Madison County MO Archives News.....Confession of Hugh King prior to Execution May 31, 1827 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mo/mofiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Kimberly Morgan http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00004.html#0000826 August 26, 2025, 8:37 am Newspapers.com Online May 31, 1827 From the Missouri Republican Execution of Hugh King, Saturday last [the source shows 19 May 1827, the Saturday last would have made the date 26 May vs. 19 May] was the day appointed for the execution of Hugh King, for the murder of Martin Green. At 12 o’clock, he was taken from the jail by the sheriff, and conveyed to the gallows under a guard of United States troops. He was seated on his coffin in a small waggon [sic], holding in his hands a Bible, on which he kept his eyes intently fixed, without noticing what passed in the numerous crowd assembled around him. On arriving at the gallows, he ascended the ladder with a firm step—and during the whole of the trying scene exhibited the most perfect composure, and resignation to the fate which awaited him. When on the platform, he produced a manuscript, from which, with a stead voice, he read the following: “I stand here condemned by the laws of my country, for taking away the life of a fellow mortal. There is but a step between me and death. I can have no motive for dissimulation, as He in whose presence I am soon to appear, and by whom I am hereafter to be judged, knoweth [sic] my heart, and will bring every work into judgment, with every secret thought. Immediately after being put in confinement, I was led to review my life. I had an overwhelming sense of my sins. My heart was grieved, and almost broken with a sense of my guilt. I have lived in forgetfulness of God, and in neglect of the duties of religion. I have followed almost every evil practice. I am now filled with wonder and astonishment that God should have spared me, an unworthy worm, so long, whilst I continually dishonored him by my sins, and made rapid progress in wickedness. I view myself as a vile sinful creature, yet would not despair of mercy. I feel deeply humbled before God in view of my sins, and trust that I have repented and found forgiveness. I can trace most of my overt acts of wickedness to intemperance.—The influence of ardent spirits has been to destroy my reason for the time being. I often had a faint, & some times no recollection, of things that transpired when I was partially intoxicated. I have no recollection of killing Sergeant Green, nor of firing a gun that day, nor many things which are said to have transpired about that time. I had been for several days most of the time under the influence of liquor; yet I do not plead this as any justification of my crime. From the testimony of others, I can have no doubt but that I shot Green, though I never harbored ill will against him. According to the Laws of God and my country, I have forfeited my life. I have left a more detailed an account of my life, and of the circumstances relating to that melancholy affair, so far as I have any recollection of them, which you will probably see. I behold some present with whom I have been associated in the service of my country. We have been also associates in wickedness. Receive my dying admonition as the admonition of a friend. You see in me an awful instance of the evils of intemperance. It is the very thing that has worked my ruin,--it has proved the ruin of thousands. My dying request is, that you abstain from it. There can be no good reason why this practice, so degrading to human nature, and so unbecoming a soldier, should be so common in an army. It may not bring you to my melancholy end; yet it will prove the ruin of all who give themselves up to it. It leads to forgetfulness of God. Under its influence, men are incapable of taking care of themselves. They stifle conscience and trample under foot all laws, human and Divine.—It is the fruitful source of the evils that exist in society, and of the crimes that are perpetrated. As you desire salvation shun this vice and all other vices. I would hope that my fate ______ prove a timely warning to all present. Oh, that men could be warned against the evils of intemperance before it is too late. I have viewed sin and misery intimately connected. I am convinced that there is no other name given under heaven, whereby we can be saved. It is only through the merits of our Lord Jesus, that I expect pardon. He who has saved sinners, I am confident can save me. I ask pardon of all whom I may have injured. I can and do freely forgive all men. I die at peace with the world, and I hope at peace with God, against whom I have often and long sinned. I am resigned to the will of God, hoping in his mercy thro’ Jesus Christ. I commend to him my soul, and my all. To him be glory forever. Amen.” He was attended at the gallows by the Rev. Mr. Giddings with whom he joined in fervent prayer. After again admonishing all to beware of the dangers of intemperance, he informed the sheriff that he was ready. The necessary preparations were then made—the rope fixed around his neck—the drop fell, and with scarce a struggle he was launched into eternity. Transcribed by Kimberly Taylor Morgan—Death Row Inmate, Hugh King, Missouri Intelligencer and Boon’s Lick Advertiser, Thu, May 31, 1827, Page 2, https://www.newspapers.com/image/249523040/?match=1&terms=hugh%20king, accessed 25 Aug 2025 St. Louis, April 12 At the present term of the Circuit Court, came on the trial of Hugh King, charged with the murder of Sergeant Green, both soldiers of the Army of the United States. The jury after a few minutes retirement, returned a verdict of guilty. Counsel on the part of the prosecution, Robert P. Farris, Esq.; for the prisoner, Spencer Pettis and A. L. Magenis, Esq’s.—Repub Transcribed by Kimberly Taylor Morgan—Death Row Inmate, Hugh King, Missouri Intelligencer, Thu, Apr 19, 1827, Page 2, https://www.newspapers.com/image/249525302/?match=1&terms=hugh%20king, accessed 25 Aug 2025 Additional Comments: The source for the county is deathpenaltyusa, which is considered reliable for executions that took place in the 1800s. The newspaper article shows Franklin, Howard County on the 1st page. Huge is the 4th person to be executed in Missouri. There are 2 articles in this submission. Articles in the public domain as the articles appeared in 1827, 198 years ago. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mo/madison/newspapers/confessi278gnw.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mofiles/ File size: 6.8 Kb