Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1815-10-09

10 Work--sh0rtly after ut appears from
Mr.. Nilliains's notes with which he has
politely furnished me the prisoner tolti|
witness that he was born In Ireland
came to Philadelphia where he got a.
imong bad characters and lived by plum
deriHg--that he came on with a number
more to New-York, where they stole q
boat and proceeded up the river as has
been before stated that being landed at
Athens they met miss Hamilton in the
street, and hadto do with her, Gas the
expression was1 and knocked her IN the
head LAS they were going off, they OBJ
served that she was not dead, but sitting
fup-when one OF them went back and
stamped his foot in her side and thre@
her into the brook Thomas Jefferson,
Madison, Gallatin, Gen. Lincoln and
Gen. Dearhon were with them fas he
said they then proceeded down the river
lin their boat to New-York, and then he
the prisoner enlisted Witness knew PR
|soner for some time:never discovered any
marks G. insanity except when conyerss
ing upon this subject. The reader will
observe, that this relation differs from
the others in the following particulars
only; 1t does not state that they found
the lady at the cornersof the street: MOI
that they bound her mouth with a hand
Ekerchief; nor that they left their boat on
the Jersey shore! but states that they
stole their beat at New York inste adj oil
Troy, as stated in, the other confession:
and introduces the names of Messrs.
Jefferson, Madison, &c. as accomplises.7
An attempt was then made onthe part OF
the people, to prove that Cayenah was IL
Athens the evening the murder was per-
lpetrated; but this could not be proved
--nor could it be proved that he was up
the river about that time except by one
witness. an inkeeper ia Hudson, who
testified positively that the prisoner came
ito his house the same night about eleven
O'Clock, staid few moments and did
not sit dewn, and that when he, the wit
ness saw him in Catskill Gao!. about a
year afterwards he recognized him as
being the same man-Mr. Williams then.
|of ceunself or the prisoners observed tothe
court, that there was not sufficient testi-
mony adduced on the part Of the people
Ito render it necessary that the prisoner
should be put upon his defence. The
court replied that they did not think
themselves authorised to take the indict-
lment from the jury and acquit the pri-
Isoner themselves adding, that ifthe At
Itornes General thought proper to with
draw The prosecution without attempting
to urge conviction they wouid readily
iacqaiesce. The Acknowledgement tbo't
the testimony insufficient to warrant the
Jury in convicting the prisoner. and the
court directed the jury to acgait tie pri-
Isoncr, which they did of course without
leaving their seats.
As the prisoner has been acquitted by
a jury appointed to try the case. perhaps
lit would not be prudeat or proper Cor us
to express ctr opinion upon the suhject.
The prisoner is doubtlessia estate OF EAR
tial arrangement. This appears net on
Nv from the manner of the confessions he
has made, but alsolrom the conversations
he has had with various persons, net cal
led as Witnesses III this calse. At one
tine he has declared that he enlisted IL
to the service, for the purpose OF beng
shot; at another time committed the|
murder in imitation Of his Supporters, who
and assisted in the murder OF
Gen. Lingan; and at another that about
a fortnight before the murder Of miss
Hamilton, he and Mr.. Jefferson and MIR
Madison had murdered three persons in|
North Carolina-this he said was the
prettiest affair he had been engaged in,
and went to give the particulars as min
utely as in the affair of miss Hamilton
The most surprising circumstance. and
the most difficult to be recoDciled. Is, the,
with which in his confessions,
he has described every circumstance
which took place at the murder of miss
Hamilton. Every particular in bis COR
LESSONS at New-York agrees perfectly
with the examination Of the body all
the Coroner's Inquest. The case is no
less important than singular, and for m,
self, it is impossible to form a satistacto-
ny opinion as to the guilt or innocence
of the prisoner.
9 Vengeance divine, to punish sin moves
slow;
g The slower is its pace, the surer is its
blow.o
The time may come. and | ardently
pray it may come soon, when the Williams