r4l
I
10
TEE LINN MUIiDER ST.tTyWhr.iS;
ne nsKtu me iu t;u iiumu ""
,went and fathct asked me to stiy.
miIin,, ,MVT,u.,ij rrwtfKNSinv 11 1,1(1 not seeni llke home nt r,rst. 1
CLAUDE BRANT ON S CONFhbMUN longpd to bo bnpk nt my s,8ter.8i t
HADE PUBLIC. wng soon settled nnd happy t homo
'again until I was IS. .My brother
, Clarence wanted to go to California.
Writtni a Couple of Days Previous , -with no object in view but to be with
to His Hanging His Life him I went along. We w re Innocent
Reviewed. nnd itjnorant out In tho world alone.
jWo experienced many hardships, lonc-
1 ll..u.. npri- Itut nnt .tpil.l.'.lr.
' nines, uiiu oviiuni mmv . . , . . , ,
... ... ci....... hnntr v nr... ko with me over tho mountains.
The readers or tne iugget are .....- r,., ,. ,,. ,!,, ,.,i .howed It
Hri.iimstnnpp.i pared in one year to go again, wmre """ v- ,."
nf leaving l met my neari s iuoi. e
,y would be better off without ,ch Jf In T My
wrcicnou mcmuer. " I)mlnlH tr. Mr. Mom ix. together with
my way or m ru.o n .... --. thc ., , Hl made
"'," ; rnni hIuhhI to write '". PlOtupti'd in to absolutely rerino
n? ,tJ i w llory for my con- 'nil of Mr. Linn n pro,,oMtl..n. lie nald
duet those two ye rs T,nd have triad w. expecting to gel me to lake the
to atone for It the thre aucceedlng home at least and run them mymlf.
ones bv living a me life, and If I ' told him I would run th-m invwlf
ennnote rented in m own neigh- without him. Th.., h- k., , j,W
borhood I will bid you all fart' well. !"' ' and 1 told 1, Im that a
"My bleeding heart y.arned warm friend told mo; thru lw hud to know
Knmniin nnih ii Ivllnn n fl-IIMHI. LOUTl- " . .. ........ -
land firwn. a.sked mo If he t
iuUI not
He
conversant with the
in,. ii tr, ih hnnrinr nf leaving I met my
Claude Branton. nt Eusene. Lane went cm l myseu coum noi siay. ...
county, on the 12th Inst, he hav- would not let my brother May. With
ins murdered John A. Una dur- "rd pleading I turned him homeward
ing the early part of 189S. Prior to again, though his prospects were
the execution Branton wrote a con- hrlght.
fession which ho directed should be "I -"Pert two yenrs of pure bliss und
made public at a certain lime after he happiness worshiping tho idol of ry
was hung it was given ..ut on Tues- heart. The happiness unsurpassed by
any eariniy joy, even inoso uay ui
childhood. True love is rare, known
but once, and never forgotten; but
alas, my youthful lust for trilling with
In such a redeeming manner that he
gained my true friendship. uch n
nevor dies without gi.-at cuuie. I
picked up courage once more to try to
battle with this dark, pad world
day, the 23d Inst
TJje young man, Courtland
mentioned by Branton, is now
cauno of It. Ho I teld him who It wo.
hut dunled Cre.ii hnxlng any thing to
do with It. My lirrtrt ntik with In inn
and I offered to Ink hli hrm-n Iwck
for him, thoiiKh he had cotno of hl
own acccrd. He refund to go ImoIc
or let mo have ihc horrid cither by
myself. Olarrnre juspected through
"Before leaving for' Condon In March Courtlo what wan up. and wan lrivMI
Green,
in the
state penitentiary serving a life sen- ai. y youmruj iusi xor inning wun, .'"b.' "
tence as an i-cromplice in the murder, other girls and an occasional moon- ! send Mr. Linn
The full text of .the confession is as shine buggy ride with other men's depending on
I discovered an Invisible defect in my
horse. I ha.d recommended him to
-Mr. Linn Just as one of iho bent farm
ers In Lane county had recommended
him to me. I even laid awake of
r.lghts wondering what to li about It.
I thought I would sell the hore and
his money, but he wan
The full text of .the confession is as
follows:
"Eugene, Oregon, May o, 1899. Rev.
E. M. Patterson, dearly beloved broth
er in Christ:
"I, by the will of God, according to
the promise of life that Is in Christ
Jesus put forth my strongest efforts in
an appeal to all who are out of Christ,
hv skrtrhin? n hiinf histnrv nf mv nvn l air began to gather around me. I
perilous, selfish, blasphemous, unholy was slighted by old friends an.',
life, that by my downfall others may spurned by strangers. 1 could hear
be greatly benefited and flea from People say, "He has trifled with ancth
those things, and follow after right- er heart.' Tho winds nnd tippling
eousness, Godliness, faith, love, pa- brocks seemed to murmur against ine.
tlence, meekness fight tho good fight All naturo in her gay beauty whis
of faith and lay hold on eternal life. Per,id loneliness in my ears as I
This is expedient for you for we are roamed through forests and over
all called but not compe.'led. plains.
"I will undertake to anchor a buoy "r had just passed my twenty-first
in this narrow river of life and put a birthday,' and had lived free from to
l'ght thereon so that others may look bacco, whiskey and cards, and all dc
on it whilo traveling this rtnmrprnns basing habits save one: I was too In
road and not come In my tracks, or tlmate with the ftrange women Sclo
gating and ahunliiK him almurdly I
th .glit, nnd tutylng ho would go
btrnlght and t.'II It. I told him not to
get excited and umke nomethlrg cut
of nothing, that I did not feel n 1171 he
bet toward the old man mynelf, but
nothing HorioiiH tlioulil hnppen to him.
Hallicr than be too MM. ho tried to end
the horse and nothing a" posmtiie vieu-ni mention iy mp-
win, throueh frosl of others scan- nemalned for me but to ko to him and orating tne trio. Jim enrnoHincM atm
dallzed my lover, and through parent- explain to him tho defect, as I did. 1 nobility almost exacted n can.'fMlon
ul influence, she desired to dissolve j I went to work for nnotlxt man forlorn me, but thp pant two incnth of
our vows, which we did through tears, 533 per month and Iwird. but Mr. I.lnn whoring ,,nl"r th burden of dlt
with many a bitter sigh. She carried wanted me to go with him and run the. nnu 'orne me unconacioufiy ooir.w mo
away a heart I had opened to her as hotsca and he would bu a ranch und trnni of honor, !!. a dog followeth
true as ever beat In any nan's breast , wo all would take tip hind but I did his matter I wa following my un-
not want to have the man I wan work- jrin moi.
Ing for. He stayed all night wiih "Clarence went out with mo and aw
me nd said he oould not get along (Mr. Linn. Wo told hlin Jual to any
without me and he would pay me big-1 how he wanted to M-ttle. we were not
gtr wages for my servl- es than I was particular how. but It muni b done,
receiving. I went rs quick as I could . He wa generous In his settlement and
get a discharge. made tn h pre-nt of two head morn.
"Courtlo Gteen was working near ;Thcn nald ho had no friends or money
town and would ccme to my house I un" WH" away from home, nnd naked
learning lllx Word and .... .
the dark gloom of d.n,,,..; ...""'M
Ml Mt
1 hv.
"I huvo Ixien wav.ii, nniin.1 t
dlvir of ndvliH. an,) ,,w
111 iwo unyti or unHtli 1 1, ,,lkl B.
Mutt I huvo had th .... H
hlil
U'.irl.l 1 I..I..I i. .. ' "Ul IL.
........ , ...., nlw. 1111. r,,mlt
ly tnnrked In trie to I if- ,, ,lm-
Hut for th.. deali.. to i, ,T.lU
thWt nwewmry d.K'trino ,l(
woum no muru wining 1,. (t)
in my irwictxiei HrNkin n
1.11.1. .i II. .1
no nvall, I am at laat i u,,.
a puro and Jut Clod .,!,,, J?
and Judmnont. which, ..nl? r
mercy, would Ui eternal u,nLV
"1 luvo lv., you b, u fr
of my oonaoltncwnccHur 1 , ,rrl, ,T?
pain, mlicry and wreich,- J!
InewMiUly follow tl,e KI1iiy ;
akctch of my pxpcrlwn ,(,.vi....!T E
tne ciewl. not for fatim r
tho unworthinea of lh,. g'ave chL?
for I have many dear ...
not Ixslltivu mo guilty of .... t, . ? 7
hut Joaun any: Korlk ...
and follow m.-.' Ko
go.Ml Intent, that manv ..u
ll.el- wlokfd way Nnd .aiv V?1
PHlha of rlKht-iiuti(.M ,.. .v
how
Oil Ion una wait.
From that very day the clouds of des-
evcry Sunday, and give my little sis- 1" he could travel wlih tne. ourtln
ter candy to keep away from me so we sold: 'Vi
'ou have frlt-nda while ''laudu
could talk. He would try to get m to "n" am here, and can travel with
enter Into partnership with Mr. Linn Uf- Clarence left un. charging u to
and let him kill Linn and tnke his part ! do 'ho right thing, to which we pro
of tho property. He always nald the "'isou.
eld man would feel bi-ttor dead tlmn I "Tlint nlL'hr tlrn inmI..l n ,n
else they be dashed against the same m0n warns us against. I had loved alive anyway. One lime, Just to plenso ! more convcloun of the nwful dol than
Jagged rock when least expected and "J inenus and every inoy wnn tne Green. I said I would not tell I, and Inflated on letting It go. Hut
their cargo of hopes be sunken and hlndness of a brother. But I had bven anybody If he did kill him. but I can- 1 1, In tlrmneiw of mind, and prompted
their soul left floating in ruin over the encouraged by my luwts against my not do what you say. Thc old man by the fart that I had betrayed the
precipice of everlasting destruction mother's will and teaching to trllle had been my friend, and fclnce I had confidence of my friend. .Mr. Monroe.
. 1. . . I I . m 1 . ... TI- i t V. ttia h..,lo i. f i.'nnir.n nn.l . I. . ... i m . .... ... . '
v.ic viuicul wave 01 j usx ice win sweep - uu .... ureu ior mm no irtaifru mo ho mean nnd It would come to hi ear, anil I
them into the death Jaws of the law marriage was only planting a tree of 1 did noi like him any more, but had would rathet confront death than U
and tnere in sorrow the-v will rean the irouuie wnicn a must snun. 1 can no idea of he n ne tn floatrr.v him H
btttf r fruits of violating man's laws. on,y Pak thus of my passion which wouldn't Hettle with mc, anyway, but
and In horror will be led to tht miinw thought It was marking out to me the ht lust
mere to speaK tneir last words of woo lu " ... un.cr (ir- mm some Kind cf partnership busln.'iw i el the fatal trigger that
in sname and disgrace. .n"s..1" "H8 aa V va.ngicry a ucs- or take his horses on the hhares. HI than mortal mind can realize
"As the morning dawned It
found out to U' tt traitor, blinded from
the fainteht glimpse of realization of
euch net. with Green' content, I .ull-
'y n rerron may f.n im
Wiitrh ih, k'
...l.i. l.
. niiK'-nce." nnd t.c.fr iImau.
Mi.. ntiikl....... .t... . . - UT(
IliHble f(.r you In thla in . urj
If 1 had ben chaatrncd t oWlii
by IU reproof-rod of U...J, ,B
Imve llvwl through thut K of (Z
imlr that on w t,,,,, th hut
wlnda of Imagination ani c0tw m jj,
tho bilthi world happy 10 never U
drtiKKwl down again. if thla ftM
were puro we would hav if,f tmttl
chHilUemcut. Go.1 la of nrtid nwrr;
and If ho can hv. trie 110 ctn mii
ou all.
"After reading my brief history they truction, 'for her house inclineth unto mistreating me so many times and
will realize the nccess'ty of Solomon's oea,h and her path unto hell." Green's winning talk soon got me to
proverb, to 'keep the Heart with nil "One year previous to this, while I consent to his destruction In a brutal
raited
tne old irioom and temporary wave of
lnwi.nl. v ir ilr-arm . thai i-.in t.....AM
diligence fcr out cf It are the Issues of was twenty, I was prerarlng for future way, for he was a man appatently of " 0VI1 Inianliiatl.m hn, erlv.n . . .1
We: comfotts where I was accounted most no heart. He loft me dying on tho ' leaving me to I realize the aw"f..l .1,
"One accused of the law is unlveisal- worthy by all. wheji the news came to tange once and when he saw I did get .n , numeral I,. .lr.th
ly and Individually looked down on as me that my paienlu had separated, In he seemed mad and said I gave you I 1 " ' ti,,. wnri.i m Vn 1,- V.'u .Z .1 .
being a brutal blood-thirsty murderer which I laid to heart with grief for it due warning of thnt animal tthe one BlVcetrr h lu t.u,? . L
belonging to the lower elements next was the first sorrow I had ever known, that kicked me). I told Courtlo and ..n.itir'-.'iii ? 1,,., ,n .. rKe
to the animal and is spurned with "I had friends everywhere except at we swore vengeance ngalnst him. At- l.iurVl.io t rrr .i?."tM'. miV
omrn mi.!. I rrrn- nIA V...m nt .1 . l. oil I.I.. l ... IHUrjUie ITOV. IQ tlllnK I liaii (KlVfn
life. My flrnt
niKU I ... . . ll.l M 1 1 f . f v-i i m.. .ai nil V. I r. nnn,l .... 1.1 .
xiua in wiuiik: "'j iu .......c win; j t nu ucuvni ' inn kuum ... uuiiailiuiih wfri m. - . - .. . . . . . ...
.n,ij.. .1 i. . j..."- . ..j u. . . i 'i" out oi iniN iwnuiiriil. lirlnht
.ui .rai iiiouu inn in i?ruuion vuhuwi un.rj.-u tin: iTO jvuicu, hi; nuiuuu to come Wltn nil! 10 world fnrevoi- i.,i . ,. , ,
though you may be born of a mother head of sheep to take me where I Crook county and go into business.. , , h. fiVt L n?.m ia.i?'i . .
so rjure. you nil iiva in fvinaa hmmaa wienefi irnri uppn thorn rnr him nt. iif- wantii .n t mv Unnntnntn- t. .. .. ww...,. nut
- - - rt " " " 1 ' ...... w.. - ... v.it.u.iui , : , n i 1 1 f.l . , , K . , t
and don't know It tin. II . nn hmt. sharPH. T nlso Yini nthf-r rrrtnri ntfar know; hit. Ctronn nnH ! . " e m
en m and HKe lightning your many .'y brother was so good and kind to lor
friends have fled and only one remains me and told me Just anything I want- did
to rescue your aching hrart from the ed to do he would help me. If I want- he
unceasing haunts of despair. ed the sheep he would help me and we not feel like aiding him In committing
"I am this sixth dav of May, 1833, 23 would do the best we could with them, such a horrible deed. Clarence wanted
t feel ke nidiL himV Mi mi ll0""?.'1 ,w nt :'. never to get
"One ahould not faint cn at dm,
though It I an lncomprchcr,ltl ttiit
throuch which we nil mut pun, t
it is not to ixj aniiorrrd. for It lifts.
coasary nu. vvitiiout l-ih la U
mortal world, the Innumerable inj ii.
.Iecillmli hnuut of in kohM tts
drr It undoalrabln. l-,.ih bdtti ti
cioer in touch with the i liltual
than any eutthly thing Our tm-
rauiern Itnvr died and warord u
Why ahould wo not dir. for oihn
We certainly nro not rrttied la 4ml
end fwtr from cur Mrth 10 our into.
No! Wo nhouli' ratHbl h our iVtiti
In grace, nnd wo will live In pure Ma
meant more u"u ..i'ie. iring noming
"Strange to nay, prr-ple rarnot kt
the way to peace and h ipplnff . IVr
tiuartel. light, awlr.dl.v .,r anl tri
In vain glory for the ncl f li
world, and when they are Kur d (Mr
are the moat wlwfraMc t all twt
There In a abort, rany. ui k war It
hipplneN. nmtr frlen 1. will ynu Ut
the right roaiP C m'-' I will rtw
you how to go. It may link frsti U
k..i the way through thi loll, ckttf
furot of uln yon cannot am throtift
but If you will tnrt and keep put
you will find that the ro.id U w.tl
f.nd oay: but If you go nit In thKf
Vhl of ln you w ill lone the rad efvlf'
tuo and get tnngltd In the tr.iri at
temptation nnd fall from grat '
t- la It to be of a hiimbl' niilrlt whi
thf lowly than to divide the
With tho nroiid The frud of IM
n mno irom nor. Homo divine power
wnu nimt.uliin . - - i . . .
VPIira nlil waa rm nan WnltAMttlln Tfr aoamn nrvi.f in mr ntln 1, ..... m. in crtt tr ri . . I ' v uoni HIU t'Uly iniflUlG. 1 Ilflil
In this county and lived my childhood I was not feeling Just right for th.-y he went with me to him. but Linn In- r. ," "1 fn ! who "'ought Ihe fl"r't I lovf. Joy, Mncc. long tuntf
days as happy as ever a child lived did all they possibly could for me, but slstcd on coming to Crook county with Z V !1 Ve '"' of ,h" ,(cc' ' K' Kentlen Kdn-r. Uh. 1
amid luxutJant pleasures, thus prat- I did not feel worthy of their love for us first. Then if I would not ncc-nt !i ,, .ru?.ly ?f an '""ocent man , twnncrance; against v Jilrli i "
tllng and playing with my brother and what I had done before. his generous offer, ho would srttle. I I u ?' . u"uttt rible mlM-iy and vll- no law.' U1 un not be lMlrf)M
nlat.m nnrorl frn. V... o .. T i ..... 1.. . ... I i.t t.-... . HOhy Of the gUlltV. nnd r.f ll.u 1.1..!,. VUm KlOrV. DroVllklnir on.? anOlflT, M
, j " 1111111. . ..u.i.v-u nit; iu uiiiik iiiiii - mm 1 1 u 1 it uiuii ith ; i ii v I f I" anil I
juoiner s nana, uiroumg inrougn or- a stainon rrom the valley here and accepted courtle as my idol. Oesplto
chards and meadows green, among the take his band of horses cn the shares, the sickening t ensation, I allowed him
beautiful flowers: every breezo was I would not promlre, but he gave nw t( exact any promise he wished from
odor, every no'se was music. Pure, $120 In gold and said: 'Go down nnd thinking something would happen
innocent, loving children whlling away get the horse. This will pay your ex- 80 he could not tarry out IiIh rcsolu
those happy days of childhood that are penses; and I don't want you to take . Hon.
gone forever. Ihose, sheep for I have something bet- "After all preparation wan mn fn..
"At the age of 11, I moved with my ter for you. If you wont take it. I start. Linn El Z to Mr Mon
parents to Camp Creek I found I will pay you your price for the home.' roo and ask him 1 ho would oav n.'
was fondly attached to my old home. I came down after him in February, personal nolo before It was due Mr
I soon made many friends nt that 1898. The people treated me with the Monroe said he would pay It if I Just
place. I stood at the head of my same coolness, which went to my would wait till the next day and Hnid
S BrLTj:"!2 the eyj ihe had something T, "w'o
a . w v ttivu x uuuiu lit vi r iivirrnmo tJKori rtr n nmmin i. . .
f,tOi40UrT0,f.t?ICen,6,e h0mC W.he? t.h0S0 fault-ntll"B People by pure llv- meantime he told mo no t to have T a ny.
I was 14. I felt the same regret of Ing For the past Ihree yors I had thing more to do with Linn for T.
ormvBDahrenTCl.,rt,h ,U&,consfnt trled to aU 'op my conduct the two was a man ..f n prSJlplJ and so on
of my parents I satisfied my imagin- years previous, but found lho -lPoriia T ...
ative mind by taking a tiip across tho wouid'ot mi Z tn T t i,''e?r 1 .Promised in good faith that I would
h - - C " I U iUI
n rl t. ...iu. i .
left never ben 3lck or dependent in any X TL ". flU .h
Cascade mountains alone over six feet end my miserable career, for
of snow. I returned wiser than I left
for I had imagined any place was bet- way since I was vciV wunc nn,i ' wouWtb i"1"0 to lnslst on IU whci
tet than home fcr the past year. My unde, nt ! obligation 7 to 11 vo f ot SU Mp' V. ?''
iaiUer correciea me ana I left home one. not thinklm mv ,w.v, ,,..., , . i'. ",c." ul nut his
but any one as much as I had d Isg raced S LSST'Z f Z
. my people, l even thought my fuml- mcntn nnihi
. . , . w ...w w omy( JUKI
the same year. Was gone a year
ail the time I wished I had not left
world nnd the bleMaliut ti.r th. i hcln your .leHiioiident brother i'1
cent, which they nhdiid be thnnkful 'I'urn not nwny from hlin Youimyw
for, over the sln curae.1 guilty p.-rnon. '''riving htm to hi early grave Trt
Lverythlng murmured ehnmo and I u"' Voung Indie a H; ura w"11"
guilt In my oars. ! puilty. Oiro for the "Ittle onf.
"Wher. I loft my folk for th- i... B,oct lhu elderly women as mmm
Vmi , unawar? t0 "y mother nnd
children. I slowly rodt off with lenrs
In my eyes. Going over my old atnmp
ing ground, tho unconplngly guilty
..Miii nuvtr ion me. In Ailinnmiw t " tvuu - j
eonrulted a ticket agent about a llfo ,oUu'r Um'' iea,in i0 1,10 t0
PC Icy for a raJlrond our aiming to 'nover-' "r,,0, ,B " wny "V. iSt
fn lieuvn.. tu.. """ing to lH, , ,,. .,, ....i .hereof
ml come with tne. boys for I w"
boon ono with you. Now I know W
roads. Como take ndvniitago of w
experience. You are rn tho vrK
fm.l .t.A ...n.i.rnlVv Or l1
. . . I
"i my fi.end Grr.m. fm- u.n. tn imn. iirn.i.nr. c Inicnc. I'"'1.
kllnnioi, r. ,i . . . t -
".. ciiminniH. Thov mnv n
.w ,oa.lh nt lh0 "and. of the
law. but , h. ." ..""..
inL- nil... ... . ",,a'ie. iincenn.
take tlm.. 1C",n' tht Will
lKe lime to OVermmn .
and nay tho least, j y t
thi'n w llV il pura ,lro wu creator
lh..n my fear of the gullows.
noblo cood fellow ho Is. and tne ,ts
nf rnv ffimllts lllrnw(flf.
Tlnn mnrn nnd t will Blfl ,r'H
eternity; there hoping to meet mi j
cfaclor nnd kneel to hng his fofFi'
tQhB. Come, hoyn nnd girls. w8. ,M
to a lively hopo, nnd meet me
brighter world. Hood-bye."
;