Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1805-10-23

wards. Iatlast deserted, and intended TO
return TO my master at York. When ar
iriYcd within miles of that place, be-
came apprehensiYe Of being punished for
| running away, and | went TO Baltimore.
Wnen came within mics cf Baltimore,
! hired with an innkeeper, called Solomon
omuck, & stayed with hin, about "a days;
iout,oeing accused WIKI stealing money (of
winch was inDocsnt) left him. went 20
baltimore, and from thence through Bel
lar to my old master Collins. From
There went 10 Lancaster, then &c, Phila-
delphia, where was enlisted In the ma
rrine service. / was shortly afterwards ta-
Ken to the city of Washington, where 1
remained months, and deserted. Then
1 returned 10 York, to my master, MIR.
Eicheissrger, having been absent about 2
years and 10 months. arrived at homa
ION the 10th of April last, being in the l9,h
year OF my unhappy life; having lived re-
CARELESS of God and religion, in the con-
slant practice of vice. lenlered :nto nv
masters service again; my mind bad by
th;s tifne5scan,e 50 exceedingly deprayed,
and rny conscience SO dreadfuliy hardened,
thai was not long ia York, before be-
gantc resolve on the seost desperate deeds.
sone boys had given me offence, par,icu-
iariy Michael Hahn, Michael Spaneler,
and another. boy, named John Coukis. II
made the klsodY determination i'm my own
m.nd, and firmly resolved, that if any cfi
them offended me again, his life was gone
ard think it was d particular providence
which saved them, lof they let me aIoac
afterwards, which if thsy had not done, |
would most assurediy have accomplished
my purpose; FOR il coGld not bage taken |
lneir lives. at the time ofthe offence. | had
iniiy resolved to walt and watch, ILL an oD. (
portunlty altered. Gods grace, and not
my own goodness, prevented my design,
and saved the lives ofthose boys. Michael
baon, particularly, was nearly gone seve-
raj times. I've Other boys, George Dali,
and Jacob Pcnley, had offended me, and I
had determined 10 punish ,l,sin also, with
death, or severe bestiDg, in case they gave
me furt,'er PrDyocation. They were pre-
served by heaven, otherwise should have
had their blood 10 answer far.
had contracted a habit of tiriokin9
strong liquors, and on the 10Th Of May,
mad peen gaming with boys, Tor smal!
sums OF money. On the evening of that
iatsi day, Joseph Roihrock came 10 Mr..
! Dink'e's pavement, and b.ntcred ma 10
play al hnsslscaP /; we went, together with
an apprentice boy. to Mr.. George Her.
baoh's, into Eicheibctger'i kitchen. I
won some money end knife from The ap-
prentice, ard he went away. Joseph Roth
rock, still insisted to play on, bn, was
afraid tibet Dir. Eicfslbereer would come
~ We agreed 10 go to Christian Hecken.
doris. We arrived thsre b<tween 8 and
9 O'Clock. As soon as we entered the
house. called for h4!f gill of whiskev,
but they refused to give it wi,hou, the
money! swsfc by CD that here was
the money then they brought it irnme.
dIately. / thsn drazk some of it. and 10. |
Iseph Rothrock drank The rest. Ose oil
us proposed to throw hus.lscap--I dc no; |
k"o" winch OF Va proposed it first, but we !
pom agreed 10 II and each of us put In |
ioOr cents. l won tive or three games ; |
'neh hsthrock got warm, and insisted ts |
pay Tor more at a time. I won all his
mshey--He then offered TO .ell ne a sill.
yer breach, which bought FOR II cen,e.
Alter | won thst nAsney, bought = hov
from him for 9 cents, and won th,t 80,
hey also. We then exchanged handker4
CniciS' ana gave him eleven pence to
soo'. When had won that from MN
M me greater part Of it, he insisted f.
play with diqe, aud asked Mrs. Hccken.
corn Tor them--iler son John cot them
when we began to play with The dice. 10.
! 'eph koihrock won some money from me.
with which he bought back his broacb and
box, and had about one shilling and four.
pence besides. After that he seemed nm.
wiling to play any mere. a dispute a.
rose betwixt us, and | struck him on the
month. We had before this time, two
giils Of whiokeY, and two piats OF cyderoy-
ale Just before We left the house push.
ed him again, and ne called in another pint
OF cyderoysI, which, after ne had drank
some himself, he offered me, bot relus.
ed to drink and said had drank enough
II think | cursed bin. was in liquor,
though as well in my senses as now anu.
We chen agreed to gn home. lie said he
did notknow whether Re ahould 90 10 bis
fathers, or to Mr. FashS where lie had
staid for some time. We left Heckan.
dorn's together, and same up 10 Ciafk's
! ~ z.