The Virginia Gazette

Sept. 6. Welch and Jones, condemned for the Murder of Sarah Green, were carried in a Cart from the New Goal in Southwark to Kennington-Common, and there executed, pursuant to their Sentences, amidst as great a Concourse of People as ever were assembled together on such an Occasion. They behaved in a penitent Manner; and confessed being concerned in the Affair of Sarah Green so far as related to the Rape, but said that they were not the Cause of her Death, but that it was N---s that used her in the barbarous Manner which occasioned it. They both declared Coleman's Innocence, who suffered for that Murder, and that he was so far from being with them at that Time, that they did not so much as know him; but that Nichols went by the Name of Coleman. And Welch wrote a Letter to the same Purpose, to Coleman's Brother, the Morning of their Execution.

Their Bodies were not hung in Chains, but delivered to their Friends. We shall here give our Readers Mr. Coleman's solemn Declaration concerning his Innocence of the Murder of Sarah Green, delivered to the Rev. Mr. Wilson at the Place of Execution, which was as follows:

"The dreadful Sentence passed upon me, I shall meet with Cheerfulness, being in no Degree conscious of the least Guilt of that most inhuman and most unnatural Crime that I have been found guilty of. I am very sensible that it is not in my Power to make the incredulous World believe me innocent. I leave the following Account with Mr. Wilson, who I am greatly obliged to, and return him my hearty Thanks for the comfortable Relief I have received from him in a Preparation for a future State of Bliss, and I hope he will cause it to be published for my Satisfaction, that it may pass the impartial Examination of all Persons. Namely, on the 23d of July 1748, I went, &c. &c.--[Here follows a long and circumstantial Relation of the several Companies he was in, on the Day of the Murder; as also Reflections on the Evidence against him at his Trial.]- I shall answer before the Tribunal of Christ, at the dreadful Day of Judgment, that the foregoing Account, to the best of my Knowledge and Belief, is the Truth, and nothing but the Truth. I do also most solemnly protest, that I am not in any Degree guilty of that most inhuman Murder of Sarah Green, neither was I at Newington, or in Kennington-Lane, that Night that the cruel Fact was committed on her. This I declare as a dying Man, and I sincerely believe (as the Rev. Mr. Wilson told me several Times) if I was directly or indirectly guilty of that Murder, and go out of the World with denying it, that eternal Damnation would be my Portion. It is an inexpressible Pleasure to me, that I am so soon to leave this very wicked World; and I hope that God Almighty of his infinite Mercy and Goodness, will, thro' the Merits and Intercession of my blessed Redeemer, his only Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, pardon all my Sins, and receive my Soul to eternal Happiness. There is nothing that gives me so much Concern as the Distresses I leave my poor Wife and two Infants in. She has been very good to me under my unhappy Misfortunes; and so have my poor afflicted Brothers. I hope that the Almighty will be the Guardian of my Wife and Children; and that all good Christian People will commiserate their unhappy State. I do most heartily desire all, and every one, whom I have offended, that they would vouchsafe to forgive me; and I do freely and heartily forgive my Prosecutors, and all the World, wherein any hath offended me, or done me any Manner of Injury whatsoever, even as I desire to be forgiven of God, and to be absolved from my Sins thro' the Merits of my blessed Redeemer.'"