The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1830-08-18

ting others in its perpetralion. Mr. Dexter
asked HIM whether he believed in God, and
in state of future rewards and punshments,
to which he answered IN the affirmative, when
he was permitted to proceed. In reply to in.
quiries from the governments counsel, witness
said he was acquainted with the prisoner at
the bar, as also with Richard and George
Crowninshield, and had been with them at the
hotel in Wenham or Danvers. Had seen j. F.
Knapp (who for brevity we call Francis) fire.
quently, and at the house of George and Rich
ard Crowninshleld, and especially on the after
noon of the I'd April. The examination which
! followed being extremely interesting we give a
large portion of it: -
! Webster. Was there any thing said there
about the murder of Capt. Joseph White, by
both George and Richard Crowninshield A.
Yes. w. Did you hear any such proposition
from George in Richards presence? A. Yes.
I Here the witness was cautioned to be careful
not to tell any thing which others said-only
what he knew OF his own knowledue.l w.
What object was proposed by that murder ,
Palmer. | cannot tell without telling what
Francis said. w. What motive had YOU? A.
was to have one third of the money r. Crown
lnshield received. w. What sum was that to
be +? A. $1,000. W. Who made the offer
Objected 10 by the defendants council] Wei!
then, who, according to contract, was to pay ?
a. Joseph J. Knapp, junior. w. Was any
method OF murder proposed? A. Yes Geerge
Ciowninshield said that it would be easy 10
meet him Capt. Joseph Whte) that night, and
upset his carrlage-tor he had gone to The farm
w. What benefit was Joseph TO get by his
death' A. To have a will destroyed w
What reason had you to NEEDLE with ita A.
He said was poor and had no friends to supply
my wants, and it was a good time to furnish
myself w. Did he mention any time Tor the
act' A. No w ANY for entering The house ?
A. Mo- but they said the housckeeper, when
Mr. White would be murdered, would be absent
from the house. W. Did Francis come A
Yes, in the evening, in the chase alone-stay-
ed over half an hour. Richard then went off
with him in the chaise. did not see Francis
after, until now. Richard got home at II OF
IL o'clock. w. When did you leave there
a. Next afternoon, Saturday w. How was
TINS will to be destroyed? A. By murder. The
keys were TO be obtained from Mrs. Becktord
and the will destroyed at the time the murder
was TO be committed. w. What was said o
the will further, if any thing? A. 1t was sale
that the will wIlled all the property to Mr.
White, (Stephen White,) who lived at the
fremont House, in Boston. w. When die
You last see the Crowninshieldss A. AT night
! at their house, on the 9th of April last Wher
Richard went off with Knapp, he said he wa.
going to the Lynn Mineral Springs. w
When you went to the Crowninshields, a
night, between 10 and II, in what manner dit
you go: A. | went under the window, anC
spoke to George, and he opened the chamber
window and asked who il was. | asked him Il
come down-he came down. He asked me i
| | had heard the news. | told him no. From
| there went to the Lynn6eid Hotel then Il
! Providence, where | stayed two days. Saw
the Crowninshiclds on the 9th, same night, a
10 o'clock. Received from George four frant
pieces, promising to return them. 29th left
went to Lowell; from thence to Boston, ant
thence to Belfast, by the way of Roxbury, in
vessel, John Boyle, master. From Belfast
wrote letter to J. j. Knapp.
( WdtiGm II. Allen was then called, and aske,
1t he had seen two letters presented him before
which were put in the post office the 10th o
( May. A. At the request of J. J. Knapp, Junior
who stated that HIS father, J. j. Knapp, senior
aud Phippen Knapp, came up yesterday will
an anonymous letter from fellow, sonaewher
down east, containing lot of trash who sal
he would expose them, as he knew all thei
plans, it his father did not send $500 in money
lie said he wanted to put these letters in III
office, and wipe off this silly affair in the sant
Among other things, lie observed that mothe
beektord was getting old.
Mr.. WeGSteT produced two threatening lei
ltcASI Oie hGuFtSStu " IlO1. OlcpuCIl w mite
of May II, 1880, demanding $5000 or SUITE
Signed N. Blackstone, 4ih; and the other, L
Hon. Gideon Barstow, Salem, threatening hin
with ASSASSINATION, unless he % sent him mon
ey" Signed " Grant" Dated Nav 10, 1896
Then followed letter, which was read by MI
Webster, (said to he Palmers) dated May Ii
$3.50, postage lSa cents, directed 10 the fathe
OF J. J. and ]. F. Knapp, threatening his fathe
with exposure of all his plans, as he kaelo them
which letter evidently was intended for In
son; and Threatening that the whole bushes
should leak out, and signed Charles Grant, jr
Maine.
.9Hen lcas again called, and said that he stop
ped at the Lynn Hotel, and then went to III
Crowninshields, and made their horses the an
francis) fast to tree. They we're invited t
GO IN A part went to see the factofy-Gec
Z. and myself (Alien) being together, an,
! Francis and Richard in company. After few
minutes, we returned and Joined them. In
previous visit, we had been together. al tb
Hotel Springs have seen Joseph and Rich
ard together, since the murder, in Bath street
and Francis joined them. They were walkin,
there they seemed TO be in private.
Palmer loas called again On cross exam
nation: Allen AID Francis Knapp came GU
to see the Crowninshields; he himself was a
the halfway house at Lynnfeld, on the nioh
of the murder.
Thomas Hart. Lived with Mrs Bedford
at Wenham-went there on the 9th of April
Joseph J. Knapp hired him--knows john Fran
CTS Knapp. Mrs. Beckford went there TO Iiy
18th of April aiterward. Frank went nhon
the 2oth Of April-saw him there the 25tb j
| April last, about dark on Saturday evening
/ He came alone at z, in the evenrnS-he Sal
the Capt. a. J. K.) and was with him about !
quarter oil an hour-they were alone in a room
together. Francis wore hat and canilet wran
per There was no peculiar money given him
or OF peculiar stamp, except tia, IN IN,
tuesday after, some five franc pieces were g;v
en- him to buy meal with He thourbt h,
heard three voices in the chaise, at he linn,
spoken of-was confident Of it when il was g,
ing away at half past z. Francis Knann ,,s,
ally wore dagger, and used to prick Bcniamr
with IT, telling him, at the same time 4 ;yonL~
not hurt him but a minute; he wond corr
INTO Benlamin's room to do this, when he wa
IN bed. This was after the murder 80 ""'
Ezra Lummas aud his wife testified n ,i,.
fact Of hnWfnn e. r. - eh~