Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1830-10-06
MISCELLANY.
SALEM MURDERERS.
From the New-YOrk Courier.

JOHN FRANcIs KNAPP, recently con-
.victed as surviving principal in the muir
der of Capt. White of Salem, is old in
guilt and criminality though young in
years, being at the present moment scarce
lytwenty He is native of Salem, ,receiv-
ed his education at good school in that
town, but did not develope any ofhis evil
propensities till he had reached his SIX
teenth year. At school he exhibited d
rather superior faculties to the ordinary
run of school boys-was not remarkable
for any traits of character but rather quiet
and unpretending. About the age of
sixteen he left school and commenced his
career in the world by very character
istic adventure.
During the latter part Of his term at
school, he became acquainted with Rich
ard and George Crowninshield, who then
occasionally made lively excursions into
Salem and the neighborhood, from their
residence in Danvers. Richard was then
about 90 years of age, ofa lively, daring
and dashing character. They did not
however visit that class of society in Sa-
lem, which may be reckoned the first, al
though they were connected by blood
with the most respectable and fash
ionable people in their neighborhood.
Frank Knapp for he is generally called
by that name in Salem, and is best known
by it, was on the verge which separates
boyhood from manlincss, full Of latent
spirit and daring, though cold and distant
to all but his associates, and not easily in
undated or excited unless by an effort,
but when excited, violent in the extreme.
Before this period, the Crowninshields
had seen the world, tasted of its sweets,
and found that there were inducements
for them to transgress the laws Of socie-
ty in attaining their own enjoyment.
1t was in the year 1927 that they pro-
jected trip to Newly York, some time we
believe in the month of May. There
was some difficulty in procuring funds to
make the journey. This it is believed,
was obviated by holding forth induce
ments to Frank Knapp to accompany
them-to taste the pleasures Of society,
and to seek adventures suited to their
peculiar tastes and wishes. Frank could
not or would not resist the desire he had
to see the world, and to enjoy little the
high seasoned pleasures the Crownin-
shields presented to his Imagination.
lie was, however, destitute of funds, nor
could his associates at that time furnish
his pockets with the needful.
At this period the father of Frank was
doing a prosperous commercial business,
in which VIC believe the elder brother
was concerned. From an apartment in
which some money was put for safe keep
ing, Frank very unceremoniously alb
stracted about 5000 or more, put it into
his pocket, and told his father, "I be-
lieve l shall spend election week in Bos-
ton" The young man then started with
the two Crowninshiclds, came to Boston,
but soon made their way to New-York
In this city they put up at one of our
then fashionable hotels in Broadway
sported themselves as well as possible
attended the theatre, sought such pleas
ures as they had taste for-and initiated
Frank into the mysteries of a vagabond
kind of life. 1t should be recollectod, 4,
however, that the taste of these cheval-
iers was somewhat low and coarse, Rich
ard being, though strong-minded, a
cute, cunning man, not particularly refin-
ed either by education or society. They
might be reckoned in this city sort of
third or fourth rate young men of pleas
ure, who TO supply an empty purse would
prefer broad robbery to fashionable for
gerry, or a piece of genteel swindhng.
Frank admired the pleasures furnished
by New-York-gave a loose rein to the
impetuosity of his haracter-showed his
firmness, his imperturbable command of
cOuntenance and feelings in variety of
little anecdotes which were related and
circulated among his associates at Salem.
AT last the funds which were princi-
pally furnished by the first felony of Frank
upon his father, became low, and the lit
tie band Of brothers were soon reduced
to the extremity of procuring supplies by
stretching forth their hands n little con-
trary to the law. They did so, and were
not discovered for some time but prlncl-
pally under the guidance Of Richard.
They committed their vllainies with great
address. They lived in separate hotels.
One of the gang would look out for plum
der at the house in which he resided, but
he touched nothing. His associates
from another hotel was invited to see him
information communicated how to find
the property, and the nonresident stole
from the hotel of the resident. By this
means, detection was difficult. This was
their system, and they had prac,iccd up
on it very successfully before they were
discovered by our police.