The Sun. — 1829-09-25 (London, England)

CONFESSION OF DAVID EVANS.  The following is the confession of David Evans, who was tried and convicted of the wilful murder of Hannah Davies, at the Carmarthen Autumn Great Sessions, on the 16th day of September, 1829 : " This is the confession of me, David Evans► who am justly condemned to suffer for commit; ting a great offence against the laws of God and man. I die in charity with all men. I forgive all who may have offended or injured me, and I hope that all whom I might have injured in word, or deed, will forgive me also. I was re' ceived by I3lannah Davies as her lover, and was , much attached to her. I visited her on Thursday, the 11th of June last, and remained in her company on that occasion about two hours, and before we parted she asked me, if she were to go to her father's house the following Saturday. would I accompany her. I said I would, and promised to meet her on the road near Esgar Fynwent. I left home between nine and ten o'clock, and took a bill-hook with me, and told my sister that I was going to mend some gaps in the hedges. I began my work, but before I finished closing one gap, Hannah Davies came and called me, and asked if I was coming. MY answer was, that I would rather not come that night, and gave as an excuse that my sister was washing my stockings. She said, Come this night, or 1 will never forgive you.' On this I went, and we proceeded along the road to Civilsifigw, in the parish of Llanybyther. We then went over the mountain, and proceeded along in a friendly manner, until we reached the spot where the murder was perpetrated. As we were passing the small hollow where the body was found, I struck her with the bill-hook, which I had concealed under my coat, across her neck. She did not fall to the ground on the first blow; a second, which I immediately dealt, brought her to the ground, but on what part of the body it fell, I cannot exactly say, nor how many more blows I struck, for I was bewildered, and almost frantic, and scarcely knew what I was doing. was instantly smitten by my conscience after striking the first blow, and was sorry for the act, but was urged to finish the deed for fear she would recover, and that the attempt would be discovered, and I suffer for it. I did not drag her from the road to the ravine, but she fell, should think, in that direction, from the force of the blows. I then ran homewards as fast as I could, and on the way dipped the bill-hook in a pool of water to wash away the blood. I reached home about one or two o'clock on the Sunday morning, and got to bed very silently, where lay about an hour. I then got up, wiped my shoes, and put grease upon them. These were. the shoes produced on the trial. Upon leaving the house on Saturday, I told my sister, to pre.. vent her coming out of the house, that she !night. not see me going with Hannah Davies, that ! would drive the cattle into the night field ; and in order to deceive her further, I finished mend' ing the gaps in the hedge after I got up on the Sunday morning. I do not think my sister heard me coming into the house, for I came in as silently as I could, and she was in bed. There was no blood on my clothes, and I had no ac' complice whatever in committing this murder' I was instigated to this dreadful act by a feeling of jealousy ; and I earnestly implore all youn4 men to take warning by my melancholy end, and not give way to unruly passions. I return my t most sincere thanks to those in whose charge have been ever since the awful and just sentence of the law passed against me, for the very ho' mane and tender kindness and attention, spiritual and temporal, which I received from them. • "