Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1820-04-11
From the National inteIligencer.

/ From the National intelligencer.
| CONFESSION OF THE MAIL ROBBERS.
/ The following statement, embracing the
ifuii confession OF the mali robbers recently
unprecedented al Baltimore, has been ohIig.
IingIy handed to us for publication
The examination and confession Of Per
legrine Hutton, taken before me, Theodo-
lric Bland, Judge OF The District Court IN
and for the Maryland District, this 18th
lday Of March, 10 the year eighteen hun
idred and twenty, after being cautioned
THAT his acknowledgements and confessions
must be free and voluntary, sithout either
hope or fear, saith, that he is in bis 28ttl
year, is native OF Delaware, and was
raised 10 Maryland that he has been
heretofore employed as stage driver be
tween York and Baltimore, until August
last, and in the same employment elsewhere
before that time; that 10 or about the
month of December last, he went 10 Phila-
delphia, that he went there to be restored
10 his health, and from thence returned to
Baltimore, and thence TO Richmond, about
1.-The 18th Dec. last Hence TO Hampton,
thence TO Norfolk, thence 10 Petersburg
thence to the South. 70 Mr.. Gholsons,
an owner of stages, for the purpose Of OBJ
tanning employment thence 10 Petersburg,
thence 10 New-York, in the schooner
Phoenix; where he mel with Morris Il B.
Hull. alias Morton, and became there first
acquainted with him; be was introduced
BY the name OF Hall, and represented
himself as a Druggist who wished 10 come
on to the southwark to seek employment;
where he saw fiat broad piece Of lead in
his pocket; they. Hull and Hutton, left
Philadelphia together, in the steamboat,
| for Wilmington, and arrived there togetii-
Ier; thence to Newport; where he, Hut
ION, left an order for bis trunk to go 10
Newcastle, there 20 be left until iHrther
orders, and from NeNPort they, Hull and
Hutton, walked down to Baltimore, and
from thence sent for the trunk by The
steamboat. which was brought according
ly. When they left New York, Hutton
permitted Hull TO put his clothes into lis
trunk, and when the trunk arrived at Bal
Itimore he found that Hull had key which
fitted his, Hutton's, trunk lock; on the
road from New.York, Hull proposed TO
Hutton TO stop aud rob the mail, wherever
lit might be most convenient; that he had
arms and ammunition, and thought il could
be done without any danger; but, at that
time, no plan or arrangement was digesled
or made, and it was occasionally talked
Of until they arrived at Baltimore. This
day fortnight they arrived 10 Baltimore,
and commenced boarding at Mr.. kecks',
when the following plan was digested; it
was agreed that, as Hutton was known, he
should wear a mask, made of an old soft
leather cap: no other person to be con
cerned or let into the secret; and nothing
Iiurtber should be done thai TO rob the mail
of the money found therein; that Huh
should also wear mask, which was made
also Of the old cap, one side OF which was
hairy; that they had common screw
barrel pocket pistol, with the guard broke
off from behind the cock Hull had a
stout knife, the blade OF which was about
three or four inches long, commonly called
a Spanish knife; Hutton had a commof
ltwo.blade penkoife; they had each stout
walking stick; but they had no Other
arms Of any description. Thus equipped
Hull and Hutton left the city of Baltimore
early in the afternoon, on the Saturday
after they arrived in this city, on the
Philadelphia road, with an intention to
stop and rob the mail; and for that pur.
pose placed themselves in the first wood
beyond the new bridge on the big falls oil
Gunpowder, aud when the mail wagon
passed, there being passenger 10 it with
1.-THE driver, nothing was attempted; they
Immediately returned, and reached Balti-
more little after daylight.
/ On Friday last, after supper, about s
O'Clock, Hull and Hutton again left Balti
more, aud went out as before on the Phi.
Iiadelphia road, with the design to meet,
stop, and rob the mail, and were in all
respects equipped and armed as 90 the
first going out, aud about eight or nine
miles from this city, on this side Of Bucks
Tavern, they took their stand 10 the woods
Hutton threw into one branch Of the road
1.-TWO or three bushes, where they awaited
the arrival Of the mail, they neither Of
them were dressed as they are now, or
when they left Baltimore, from the shirt
out; their clothes having been changed
some distance from town, where they were