Poor Ellen Smith

Come all you people my story to hear

What happened to me in june of last year

Oh its poor ellen smith how was she found

Shot through the heart lying dead on the ground

Its true I'm in jail a prisoner now

God is here with me and hears every vow

So I do promise the truth to relate

I'll tell you all that I know of ellen's sad fate

I saw her on Monday before that sad day

Found her body lying and took it away

That she had been murdered never entered my mind

Till a bullet through the heart they happened to find

Who is so cruel so heartless so base

To murder my poor ellen in such a lonesome place

I seen her laid out so still and so cold

I heard the wild stories the witnesses told

I choked back the tears as the people all said

"It was you Peter Degraph shot our Ellen Smith dead"

Ellen lies sleeping with her hand on her breast

The bloodhounds and the sheriff won't give me no rest

They got their Winchesters and hunted me down

I stole away to Mt. Airy town

I laid off a year and I prayed the whole time

The man could be found what committed the crime

I prayed I'd come back and my character save

But the flowers faded round poor ellen's grave

So I came back to Winston my trial to stand

I'll live or I'll die as the law might command

Ellen lies sleeping in that lonesome churchyard

I stare through the bars god knows its hard!

I know they will hang me at least if they can

But I swear to you I'll die as an innocent man

My soul will be free when I stand at the bar

Where God tries his cross, then there like a star

That shines in the night will my innocence shine

And I'll make my appeal to the justice of time