Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-11-22
SENTENCE OF DEATH.


brouubt up TO receive sentence of death, which
was pronounced BY Slr. Justice Putnam. The
following extracts published IN the Salem
Gazette Of Tuesday:
II Is not TO aggrayatc your sufferings that we
address you-for your present wretchedness ex-
ci,es feelings of compassion, and not of indigna-
ton. But We hope that, by presenting 10 your
view some Of the horrible circumstances which
have attended the crime for which you are to SUI
fer, we may lead yOu to sincere contrltion and
repentance.
The aged sufferer was near relative TO your
wife She was HurtGred at his house, and loved
and cherished by him as 4 child.
You were admitted to partake of his hospiali-
ty-y0u awaited yourself Of the opportunities to
>i>i, at the house of the deceased to prepare the
way for the entrance your hired assassin to the
he'd chamber of the victim.
You were for months deliberately occupied in
de,ising the ways and means Of his death. Hor-
tible to thiak while YOU were eating his bread.
at his own table, YOU were plotting against his
life.
The execution of this awful conspiracy spread
,lismay, anxiety and ,isrust through the country.
Week after week passed away-ard left the
dreadful deed veiied in mystery. At length
discovery was made by means almost as eAtraor-
binary as was the crime.
If such events had been set forth in work OF
fiction. they would have been considered rs too
absurd and unnatural for public endurance. The
story would have been treated as libel upon
Man.
Who would have imagined, that Young, we'll
educated meE-having respectable connexions
and means Of liying-could have been found in
our cultivated society, ready to join in such
fearful conspiracy?
Who would have imagined that the clue to the
discovery, shonld have been given by one Who'll
" unknoWh 70 the author and procurer OF tie
murder, aud that he himself should have put 1t
into the hands Of the friends of the deceased:
Who that considers these things will fail to
d;s-over an overriding Providence, which battles
ruman devices and contriyances to conceal
srrat and deadly crimes:
This murder was dnne with the greatest secre-
sv-in the hour of night. by the hands OF the as
sassin alone, Who escaped from the house without
discovery.
The knowledge Of the crime was confined TO
the breasts of the cOnspirators. But they could
not keep it there. 1t would come out
And what was done in secret and in darkness,
Is now by the conspirators themselves made mani
fest to the world.
Que of these miserable men has persisted by
his own hand. The arm Of justice bath over
taken another. who has suffered an ignomini-
Gus death, and the same penalty Is about TO be
required of you. who were the abandoned author,
coutrivcr, and procurcr. IF the deed of death.
The wicked and proiligate will note we'll these
awful events they viii, they must see misery,
disgrace, ignominy and death, following IN quick
rcri5ution for the most secret crimes.
While we present these dreadful events TO your
consideration, we would earnestly hope that YOU
may be able to ohci at the throne of grace, bruk
en- an,! contrite heart. We beseeoh you 20 call
to YOUR aid those pous men, whose duty il i, tn
teach theEonsoIations of our holy religion. TN
der theft direction and the assistance of the holy
spirit. NAV YOU BY prayer and peni'ence obtain
the forgiveness of the God of mercy for your Of
fences: and especially for the awful crime Tor
which YOU are To suffer.
The same paper contains ''literal and exact
copies of the papers" left bv Richard Crownin-
shield, lr. in his cell. at the time he hanged him
self on the 18th of last June. They are both
short. One is addressed to his father. from an
..undutiiui son that disresardedhis chaste NOR
al prccepts." tta requested that his father
would see him tcccatlv buried. and protect him
from the dissectinS knife. We copy the whole
of the letter to his brother George, as we find II
printed in the Gazette:-
SALEM. June Is, 1850.
- Dsar Brother--Muv God and your innO-
cence guide YOU safe through this trial. Had
taken your advice, would still enjoy life, liber-
", and clear conscience. Bat have not. and
perceive my case to be hopeless: therefore have
come to the determination to deprive them of the
pleasure of beholdng me public executed. as al
ter am condemned they vii! not give me an
opportunity; and may God forgive me. George,
this is an awful warning to you; land hope il
riU be the means cfrefarmiag many to rirtue.
.4t"sa. they may meet 'cith SUCCESS at The COM
m7icemeni Of rice. At is short Tired. and sooner or
iaier, J'hey persist in At. they ,cN meet Nth
similar fate to msne Oh, George. forgive me
for what have caused YOU and others to suffer
ON my account, and my last benediction rests
upon you. tong. last adieu!
"RICH'D. CROWNINSHIEI.D, Jr."
-s965e5ss-
Mr.. Robt. Purviance has presented to the
Baltimore Museum Cuyiass and 'i'm"' which
was stript Oft back NJ '"rs Guard ~ Corps
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