I am concerned. l can tell no
more. can say now that I have
fought good fight. I have finished
my work. / have conquered the devil
and his agents. My friends of the
world, you all can say what you
please about me. 1t can't avail any,
thing now. it won't hurt me and will
not do me any good. / have told you
as near the truth as l can. After l
got to gambling l was never satisfied
when at home. I followed it for sew
eral years, and it was the cause of
my having several hard fights and
the source of many troubles. During
the ones I had three children sworn
to me, but we never had any words
on that. She forgave me and it was
forgotten in peace.
I hate the life that have lived, but
it is passed and gone. can't help it
now. My tears cannot cure the mis-
takes I have committed. Oh, if /
could have it back again would live
quite a different life. 1t is justice to
me to state that was advised by
friend more than year before her
death that if I stayed with her she
would cause me to be hanged, and it
has come just as he told me. But how
could I leave my poor, weak wife,
whomI had chosen of all the world to
live and die with, and how could |
take my dear child who owns all of
my heart, from it's dear mother?
AS said they can hang me for her
her death, but it is all they can do.
There is day coming when every
tub will stand on it's own bottom, and
thank God for it; for then we will
all get our justice. This is sweet con
ISOLATION to an innocent and sufer1ng
man. I was told only a short time
eIgo by man from my county that
nv wife told him six years ago while
she was down sick, that if she lived
to get up she intended to leave
enough behind her when she died to
hang me, and it has come just as she
said, and her threat is now to be tul-
filed. I hope her poor soul is at rest
TODAY if mine never gets there. L can
saw with truth that I kept her as good
a home a scommo npeople have. kept
her something to live on and some
bodv to wait on her whenever she
needed it. Tho if could have done
as much more for her it would make
me feel much better now. l have had
a hard time in this world but nope
that when my trouble and sutterln
ceases today in this world that my
poor soul will go to rest, | have tr1ed
to prepare myself as best L knew now
to meet my God in peace. l am hon-
est in what have done and hope and
pray to God that 1 am right. nave
given YOU all the truth. If other peo-
Die have done wrong and hurt me- l.
can't help that now. :.
I can't tell you how my Wlte's
death happened. may be wrong DuT :
I can't reconcile how she knew year
beforehand what was coming. 1T
seems strange to me but will not
tell what know. She is dead and
gone and I will go today. l will not
let nv troubles expose her. 1t will
make no difference with you who are
nv friends and hers. We are both
done with YOU and this world any
Uav. If YOU would remember me, pay
+ in kindness to the dear little
daughter I leave behind. L have tofd
The truth. I have nothing more 20
confess. The tOrtures OF deatn can
not draw out more than this. The last
sun has thrown it's light on me and
before it sets again my soul will De
farther away than it is. This ends an
I will ever say and confess to you. 10
death I resign my memory TO Goo
give my soul, and to you l give ana
leave my body as a recomPense 1or
your labor in relieving me of my trou-
HES and helping and speeding me to
hat bright home above where justice,
mercy and peace will be mine forever
and ever.
the agony and torture of the death
that [ will die today in the sight ct
YOU and your Almighty Judge. IL
Won dr6n 2 tear. I will read it by the