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Rolla
Weekly Herald
July 1, 1869
Major
Monks
Major Monks was a member
of the Legislature in 1867-8, and rendered himself notorious without securing
popularity; indeed he forfeited the respect of every decent man in his own
party. He was, however, the pet and
tool of ex-Governor Fletcher, and was appointed by him a Major of the State
Militia. He made a “raid” into Arkansas, at the request of Governor Clayton, of that
State, and a number of murders have been charged against him, since his
return, as having been committed by him or through his orders, while
there. New and startling disclosures
are every day coming to light, and from such sources that their truth can not
be doubted.
We give below the
confession of one of his men, Joe Little, who was recently executed in Arkansas, for the murder of a Capt. John Davis. The dying words of a criminal, standing on
the verge of the grave, knowing that he will soon appear before the judgment
bar of God, must of necessity be considered truthful words.
We take the following
confession of Little from the Litte Rock Liberal:
I came from Missouri with Upham and Monks. We belonged to a band of horse-thieves,
that had connections all over the country.
I am still a member of it. Upham
is the captain, and Monks was the treasurer.
When we started from Missouri, they said that we would come down into Arkansas, and that under the pretence of hunting out
Ku-Klux we could kill a few men and get all the horses and money we
wanted. We have been engaged in this
ever since we came here. I have acted
under Upham’s orders in everything.
When I killed Davis
I was acting under his private orders.
These orders were of the best sort, for we were never punished for
anything done under them. I was sure I
would be protected in it. When I was
arrested I was offered my choice of a trial either civil or military. Upham told me, and so did others, that I
would only be a form, anyway, and that I would be acquitted; so I felt easy
and chose the military, as I could not believe they would go back on me in
this way. You see they have,
tho’. They told me all along, since I
have been here, that it was all a blind, and that I would be released pretty
soon. They were afraid to tell me that
I was going to be hung, for fear that I wo’d tell what I know. I am murdered because I know too much. I see it all – fool, blind fool, that I
am. Boys, all of you, there are my
dying words, -- They are true, so help me God.”
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