The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware advertiser., 1825-12-01

will testify. AS he did not wish me to pub
fish his confession, nor his letter to his wife
until the day of his execution, have not be-
traycd my trust, and therefore ! think
am now at liberty to lay the whole before
the public"
(Signed) "WlLLlAM Rof.
"Ne7v York Bride7yeN, Oct. 81, 1925.
81 confess to you, in the presence OF God
and his holy Angels, that am guilty man.
/ murdered Captain West on Saturday
morning, before day lisht.-He went to bed
perfectly sober, and remained asleep dur
ing the night. About day break went into
the cabin, took AN axe in my hanu, ana
struck him blow on the head, which m
stantly killed him. l was alonc--in all
this there was no person with me nor on
board, when it was committed. do also
certify, that | was instigated to the whoie
of this by Townsend, a wicked man, and AN
old offender, as | have been informed. lie
proposed the thing to me two or three times
| in a Joking way, before thought OF the Kind
entered my heart he said, what an easy
matterit would be to kill West, and get all
his money. He expected, no doubt, that ne
had large sum about him, but he was ms
taken; for Capt. West told me that he had
left all he had, pretty much, i'll the hands OF
a grocer, whose name do not recollect at
present; thing the sum was four or hye
hundred dollars. / heard the grocer say,
he would want to borrow part OF IT from
the captain. / took from Captain West's
pocket forty or fifty dollars, which was all
the mony he had with him. ! then dragged
the dead body on deck, withaut any assist
ance, where tied stone to his feet, and
a blanket around lis head, and threw him
i N, rpri,o opf Snfn r5.,u m
done without moments reflection. The
day previous had no intention to kill him;
his money did not induce me to it; for first,
/ knew he had but little about him; and
secondly, | dill not stand i'll need oil any, tor
/ had enough and to spare; thirdly, tho cap
| tain was very kind and friendly to ME. lie
told me whenever ! wanted money to call
on him and should have it, SO that it was
a momentary temptation, and | gave way
lit. was but about two weeks i'll his EN-
ploy when the murder took place, and this
is the first crime of the kind have been
guilty Of and when tell you sir, that it is
scarcely one year since | have been led
astray, suppose you will be surprised.
My poor mother frequently said to me,
when young, and when any person had been
guilty Of such crime, "mv child, they arc
well guided whom God guides" but God
was not in all nv thoughts at this time. Had
| taken her advi :, | should never have been
where | now am; but now it is too late. One
year ago | went to church twice or three
times every Sabbath, Stunned bad COM
pany, and evil Of every kind; but, unfortu.
nately form me, was led from one evil to
another, until at length fell in with Town
send, who was the means of my ruin, and
tho cause of an ignorant youth imbruing his
J hands in an innocent mans blood, and this
when he was asleep and under my protec-
tion; but / freely forgive him, and every
man, as hope to be forgiven by my Say
iour. | first neglected going to church, pro
famed the holy Sabbath, fell in wicked and
bad company, who led me TO houses OF i'll
fame, and thence to the gallows.
II have made yous my confid4nt In this
: confession, because God has made it my
duty. I wish you to publish it on the dav
of my execution, and not before, in any OF
the paper you think proper, that young and
old, rich and poor, may take warning by me,
: and never come to this untimelv end.
(Signcd) JAMES REYNOLDS"
*sI advised him at this time to write the
particulars for the Rev. Mi. Stanford, that
might not be alone in this thing. In ten
; days afterwards he gave them to his Coun-
sel.' W.R.
Postscript, 2o'clock The procession ar
rived at the place OF Execution at about j
:, quarter past II. After being taken out oi
the carriage, he sat down upon the steps fol
few moments. The Sheriff then ascendet
few steps, and read the warrant for the
! execution. When the Rev, FIR. Somer.
, was about to ascend the scafluld and address
; the multitude, Reynolds requested chat he
E might speak first, which request was ac-
!. ceded to. He attempted to ascend ths
:, steps and when about half way up, in at.
; tempting TO turnand face the crowd, he fe
;, and was by some OF the officers in attendance
= = caught before be touched the ground.
The Sheriff then thought it best TO have
! him placed upon the scaffold. He mounted
;, : it himself, accompanied by two officers
:. :. and the two attending clergymen. After
moment ii suspense, the unhappy crimina
i commenced speaking: and in the most coo!
. clear and collected manner, withouta trem
:, or in his voice, warned the surrounding au
!. dience to take warning by the awful spec
! tacle, and shun the paths of vice. He sait
= that he had led comparatively moral lif
: :. until he commenced visiting the houses Q
!. ill-fame at Corlear's-hook. He then begal
> to drink-mingled with evil company-ant
= = was thus led on in the paths of guilt, step b,
: step, as he had ascended the scafiold upo
] which he then stood He did not distinctl
y acknowledge his crime, but tacitly admit
:, ted it, by acknowledging that his hand
a a were mbrucd with blood He conclude,
~ bv an exhortation to Youth and feryen