The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1830-06-23
SALEM, June Is.
SUICIDE IN PRISON.


whom an indictment had been found as Princi-
pal, in the murder of Joseph White, Esq, put
period to his existence, by hanging himself in
his cell at the Prison in this town. He accom-
plished his purpose by tying very securely
to- the grating of his window, and
another round his neck, which were united by
a strong knot, then tying his hands behind him |
with another handkerchief, and suspending him
self by stepping from chair. When discover |
ed his feet were resting OH the fioO., from |
which his knees were not more than foot dis
tant, it being necessary for him to bend hiS
limbs considerably in order to produce strangu |
laiion.
The prisoner took his dinner as usual be- !
tween ~ and ] and soon after one o'clock, tho
Turnkey went in to clear away the things,
when nothing unusual was perceived. A little
before O'Clock, Mr.. Brown, the Gaoler, went
to the cell to carry the prisoner a message from
his father, and calling to him, received no an
swer. He then looked through the hole at the
top of the door, and saw the prisoner hanging
to tho grating of the window. He Immediate
ly called assistance, entered the cell, and had
the body cut down. There was no appearance
of life in him when he was taken down-thought
he had been hanging about Is or 90 minutes
the prisoner had eaten his dinner as usual about
half or three quarters of an hour previous.
The physicians opened vein in the arm and
he bled freely for short time-a vein was then
opened in the neck, which bled more freely
than the arm-they attempted to produce an
artificial respiration without any effect-the
Galvanic Battery was also used, but it had no
effect
Two short farewell letters written by the de.
ceased, and dated on the day of his death, were
found in his cell. One of the letters was ad-
dressed to his father, and the other TO his broth
err, one of the prisoners. We learn that these
letters contained no disclosures in relation to
the murder, or illusions TO any persons as con-
cerned in it, but that they in general terms nc
knowledged vicious life, aud expressed his
hnpeiulness of escape from punishment, had he
lived to stand trial
There was an intense curiosity to view the
body, and great numbers of our citizens were
permitted to see it previous to its removal
The deceased was &c years of age
The effects of the prisoner, his clothing, &c,
found in the cell, were folded and packed up in
the neatest manner, and the bedding books,
| &c, left in the bcs. order. He borrowed ra-
zors in order to shave himself, only an hour or
two previous to his death-Registsr.
! II. Cro@ninshield, Jr was an extraordinary
character,-such as is not often reared in our
country or produced under our institutions.
/ Though his conduct for eight years past has
been the topic of frequent remark in this town,
| and he has spent considerable portion Of his
| time in t,-yet very few of our citizens even
knew his person or ever saw him. He was the
leader among his associates, over whom his in
fiuence was absolute. His education. self-com.
mand, temperance, caution, vigilance, enter
prize, audacity, fertility in resources, and free
dom from moral restraints, combined TO make
| him dreaded as formidable foe to u peaceful
community, filling it with fearful apprehensions
for the safety of property, dwellings, and lives
His suicide was not unexpected to his con.
federates, for after his arrest it was remarked
by one of them that he had sworn a solemn
oath that he would never live either to be hang
ed publicly or TO go to the State Prison.
1t is very probable that the recent discovery
of quantity of stolen goods ct Danvers, which
had just been made known to him, convinced
him that PTaes a i'm Of e s atsmpi
escape from the overwhelming disgrace and
shame Gazette.
FRIGHTFUL ACCIDENT. Extract from the
log-book of an cmigrant proceeding 10 the
Swan River, dated Cape of Good Hope, Dec
1eth, 1929:
October ID. in 10 degrees, fell in with .
shoal of sharks, which played round the vesse
to the annoyance of the sailors, who are rather
superstltious, and consider such visitors as
ominous of evil-and this indeed proved toe
true. At midday all the gentlemen were busIy
employed lit being dead calm) in batting hook.
: to catch sharks and one of them soon took
the bait The fish was full Is feet in length
and laundering to disentangle himself caused
so much sport, that several passengers crowded
into the captains boat, which hung suspended
over the stern of the ship Suddenly they all
got to the head of the boat 10 see the shark
hauled under the stern Of the vessel STRUGGLING
with the line. In moment the quarter david
on the starboard side of the vessel broke off
and let one end of the boat down preciDitatino
every soul in it, twelve in number, into the sea
among the sharks. Here was scene of horror
The captain was in the midshps when it hap.
pened was busily employed at my tents
under the tuition of the boatswan, but like
the rest, when the shark was caught left nv
occupation to witness the sport, but Providence
guided me TO point of safety. The boatswain
had slung himself to the surface of the water,
with the harpoon in his hand, ready to strike
the hsh at the very instant the accident hap.
| pened. Our captain was almost beside him.
self: all hands commenced throwing out ropes,
loose spars, oars, and every buoyant article we
could lay hands on for them to cling to. For.
tunately 1t was dead calm, or every soul
must have perished--our vessel only DRIFT
ed by the little current ofthe sea- | saved ono
lad by throwing over kniie.board which the
cabin boy had been using; my man Hbberd
threw over an Indian mat Master Shaw, a
young gentleman abou: 10, got upon it, and
was 3 miles astsrn of us before we could reach
him with the boat, which was instantly man.
ed and launched. ] saved a footman, who
could swim, but was so exhausted from fear
OF the sharks, that he was sinking, when |
dragged the line the shark was attached to
across him. and he had the presence of mind
to put the cord within his teeth, when imme.
diately hauled him within the reach Of rope
with a loop, by which we hauled him safe up
Alter half an hours exertion, all were saved
but two. One young man named Williams
had hold of an oar, but slipped his balance
no slipped it, and actually flung his arms
| around the captured shark (which was now
pulled up to the surface of the wator,) to save
himself: but when he found on: what he had
hold OF, he was so horror struck, that he called
me by name, " oh my God my God witness
my end )" and down he sank TO rise no more