The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1809-12-20
ron THE nHoDE-IslAsD 'nErusLrcAs.


Those, who with Pickering, think shc Brit
ish hare done ns no essen nal injury, are inyit
ed to read the following dorumcnt. Its, au
thsnticity may be depended on, and II ques.
toned, will bc established. II is, one would
think, of o nature to speak its own comment,
and to defy all the powers OF eloquencc to
give 1t any advcntitious or artificial point or
effect against that government But there
can be no doubt, the Pickeroons will be able
to cxtcnuatc the atrocity II records into a
peccadilio, to transmutc the guilt into innos
rcncc nay, to cxalt the criminality into
merit II is reprinted as theme for the
{ trial of their ingenuity at apology. II is
i matter of curious expectation, how their ro-
sburccs ON SO trying an occasion, will be dis
played.
The lie, confession, and last dying words
Of XiLLiAM .CuxxIxGHAM, formerly the
British provost-marshal, in the city of .New-
YovKs who was executed in London, the 10th
of-Auguss, 1874, taken FROM his own mouth,
BY the ordinary of .Nswgase.
/, WILLIAM CUNNINuHANf, was
born in Dublin Barracks, in the year 1898.
Nly father was rumpeter to the Blue Drag
oons and at the sgc of eight years was
placed With an officer, as his servant, in
which station continued until was is
and being great proficient in horsemanship,
1 was taken as an assistant to the riding mas
of the troop and in the year l76l, was
made Sergeant Of Dragons. But the peace
coming the year following, was disbandcd.
Being bred 70 no profession, took up with
woman who kept ., gin shop is = blind si-
/ Flcys ncsr the CoahG Gnays, bAt the house be-.
ing searched for stolen goods and my doxy ia.
ken to Ncwgate, / thought it most prudent
to- decamp, and accordingly set of for the
north, and arrived at Urogheda, where in
few months alter, married the daughter
! Of an Excisc-man, by whom i bad three sons.
About the year l772, we removed to Newry,
where ] commenced tho profession of
scow-bahkcr, which is that OF cnticing inc
cfanicks and country people to ship them
selves tor America, ON promises of great adj
vantage, and then artfnlly getting an linden.
turc upon thoua, in consequence Of which, on
their arrival nAlhcrica they are sold OF obig-
cd to serve a term of years for their passage.
embarked at Newry, ia the ship Nudham,
for New-York, and arrived at that port on tho
4th of August, WA, with some indentcd SER
wants had kidnapped in Ireland; but they
were liberated in New York, on account OF
the had usage they received from me during
the passage. In that city used the profcs.
sion OF breaking horses, and teaching ladies
and gentlemen 70 ride but rendering my
sell obnoxious 10 the citizens in their infant
struggles for freedom, ! was Obliged to fly on
\ board the Asia man-of-wat, and from thence
to Bcstor (; where my known opposition to
the measures pursued BY the Americans, in
support Of their rights, was the first thing
that recommended mo TO the notice Of Gen.
Gage and when the war commenccd was
appointed Prcvost- Marshal to the royal army,
which placed me in situation to wreak my
vengeance or the Americans shudder at
the many murders have bccfi accessory TO-,
both with and without orders from gouern-
menf, especially while in Ncw-Y6rk; during
y which time there were more than 1000 pris-
oncrs starved in the different Churches, by
stopping their rations, which sold. There
were also 275 American prisoners and obnox-
ious pcrsons executed, out of all which num-
Der, there were only about ono dozen publick
executors, which chiefly consisted Of British
| and Hcssian descrfcrs. The msdc for pri-
4 vatc execution was thus conducted "a
I guard was despatched from the Provost,
about half after l2 at night, to Barrack-strcet,
/ and the ncighbcurbood Of the upper barracks,
TO order the people TO shut their window
shutters and put out their lights, forbidding
] them to presume to look out Of their win
dows or doors on'pain of death. After which
the unfortunate prisoners were conducted,
gagged, just behind the upper barracks, and
hung without ceremony snd there buried
by the black prisoners Of the Provost Al the
end Of the. war Iretured to Old England,
with she.srmy, and settled Ia Wales, being
cheaper place to live in than any populous
city <bbt was at length persuaded to 80 q
London, where entered 50 warmly into the
prevailing dissipations, that l soon fevnd ms
/ cfcumptarses embarrassed tossksse which
II mortgAg<d my half pay, but shst being
soon cxpcEksd, forged dtAit Tor three
haiadred pounds sse:iiDg, on the Board o
\ Crdirarce iva. detected II r-cs:r''ng !