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Hi t Httfitmeftiillf: gSafelte
SUMMERVILLE, GEORGIA. MAY 3. 1877.
D. L BECK’S LIFE.
A brief Sketch of the Rife and Character
of Davi* Lew ALUS Bk, who was
senteneed to suffer the extreme penalty
of the law, at Suuiuiprviile, Georgia,
April 27th, 1877, for tho murder of
Prisoner by the Editor of the Summer
ville Gazette.
I, David Lewallin Beck, was horn in
Lumpkin county, Georgia, August 27;h,
1834. My father having died when J was
quite a small child,. 1 have no recollection
of ever seeing him. Having been thus
early deprived of my father, I was reared
without paternal government, whiuh
caused a laxity of home pupilage and
guidance as 1 entered upon the broad sea
of life's struggles and difficulties.
When l was about nine years of age,
my mother married Deter Trammell, who
was a Fold, daring, ‘•impulsive, reckless
a.id (Tverhearing man, and a gambler by
profession. VV hen 1 was about fifteen
years of age, the family moved to Kabern
county, where they resided two years, and
then returned o Lumpkin- My mother
died September 13th 1804.
During my day- of minorhood, m v step
-fatliei ,(■• in ni" us my
mother which on ag. . m ■ reo.v much, and
which ultimately resulted in a severe ren
eojnte between me and my my step
father. This oei ui/ed at the rable, about
the swapping of a mare which 1 then
owned. Some angry words passed be
tween us about the affair, my mother's
views in reference to the swap coinciding
w ith my own, which she openly expressed,
was resented by my step-father, who im
mediately fell to abusing her. Though 1
was then only about 18 years old, and he
about 4G; and though L very much dreaded
him, I could stand it no longer, and at it
we went. He struck me a blow, landing
me under the he 1. On .f-ing, 1 seized a
a cream pitcher and struck him in the
face, which rather addled him, but not
knocking him down, lie seized his gun,
and snapped it at ipy breast. We then
clinched. I cutting him all the time.
rVe could not he parted by those that
were present. We got under the table
upsetting everything on it. Then we
rolled under the bull, 1 being on top of
him. Rising by his superior strength
with me on top of him, and the bed on
top of me. Both of us being very tired
and lie bleeding freely from the wounds 1
had inflicted on him with my knife, the
men present parted us. It was found on
examination that. I had stabbed him in 27
different plaeOs. F then went to a neigh
bor’s house about 300 yards distant. Soon
1 saw him coming with a gun. I took my
friend's gun arid went to meet him. But
seeing him fall in the road from loss ot
blood, F returned and put up tho gun.
After the mad lit wore off of me, I was
very sorry ol the occurrence. lie soon
after this sent for me to come home. But
fearing him mery much, I did not do so
until sometime afterwards. This was the
last difficulty we had, and though 1 very
much regretted this one, 1 always thought'
F did right, as it was in defence of my
mother. [Yes! let a child evermore de
fend her who should be esteemed nearer
and more sacred than any other on earth.
—Editor.]
About tho year 1852, l got into a scrape
about one of my cousins in Lumpkin
county. Being at church one Sabba’b,
he took his seat on the ladies side of the
house. The preacher demanded ol him
to move on to t lie other side, lie velusing
to comply, the preacher undertook to
remove him by force. Andy—my cousin
—struck him such a blow that it felled
him to the floor. The preacher’s brother
then came to lii.s assistance, when he
struck my cousin. I gathered a bench leg
and lot fly at him, which knocked him
senseless, it was a terrible row, and
created a great consternation among the
people. We wen indicted for it. Andy
was caught and sentenced t > three months
imprisonment in jail and SSO line. , 1 was
never caught; hut the Sheriff got so close
after mo at one time that 1 jumped into a
mill pond and got mired up in the mud.
The Sheriff walked in on a log near to me,
and trying to reach after me, fell head
foremost into the pond. I then got hold
of the log and by great exertion got out,
and left him in the creek to do tho best
ho could for himself.
At another time 1 got into a very bad
scrape near Nucklesville, in Lumpkin
county. I, in company with two others,
whose names 1 will not. mention, went to
to a house occupied by four women whoa;
reputation wa- no better than it should
have been, to have some fun. Wo boiled
collards, bacon and a cat, all together and
male them eat of it- As 1 suppose
women arid children will read this, 1 will
not relate all the meanness we perpetrated
on tlie-e women; suffice it to say, it was
the nastiest piece of business 1 ever saw
or heard of. What we intended as fun,
turned to our grid and -arrow. Me were
found guilty, and fined SSO each, or go to
jail for three months. The other boys
chose the jail, but a- 1 had a pretty sweet
heart whom I couldn't bear to go three
months without seeing, 1 paid the SSO,
and went home as soon as possible. Now,
although I was persuaded at first to go
into this meanness, 1 became the ring
leader in it, and I attribute my difficulties
mainly to the bad company I got into ami
kept- "Evil communications will corrupt
good manners.” Therefore,let me say to
the boys and young men, take care what
company you keep. Mischief will lead to
meanness, meanness to crime, and crime
to punishment or death, or both.
After this 1 had but few difficulties, and
they not worthy of mention. I now went
out in the first company from Duhloriega,
ami was accounted the best soldier ill tho '
regiment. 1 never failed to do my duty, i
and always got along well with all the
officorsand privates. They all seemed to
like me. L never was put under guard
but once, and that was for killing a hog to
get something to eat; hut I own I took
other things for the same purpose. But I
this time 1 was caught and put in the
guard-house, which had a big wall around
it, having formerly been a machine shop. !
Anew recruit was placed guard over me. J
He put his gun down against the wall, ]
and sat down. I picked it up and threw
it fiver the wall, and ran off ns fast as 1
could, he alter me. Closely pursuing
me, 1 stove myself through a hole in the
brick wall. An old. toothless bull dog
mounted my hack, and across the street 1
went, loosing the dog, and the citizens j
knowing what was up never interfered, ,
buf epjoyed the scene very much. I ;
never stopped until 1 arrived at our camps
about three miles distant. I told my
captain what was up, and he told me to
go lo the Ogeechee Swamp and stay
there, which l did. When the pursuing
party came up he cursed them and rani
them off. lie sent for me, and I'returned
with'another hog. Soph after (his I got
wounded in the shoulder with a piece of
a bombshell, l was sent to tho hospital
at Charleston, S. 0. This was January
before the surrender. From there I got
leave of absence for fifteen days, After
1 got home the Foderals came ill between
me and our forces, so that I was unable
to return.
After the surrender, we had neither
clothes or anything to eat., not even a
nickle’s worth. But we went to work. I
would work a day or so in the gold mines,
then plow a day or two; and my wife
would weave and sew or hoe corn for any
body to get provisions; and thus we were
enabled to make a liitie crop. My wife
would set up until midnight carding and
spinning, and soon she had us plenty ol
clothes. My mother gave us such things
as she could spare, but after her death in
a short time my step-father married again.
He tried to take away from us everything
my mother had given us; and my wife’s
people would not give her anything, not
even her own clothes, hut would take
away from us what they could and give to
the other children-
To get away from all kinfolks, we went
down to Cartersvillo. 1 set in ts work
with John Sellers, about two miles in the
country, at eight dollars a month, lie
was a good man to work for, but as every
thing was high, and to got better wages I
left and went to work for Mr. John Can
aday. I stayed with him six months and
lost only three days in that time. Living
on Canuday’s place was a woman who was
a great slanderer and tattler. She kept
our wives u a stew all ihe time. Cuna
duy and myself concluded we would go anil
see her about the tales she had been tell
ing. We did so. She got mad, jumped
up, gathered the shovel full of hot em
bers and threw them in my face, singeing
mr whiskers and raising a terrible stench
of burnt hair. This got my dander up
pretty high, and I went after the buggy
whip, and with it 1 cut her back all to
pieces. ' She fought bravely* and we had
a lively time. She got out a warrant for
me, but the Sheriff knowing hercharactcr
never’put'himself to wufh ttouble to
arrest me. But it kept mo dodging
around so that I could hot work. She
Anally agreed to eoruprouii-e on my pay
ing $25, which Mr* Canaday agreed ot
pay forme. - But I told him L jvould not
pay fifty cents. So I pulled out from
there, unu went back to Lumpkin.
Hare, and at this rime, 1 settled on a
vacant tot, but soon another party came
and wanted it, and because l would trot
give it up, this party tolls the wife of the
negrenian that had been killed sometime
before this, that 1 had done the deed.
She was advised to have me arrested,
whieh'she did, and upon the trial, this
same party swore they nevor told her
anything about it, nor knew, nothing of
the affair. This is the niggcf'l have boon
accused of killing. 1 have been accused
of some things I am clear of, but I do not
say, I am clear of all. But, before God,
1 never saw this nigger in all my life. I
was told by certain ones that Bouev Tuuk
confessed to them that he did the killing
himself. 1 was sixty miles away at the
time of the killing, and never heard of it,
until my brother-in-law came to my house
near Cartersvillo, and informed me of it.
In reference to the gold scrape at the
mines. I am innocent of having taken it.
But 1 knew the man who did take it, and
1,0 win aware that 1 know ho did it; and
for fear that 1 would he a witness against
him, he gives it up, and reports that the
boss of the mines and myself had stolen
it, and l was taken up on a warrant. Be
fore court hu ran away, and m there was
no prosecute*, it was thought to be dead,
f then went to work on the Memphis
road, near Rome, and thinking the matter
was all ever, I never went back to court;-
and this is the reason they come after uie.
Bad company again brought me into this
scrape.
I forgot to tell of some tricks I played
off on Tom Williams, of Raburn county.
Young York, a rude chap, was engaged to
be married toone of his girls. Theolufolks
were very much opposed to it., and for
bade him coming to the house. I told
York to get ready, that l was going to
get her for him. Ho did so. Iwentone
Sunday and sot fire to a big thicket at the
back of the old man’s field. When he
ran to it, I ran to the house after the girl,
and just as I entered the house, the old
lady had started to the spring and didn’t
see me. L told the girl York was waiting
for her close by. She grabbed her bonnet
and off we went, and when nearly out of
sight, the old lady saw us; and hero she
ome at full speed. Before the 'Squire
could marry them she came up, and tried
to take her aWayjbut I held her off until
they were married. The old man made
a vain effort to overtake us, on foot with
his shot gun and his hat, in hand, hilt the
bird had flown. York got the girl and
the old mail lost about one hundred panels
of ft nee.
After this Jim Cams was engaged to
Elmira, another of this same man's
daughters, lie opposed this mutch also.
Jim promised to give me a rifle gun, if I
would get lior for him. Tho old man
dreaded me, and said, “Beck will steal
her, or burn my house.” I heard the
eld man and woman had gone to visit his
brother near Walhalla. I knew where
his]]brother lived. 8o at night l rode up
to ktlm -gate, and called Elmira. She
eaino— as I thought—took her up behind
me, and put out up the road to wherp
Cams’was, Upon arriving, she says:
“Mr. Oerns, I have given out the notion
of marrying.” When he looked at her
she appeared rather tall for Elmira, and
upon lighting a match* he found it, was
the old lady.
. Determined not to he out-done, I put
Lffut that night to the old man’s brother’s
place. Arriving near his house, I laid
out on the roadside until the old man re
turned, which lie did that evening, pass
ing me about one o’clock. I went to (he
house —no one knew me hut Elmira, (for
she it was he had brought instead of the
o and lady). She never let on hut provided
dinner for tue herself. I gave li ,-r to un
derstand what was up. I told her where
to g3. After dinner she pretended to go
on a visit to see a neighbor. I got on old
Dock, and away went Elmira to her iover.
Tho old man got b:tck at night. The next
morning by eight o'clock, Elmira was
back also and married. So I got the gun
and Jim got the girl.
After working for a while on the Mem
phis Branch railroad near Rome,, I wont,
to work for Bilk Biker, on Beach creek.
While working with Mr. Baker, 1 went
one day to Goosuvilie and got on a little
drunk, and while there 1 got into a fuss
with a negro woman about, some money I
had sent by her to fie given io Mrs. Fuu
derburg. Angry words ensuing, 1 picked
up an ax and struck at her, breaking her
ijiiu in two places, She got out a war
rant for me, but the matter was finally
settled by my paying ficr 50 pounds of
flour, 12 pounds of bacon and costs of suit.
All of which I paid like a man.
11l luck seemed to a'tend me aftorthis,
no matter which way l turned, Working
for, or wi h men not able to furnish me
with rations; being foiled in making crops,
and bad health; all those seemed to come
upon mo as a rushing mighty wind.
Under these circumstances 1 set in to
work with Ed. Claudis, whom 1 was told
was hard to get along with. But I made
a crop'with him, and had a heap of deal
ings with him, and my wife, daughter and
myse[f worked hard ail the year, an 1 on
our settlement, lowed him $110.(55, all
of which I paid him. We never ha 1 a
cross word during the whole year, and his
treatment was kind and honest to me and
tn.y family. We had to work hard because
we wore out of almost everything, on
account of having lost all my labors oftlie
preceding siunmer, and notable to work
in tho winter because of sickness.
I now left him simply because his land
was poor, and rented land t’*mi Mrs. Caty
Claudis, with whom I got along pretty
Well until wheat harvest, when we had an
interruption because I assisted Quil
Claudis harvest bis wheat. She was mad
with Quil, and didn’t want mo to help
him, pretending that her cotton noeded
plowing very badly, but which was not
suffering for work. She would not even
let me haye a little salt when I sent after
it, though she was to furnish me with
provisions, but told me to go to them for
whom I worked The people in that
neighborhood wore very kind to me and
my family, who supplied our wants, and
that hurt her very much' 1 finished my
crop, and was again taken down with
chill*.
It was about this time the officer from
Lumpkin came after me, as ui> security
was scared up by the Solicitor about the
bond. At court the prosecutor failed to
appear, and I was turned loose. I then
went after my wife, who had gone to see
her relatives and rtui tiijed there about
two weekH, and saw’, talked and went deer
hunting with my bondsman, who told me
the matter was dead.
The following August they came after
me again, and sturto 1 with mi-to Lump
kin, and as I wanted lo move back to that
county, I sold Shamblin my crip in this
way: T allowed llini $25 to move me; lie
to pay Mrs. Claudis and move me arid
i givo me S2O for my crip, making in all
$75. The next day he lolls my wife he
had bought the crop and tobacco patch
and paid me for it, and that lie was going
to get somebody to move her. She knew
he had not paid.for it as he had no money,
and that he need not trouble himself
about the matter, until she heard from
me. He swore slic’d have to go, as he
had bought the crop, and that I would
nevor come huek. She wrote to me con
cerning the matter; I wrote her he had
not paid the money. So she would riot
lot him have the crop until ho would move
her and pay the S2O, promised
to pay by the last day of Aflgust, us hw
had said he could get it from Dock
Shamblin any time. When he found lie
could not get her off without paying for it,
lie swore he would send her from there
with just what she had on her hack. She
told him if he didn’t leave there she’d
kill him. He then got out a peace war
rant against her, thinking that Would run
her off’. But she gave bend. He then
told her she had better goto her daddies,
and not let anybody know it. She told
him as she had done notliiiigTo make her
runaway, she would do no such riling.
\V hen lie saw be could not scare her off,
NUMBER 18.
he got a Lill against her for keeping a
lowd house. But thank God, there never
was a blemish of this sort on her charac
ter, and no man knows the sting of such
as this, until he goes through what I
have with this man. I consider no gen
tleman would act as ho did. ll* finally
told her lie had never paid a cent for it,
and never intended to, and that he would
have it in spite of hell.
lie then sued out a Dosscssory warrant
for the crop, but as lie had never paid
anything for the crop, he lost the case,
lie tli en sued out a Possessory wurrunt
for tho tobacco crop. As I had written
to my wife that l woul be home as soon
as court was over. I very unexpectedly
to certain parties appeared on the court
ground the day for the trill of this war
rant for tile tobacco. The case was de
cided in my favor. 1 then proceeded to
gather the crop. Shamblin now takes
out a warrant for both myself and wife.
When the bailiff'came close to us in the
field where we- were at work, I ordered
him to halt. He did so. He wanted us
to go with him. I told him l would not,
as I had been bedeviled-'with Shamblin
as long as I intended to be; but if Sham
blin would pay for the crop according to
contract, he should have it. This made
him very mad.
I now found out I could not get the
wagon that wfiek to haul up my corn, I
quit pulling it, and myself, wifo and
daughter went to pick cotton for old man
Garrison. Upon the third day while
here, a party caiuo to arrest me again. I
would not let them get close to me, but
had the warrant read, i told John Beard
to have my witnesses summonod, which
ho promised to do, and 1 would meet
them at Summerville for trial. Tnat
night, upon investigation, 1 found my
witnesses had not been notified to appear
at the trial, and thinking there was soma
trick intended to get mo out to kill me, 1 !
did not go, especially as there would have
been no use of it, as my witnesses not
having been notified, would not bn
present.
So on the next morning I took my gun
and went down to the field, and found old
man Mclntyre there, pullin ; the corn.
Upon my inquiry, lie told me Shauihlin
hud hired him to pull the corn. I told
him to get out of this field quick. Ha
Isays, “1 will, but dont blame me, Mr.
I Beck ; tliambliui got uic to*conic and pull
I the corn.” I asked him where Shamblin
was? He said, “yonder he comes across
the field.” I went meeting him, hut had
no idea of killing him, but only aimed to
make him get out of the field, us I had
j lost one or two crops, and did not want to
I lose another. I asked him .if he had not
I been notified to stay out of this field, lie
said he had, but he said he intended to
! gather this corn. I told him to get out.
! lie said he would wher. ho got ready. 1
then took the gun from my shoulder, and
lie started towards Mrs. Claudis’ house.
I knew there was a gun there, and I told
him to go out the other way. He started
off hesitatingly, looking back over his
shoulder at me just behind him, with my
gun in my hund, and the butt of the guu
towards him. I thought he aimed at
doing something, as lie had his left hand
in his pocket, and when in abo'.t twenty
five steps of the fence, he pulled his band
out of his pocket, put his right hand be
fore him with his knife in his hand, which
frightened me, and being bewildered and
mad, shot him before I could think of
uiyself. 1 never put the gun to my fiioo,
nor as high as ujy arm. He dropped his
knile at the pluoe 1 shot him, slapped his
hands to his stomach, and went towards
Mrs. Claudis, “hollering.”
Old Mack was about 70 or 100 yards off
still in the field. I told him again to get
out quick, ami he soon struck a trot up
the hdl, and when he caiue to the fence
he took no time to climb it, lie let go all
holds, and fell uvei; and that was the last
I ever saw ol Shamblin, 1 consider 1 was
and ling my duty in trying tq defend and
protect myself and wife m our just rights,
and a man can’t die in a better oause.
After 1 had shot Shamblin, I. had quite
a time in eluding the search oi the
authorities for me. 1 lay out Ail Taylor s
Ridge a good part of the time during the
I day, and at nights would see some friends
who would providemre wjth something to
ei t. Many a nighrftar# t laid out .on
the cold ground in tho raiii. hungry, weary
anu troubled; and often in the night time
would be ttuublod and frightened in my
sleep at the least noise, think dig it was
I sbmehody in search of mu to make an
ar.-esc. Often have I had to ho on the
aloi„ to prevent others than those whom
1 knew to be my special and protective
friends from seeing me, arid reporting me
to the Sheriff. Unce as 1 was about to
cross t e road, near the river, i saw Dr.
Bryant coming down the road, and i step
ped behind a true until lie passed. I went
on, lorded the river and went to a friends
house; but was frightened away from
there by two men coming towards the
house. But they happened to be those
i who would not trouble me.
Often wiiiie lying out on the cold, dump
ground, wet, hungry and sick, 1 would
then almost desire lo die, and got out
of my troubles.
At one time while on the. mountain, I
got so worn out, that J got into a doze
—1 could not sleep soundly— 1 heard
! somethihg walking; I. couldn’t, get awake,
1 1 jumped and grabbed my guu, and broke
down the mountain towards the river,
add 1 encountered an uld fence row. all
j grown uii with grape vines and barter:-.
| Having on a long, big uvomSjui, t got
tangled and wrapped up in the vines and
briers; I dropped my gqn and think 4
I must have fallen thirty feet down tho
! mountain. Whui4"got up and luoked
j back to see how cgfee they (for i thoug .t
i [continued ON rOUI.TH PACIE.J