You want to hear 'truth' listen to Texas Gladden's magnificent description of Mary Hamilton going to her execution on her album included in the Lomax collection.
Walter Pardon used to point to the farm opposite his house and say, "that's where the Pretty Ploughboy was working", then provide a full description, complete with appropriate costume.
Mind you, Walter treated everything like that - he once told us that "the two greatest crimes ever committed were the hanging of Tess and the drowning of Maggie Tulliver".
Jim Carroll