Year: 1869

they had the money and had told him all about it.
caught my horse, the gray mare, and came in com
pany with Poe to town allowing short time be-
tween arrival hitched my horse to a post in
front of Coy Crawford's, round Poe grocery.
Poe wrote Bill Benson and sent it by little
boy think Mr.. Bensons son, that he (Poe) then had
his (Bensonsl horse and that he need not be uneasy
about his horse for he would return him that evening
Doc Nelms was present at conference and ne
talked the matter all over Nelma said he could not
go; we insisted that he should. He said he couldn't
but says Nelms, boys can't possibly go, but am
halves with you" Poe saq he would go out and bor-
row Bill Parks pistol for me, as had noarms. A little
before II o'clock got my horse, went back street
by Bennett Boggess' house and stable and came into
the street leading south from the Court House. at Dr.
Blairs In about ten minutes after, suppose Willis
Poe followed down the way had come into the
main street and road, and joined at DR.. Bair's
We then proceeded our journey, taking the Mount
Enterprise road. | asked Poe several times as we
journeyed along if he these men that he said
had gone off in Nelms' hack had money and a large
amount of it. He said yes that he was sure it, for
Col. Johnston here and knew all about their
money, and told him they had large amount of
money and he (Poo) had doubt of it. We pro-
ceeded about nine miles and discovered the hack stand
ing at Josephus Clari's. We rode on went down the
road to where there had been old settlement made
several years ago, the opening the right of the
road and an old house the left. We got behind
the house. Poe pointed large oak out standing I
suppose, about hundred yards up the road towards
Clarks and said that be would make the attack from
behind that would hide himself there. Poe said he
would ride back in the direction of Clarks see when
the hack started and then down and take his po-
sition. Poe told to 90 down the road towards Mt.
Enterprise about quarter of a mile and take DO
sition where l could everything. That he would
attack them and order them get of the hack and
if he found that the money in the hack, he would
start the horses and make them down the road to-
,Io,a Lol lpor.,
must catch the horses and control them and secure the
money. took my position agreed upon, saw in
short time the hack coming and the two men in it.
Poe made the attack before the hack got to the tree.
l heard pistol fire several times. had taken my
position the east side Of the road, and when heard
the pistol fire moved the west. The horses
came rapidly down the road very much frightened. I
seized the lead horse and be dragged distance


at last got control of them and turned the hack into
the woods The front planks of the floor were out.
The not in the hack. | didn't see them after
the attack was made. | found the carpetsack, the
sachel and shot pouch containing the money. | took
them and carried them off some two hundred yards
from the hack and opened them. | then mounted my
mare taking the money, crcled round in the woods
and crossed the Mt Enterprise road, | supposed,
about 200 yards above where Poe fired lwent through
the woods, got lost enquired at house the way to
Henderson, got to Stephen Crows about night clev-
ery inquired the way, and got into the old Nacog-
doches road, the first time became satisfied where
passed Danslys, came to AIphs, called him out,
got coffee, smoked got my horse, and came through
Henderson, and arrived at my brother Jims about
three o'clock that morning.


On the Sd of April, about y o'clock, Poe came to
my brother Jim's with Mr.. Johnston, the athern-law
of Nelms Johnston asked me where the money was
told him it was about three hundred yards from the
house and about hundred yards from the road and
that I and Willis would go and get it, That wanted
him (Johnston) to 60 down the road little way to-
wards the money and look out while went to bring it.
Johnston objected, and said no, that wouldn't do and
that he would accompany us. lie did go with u.s.
got the money where had hid it and handed the sachel
to Johnston, who cut it open and he and Poe counted
over the money several times hurriedy, at count
making any of them agree. Johnston remarked that
he entitled to $500, and that that damned
poor pay. Poe and him differed somewhat, Poe say


ing that they didn't get $4,000, he thought $1,000
was fair share for him. l think Johnston took out
of the sacel between $1,000 $780, and put into his
pocket. Johnston said that when he left suspi-
cion rested upon and Poe for the killing and rob-
berry, and that he thought there warrant out,
would be, and that we had better escape John
ston advised US to cross the Trinity at Porers Bluff,
get out west distance and delay along until he
and the California emf grants through, route to


their destination and that me and Poe could join them
and would all make for California together Says
Johnston, boys let show you what to do with this
sachel and the papers init and he covered them up in
the leaves struck match and set fire to the pile We
tnea returning IN the ulFeCG0n OF Hen
derson and we taking the road to make our escape
told Poe that evening and the next Gay that didn't
intend to take Johnstons advice about crossing the
Trinity and going out far into the west and waiting for
Johnston and the California train to come along; that
I was afraid he Johnston would entrap and betray
US that was afraid of him. and that thought had
better change route, which Poe and did, aiming
to get to the Indian Nation PAD ROBINSON.


do hereby certify that the above is correct in every
particular. JOHN D. M'GRANAGHAN.


State of Texas, Harrison County-I John J. Cary,
do hereby certify that the above true statement
delivered before me. JOHN j. CARY,


District Attorney, 9th District.


Marshall, June IS, 1862.


THE Truth IN A NUTsHELL.-In letter to the
National Intelligencer, in replysto S. s. Nicholas of
Kentucky, Hon. A. Fl. Stephens repeats the language
of his book so far it is contained in the following
two sentences which, to comprehension embody
the whole truth to the origin of the rupture between
the sections:


"Slavery, so-caled, or that legal subordination of
the black race to the white which existed in all but
one of the States when the Union was formed and in
fifteen of them when the war began, unquestion-
ably the occasion of the war; the main exciting prox
mate cause both sides-on the well the
other. But it was not the real cause, the cdusa
sans of it. That was the assumption on the part Of





States were you say citizens of the United States
and owed allegiance the Federal Government as the
absolute sovereign power the whole country con-
soidated into one nation. The war sprung from the
very idea you have expressed and from the doctrines
embraced in the question propounded to me. 1t grew
out of different and directly opposite views to the
nature of the Government Of the United States and
where, under our SYSTEM ultimate sovereign power
paramount authority properly resides.


Considerations connected with the legal status of
the black in the Southern States, and the posi-
ton of several of the Northern States towards it.
gether with the known sentiments and principles OF
those just elected to the two highest Offices of the Fed
eral Government, (Messrs Lincoln and Hamln as to.
the powers Of that Government over this subject and
others which threatened, supposed, all their
vital interests prompted the Southern States with
draw from the Union for the very that had in
duced them at first to enter into it: that is for their
own better protection and security. Those who had
the control of the administration of the Federal Gov
ernment denied this right 10 withdraw secede The
war was inauguraed and waged by those at the head.
of the Federal Government against these States the
people of these States to prevent their withdrawal.
from the Union. On the part of these States which,
had allied themselves in common cause, it was MAIN
tanned and carried on purely in defence of this great
right, claimed by them Of State sovereignty and self
government, which they with their associates had,
achieved in their common struggle with Great Britain
under the Declaration of 776 and which in their udg
ment Law at the foundation of the whole structure Of