Virginia statesman. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1828-1829, 1828-10-15

land the extraordinary singulmity ofmy sit
nation. discovered It to be one ofmy own
I. pistols. which had always kept loaded in
nv bed room. The danger of my situa.
ton now flashed upon my mind. There
Ilav the unfortunate girl wounded to death,
and by an instrument belonging to me, and
4 ;he only human beng present who could
prove how the circumstance occurred. j
will not attempt to describe to you because
| It would he impOSsible) the agitation of nv
mind at finding myself surrounded by such
suspicious and unfortunate circumstances.
\ Ny faculties for the time seemed suspend
ed. / knew not what to do, and some time
elapsed before | sufficiently recovered my
self 10 become thoroughly sensible of the
awful and responsible situation in which |
stood.7
The circumstancial evidence was, how
ever, so strong. thathe was afterwards con
victed. Before his execution, he confessed
that he had murdered the girl, and related
the particulars following :-"When we
I left her fathers house, we began quarrehng
about the burial Of the child, she appre-
hending that the place wherein it was dc
posted would be found out. The quarrel
continued for about three quarters Of an
hour, upon this and about other subjects.
I A Scufile ensued, and during the seufile,
! and at the time, | think, that she had hold
of me. / took the pistol from the side peck
ct Of my velvet jacket, and 6red. She fell,
and died in an instant. {never saw even
a struggle. was overwhelmed with sgita-
ton and dismay, The body fell near the
front doors on the floor of the barn. A
vast quantity of blood issued from the
wound and ran en- the floor and through the
creyices. Having determined to bury the
body in the barn (abOut two hours after
she was dead / went and borrowed the
spade Of Mrs. Stowe; but before / went
there. I dragged the body from the barn
|imOthe chait house, and locked up the barn.
| I returned again to the barn, and began to
I die the whole; but the spade being a bad
lone, and the earth firm and hard, / was
obliged to 90 home for Piek-axe and a
better spade, with which dug the hole and
buried the body. / think / dragged the
body bv the handkerchief that was tied
round her neck It was dark when fin
ished covering up the body. went the
next day, and washed the blood from of the
barn floor, I declare to Almighty God, /
had no sharp instrument about me. and
that no other wound but the one made by
the pistol was inflicted by me. have been
guilty of great idleness, and, at times, led a
dissolute life, but Hope through the mercy
of God, to be forgiven.
Soon after he had committed the murder
he advertised in the London Times, for a
wife, and had many applicants. He was
married to one ofthem when he was appre-
I hended. The following is a dialogue pre-
rious 60 his execution:
Among bis several conversations the fol-
lowing singular one is said 10 have passed
between him and one Of his attendants. IL
occurred on Friday evening:
Atendnt-Pray Mr. Corder, is it true
that it was BY an advertisement you were
first introduced to- Mrs. Corderl
Corder-ndeed 1t was.
Aueudaut-Had ven many answers toit?
Corder-I had forty-fve. Some from
ladies In their carriages.
Atendant-Well, that surprises me.
Corder-Surprise you, so it may as it
Dad myseIfl but | missed a good thing.
Auendant-HOw is thatl
Corder-Why then win tell you. One
.of the answers which 1 received required
that / should be at a certain church on an
appointed day, dressed in a particular way,
and / should meet a lady, also dressed in
particular way, and both understanding
what we came about, no further introduc-
ton was necessary.
Auendant-But how could YOU know
her: there might be another lady dressed
ia the same wayl
Corder-Oh to guard against mis-
take she desired that should wear black
handkerchief round my neck, and have my
left arm In a sling; and in case | should
not observe her, she would discover and
introduce herself
Attendant-And did you meet her?
Corder-No, did not; went, but not
M tune, as the service was over when / got.
there.
Attendant-Then when did you meet her, /
how do YOU know that she was respectable /
Corder-Because the pew-opener told
me that such a lady was lnqmring for
gentleman of my description; and she came
IA an elegant carriage, and was young
woman Of fortune. Sighing heavily
Auendant--Ihen you never saw her
afterwards
COrdcr-Nn. mover. hlrt I E.nnd ont