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CONFESSION OF JOHN SWEAT.nOr*6) I ....bl |§^ am r^ou 1 to suffer the sentence of the lawWho was executed at Lancasterville, S., C., July 2, 1841. Ithe rr. order of Cliomas P. Pickett, it s, perhaps, e'.pertCv., and in accordance with that expectation, I* . 9 ^ *1 I til tuu latlV/llj Xuegire to make a statement of the facts which led onto, and ended in his death—as well that I may putieaI:a ; — viv-cluxa-O.C* vv ^i.1 mat A UicAy jjuamy country in possession of the true state of the 11tacts, as that, by so doing, I may do all in my power ^tn ntnno Tnn fh. „* i -f 1 * _ f' ^j x uiuj uu uu ah 11 ly j/uvtoito atone for the violated justice of my country by a true and open confession of mv guilt, so fi»r as anKJI £, Uiltj DLf lui CAO 0.41impartial country, alter hearing this my confession shall judge me guilty—and as that, by it I may beart I 11 Cl TV\ -m -r 1 rv A .1 * _ _ _ m _ i * « . 1 1 1 •rt;o* (j —V 1! f MIU» Mt :ii3, my last dying testimony to the soul-destroying*and accursed consequences of Drunkenness andS A PT I TTi_D nr« 4 T^t ^ *____ x . • • Cvt!Sabbath-Breaking—the two great crying sins ofthe day. And in making this, I do it as in presenceof Almighty God—before whom I know I am now' • » » •• ji -■ * X ie » -M ■ w m ■ ■ ■ ■ wshortly to appear. I hope, therefore, my fellow-citi-zens will receive it, as indeed it is, the truth, and no-f lim A ^ 4___xh 4 1 T Ml 1 t ;1tthing b it the truth. And I will here observe thatthoaagh it may appear in making this statement, I am rati,e-r advocating my cause, and maintainingwy\ ^ . % « » p . * * O J UUU 111t11IJmy in ocence, nothing is farther from my object. . o' I am guilty—truly guilty, before my God. 1fpo thnt T A *__ •/? •„ » * Jleei that I deserve infinitely' more than 1 can conceive. But v h ether 1 am guilty of murder in a le-lt;ral noint nf uipitr ic? r»At *Vk%% *____ .1*1gal point of view, is not for me to say—an impartml- * 7 — tv/ OUJ-(Ail llllLrdl LlC’ljurj ol my country, on the evidence before them,have once said, and I shall suffer most cheerfully. Ift* bn fhtti .— a ^take tills occasion to say, tliat what I shall say isnot said in a spirit of unkindness. No—so far■ V W*'W*X *• ■ ■» I . 4h a _from there being any spirit of unkindness in my i 1 breast towards any person, I can say, in view of 1oinrrutxT and in *1. J 7 .. • , § J F 7 * vvv*i «7 5 ▼ Av/ \V V/1cter\ ity, and in the sincerity of my soul, that I amnor is there anyC 1 n i A T ri I I A ^ _____ _ _ i - •* -------iO (All Vspwt O! malice, revenge, or any other unholy passion m my heart—God is witness. But I ferventlylove the whole family of mankind,* and humbly implore the divine blessing on my most bitter enemies.■ 1*1 il. » 1 o. I j’ n r ■ .On Saturday, the 13th ot March, the day previous to the day on which the deplorable event occur-red, i was taken sick, and remained m bed all day:— -—ivniuai^u in ucu .in tia v ;m xt inorjang ( Sunday ) I sent lor a neighbor. v» it) catne and bled me; after which, feeling better,II a ompanled h,m to Mrs.. IMoore’s; after remaining there a short time, I went to Mr. Crenshaw’s,nnd ^ aaK ^ 3:____ . ^ .and took some dinner; thence, in company withChapman _oore, 1 went to the river for the unhallowed purpose o assisting him in repairing his bat-teau—which done, we went to the fishery or fishhouse, the scene of the murder. This was aboutwo hours by sun. Up to this time, I had not drank my tnmg, and my only inducement in going there was drtnk and nib company. After we had keenthere some short time, Pickett, the deceased, came.a icommpicd by Abner D, Johnson, Asa Crenshaw! u‘i i’k Vt\s?^ ouc eIsc not ncw recollected.'r tA i.ori i 1*1* » ICCUUCCICU.lie Had been drinking but not much—was there out a snort time tmmre he offered me repeated and un provoked insults, both by words and acts—callino-me a negro a d-d negro, c.; striking the house B-.tiinst which I wus leaning for support, beinn*weak,) near my head with a frow with which, to-getucr with a pistol, he was armed—pushed the pis-— | . * ^ puOHLU Uit.ol against ray ear, took my sore arm, which was ina sling, while I was leaning against the house, and1* I 1 O I *1 A lt;* » * ■ a 1 ., a . X I _I i l . *pushed it violently and repeatedly against the house.i uring all this time, which lasted perhaps an hour,I am nnt fAnveinnu aT c*' I Vtn r«* n ^ ^ ^ 1 *^ t uu iikj ui,l am not conscious of saying or doing any thin j to1^T*A\vaIfa ! i' .lt;• . 14- /A .. a 1 t i ® I
Newspaper Details
Charlotte Mecklenburg Jeffersonian
Charlotte, North Carolina, US
Tue, Jul 27, 1841
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
CT, USA 04 Aug 2022
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