Jefferson Hope Formal Admission to the Crime of Murder (Confession)

Statement by Jefferson Hope

I, Jefferson Hope, confess that I have killed Enoch Drebber of Salt Lake City, Utah.

It all happened about twenty-one years ago. I was driving some cattle from the Nevada mountains to Salt Lake City when I heard the neigh of a distressed horse. Looking up I saw the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. However, she would soon be crushed under the feet of hundreds of cows. I grabbed her horse and pulled it away from the wild beasts. "You're not hurt, I hope, miss" was the first thing I said to her. I can remember it as if it happened this morning. She was brave and saucy; I loved it. I had heard about the "Flower of Utah" but I never imagined meeting her this way. I knew she was the daughter of John Ferrier, whom I remember being close to my father. She invited me to meet with him which guaranteed that I'd see her again. I was ecstatic when she called me a friend; I don't remember my heart ever jumping as high as it did in that moment.

From then on, I visit John Ferrier's house so often that I became a familiar face at the farmhouse. I told them about the experiences I faced while working as a scout, trapper, silver explorer, and a ranchman. Lucy always listened to me and at rather intense parts of a story, I'd glance at her through the corner of my eye and see her eyes wide and her mouth slightly agape. Whenever I smiled at her, she would blush and look down; I knew that she had developed feelings for me like I had for her.

One summer evening I rode down to her house and she came out to meet me. I told her I was leaving, but that I would soon return. I knew I couldn't tell her to join me on such short notice so I asked her if she would be ready when I came back. I had already spoken to her father and he gave me his consent. As I embraced her one last time, I thought the next time I saw her, she would be my wife. Little did I know what was soon to come.

Almost two months later, I received a message from a young man who told me of the danger Lucy and her father faced. I packed as quickly as possible and set off to Salt Lake City once again. I used my hunting skills to slip past the guards and crawl up to Ferrier's house.We left the house quietly and managed to leave the city without receiving too much attention.

On the second day of travelling we began to run out of food. I found us a shelter and started a fire. After bidding Lucy adieu, I threw my gun over my shoulder and walked into the mountains. After hours of searching for prey to no avail, I finally found a large beast, cut it up, and carried large pieces with me back to the campsite. Excited, I made an echo resound through the mountains to inform Lucy of my arrival. No answer came. I yelled loudly but yet again there was no answer. A sense of dread came over me and I dropped the food and hurried back. As I rounded the corner, I saw the ashes of the dead fire but no living creature.  Looking around I noticed the ground trampled by horse feet, showing that a group of men on horses had been there. Initially, I thought the men must have taken both Lucy and John back, until I laid my eyes on a pile of red soil; a shallow grave. A sheet of paper on a stick was stuck in the middle which read that John Ferrier had died. I wished I was dead as well. My beautiful maiden was gone. At that moment, I swore that the only thing that would assuage my grief would be complete retribution.

Slowly, without a horse, I made my way back to Salt Lake City. When I arrived, I met the man who had informed me of the Ferrier's problem in the past. He told me that Lucy had been married to Enoch Drebber the day before. A month later, Lucy died. I visited her body and removed the horrid ring from her finger, as my maiden will not be buried as a wife of that weasel. I dedicated my life to tormenting Drebber and Stangerson, always watching, always ready to kill. I left for a year to regain my wealth by working in the mines. When I returned, there had been a schism in the community and Drebber and Stangerson had both left.

I traveled across the United States in search of my enemies. Luckily, one day while glancing into a shop in Cleveland, Ohio, I spotted my prey. Unfortunately, he spotted me as well and brought this dispute before the justice of peace which ended up with me being taken into custody and detained for a few weeks. After being released, I found out that Drebber and Strangerson had escaped to Europe. I was unable to follow immediately, though, as my funds were getting low. I earned more money and departed for Europe. I was constantly too late; always arriving a few days after they left. I got a job in London working as a cart driver and when I found my enemies, I followed them by cart and on foot.

One evening I saw them attempting to ride a train to Liverpool, but they had just missed it and the next one would be coming in a few hours. Drebber told Stangerson that he has a business to do and that they would meet up later. I followed Drebber to a liquor shop where he became hopelessly drunk. After, he hailed a hansom and traveled to Terrace; some time later, another man and he appeared. The man was angry and looked like he was going to attack, but Drebber managed to run away and hail my cart. Once he was inside, I was excited. He told me to stop at a gin place, and when he came out he was so far gone that he wouldn't notice anything amiss. I worked at York College a while ago and during one class, the professor discussed a poison. While they were preoccupied, I took some and worked it into soluble pills that I kept in a box with other pills that were harmless. I decided if I were to kill my enemies, I would take one as well, and it must be fate that decides who will die.

I drove to an empty house which I had previously made a key for after a man left his key in my cab. I told Drebber that it was time for him to get out and I guided him into the building. Once inside, I asked him if he knew who I was. He looked at me and I watched as horror sprung up in his eyes. He staggered backwards and I laughed loudly. My time had come to punish my enemy! My nose began bleeding from my excitement and I spoke to Drebber, making sure he knew why I was going to kill him. I offered him a pill and we both placed them on our tongues while looking into each other's eyes. The pills work quickly; Drebber gave a cry and fell to the ground, dead.

Later on, I killed Strangerson in his hotel room as well, in order to pay off John Ferrier's debt.

This was the end of Enoch Drebber; I have achieved my lifetime mission. It may seem psychotic and horrible, the extent of my planning for their deaths. However, please try to see it from my point of view. My true love, my beautiful Lucy is dead because of those men. I did nothing wrong to deserve having my love killed; they did not agree with me marrying her as I am a Gentile. These men did not even care for her as a human being; they only needed her because of the lack of women in the community. Not only that, but they killed her father, a successful, kind man. I am only returning the favour.

Farewell,