Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-06-07

shocking murder of Mr. White. than any narra,iyc
heretofore given The narrative IL drawn from the
confession of Joseph J. Knapp. Jr. uho hns turned
States evidence Il was the most cnol deliberate,
and atrocous assassination that has ever occurred to
STAN the annals OF country. a brief sketch of
the facts In the case, az dsclosed by Knapp. was
givon IN this paper on Saturday; and several days
since, we publlhcd account OF THO arrest of amer,
and tho manner OF his in tho OF Mane--
which arrost led 10 the whole disclosure. An intercs
ting d affecting part Is now, for the first time made
known to The letter from Palmer. demanding
money, containing dark illusions and threats suppo
sod TO relate to the murder, directed 10 Mr.
Joseph Knapp. merchant Salem" and was supposed
to be 'nded for Mr. Joseph ]. Knapp who Is res
pectable merchant in that town, and who took from
the Post Office The suspicious character of the
letter was such tn induce him to deliver to
the COMMITTEE of Vigilance. And i, turns out that
1t was his own sons whom rests the heavy guilt
Of the murder: The editor of the Salem Register,
Gays
THE sensation which has been created IN town bv
these appalling disclosures is beyond description
The person who mas made the confession. md who
appears have been the ins,igator of the deed aud
tho employer OF the assassns to perpetrate il, has
heretofore susi aimed fair character and the sspj
cions of the public had never been directed toward
him The depth of grief and misery into which his
emablc young wife, and numerous respectable con.
necons have been thrown by this dreadful deveope-
inent has caused the hearts Of thousands bleed for
them"
The substance of the disclosures of Joseph j.
Knapp, jnn the person who has turned State s Ev-
Knapp is the son-n-law of Mrs. Beckford, the
niece and housekeeper of Capt. White and has
been married about three yeas. The person ell
gagged to perform the deed appears to have placed
Erea reliance upon the expectation of Obtaining the
large amount of treasure generally supposed aud in
tact represented by Knapp to be probably contained
in.the lron chest.
Knapp says that he entertained the notion mot
uncommon. though erroneous) that If Capt. Write
should de without Will, his wifes mother would
Rave bcea entitled by law to ha of the estate Of
Capt. Vas Mrs. b. was the only legal representa-
tailvs of deceased sister of Capt White, and the
children of his deceased br ther were the only heirs
and entitled TO the her halt
H knew that Capt. w. had made Will BIZ
which his mother would be entitled only to q mode
rae egacy--aftcr he had fouRd agents who agreed
TO assassinate Capt. White for 1000 dollars which
he agreed "a pay, the hrst step was TO purloin or
destroy the Will: as he had free and frequent &C
cess to the house, he agreed to do this himself and
t" unbar and nni.sen he back window of the house
60 hat the assassin might gain entrance. Various
modes were thought OF to tako the life He con-
fesses that he wen, into Cap. WIS chamber ed
April four days before the murder and fndinr the
Rev ~ the iron chest, unlocked it and took out The
VIII pui It IN his chaise box, covered it up with bay
carried 1t to Wenham, and KEEP It till after the muir
der, and then burned it. After the Will had been
secured no gave notice to the assassin that all was
ready On the evening, Prev To his going 10
Wenham, he had meeting the centre of the
M ~ with the assassin, who showed him the blud-
geon and the dagger with which he intended 10 ner
pe'rate the decd; thai he Knapp examined then,
and asked the other If he ntendt do that nj qh
De said he thought not-he did not feel like it.
Knapp tben returned To Wcnham
On Sunday afternoon (4th of Aprin he asccrtnincd
ina Capt W. had gone to take tea in Chesnut
stree. with relative, aud the assassin then otter
mined TO dirk him in the street bis return; hut
turned out that he returned home before dark so
that the design was then frustrated IL was
next arranged for Tuesday night and in the forenoon
OF that day she Gays he made prctext TO prevail On
his wfe's mother to depart from Capt w s house
m uic hcr1 =
TO spend the night with them.
lie says that all preparations being thus made the
assassin and his accomDlce met alb 10 O'clock in
the evening in Browns-s.rcet which passes the rear
4 Capt w s garden and STOOD some time in n snot
rom which they could observe the ements in the
house, and perceive when the family retired 10 bed-
the assassin then went round through the street. and
entered the yard ofCapt. w. in front went round the
touso to he back window, designated, Ii ted it,
entered the house alone, passed up the staircase o.
pened the door Ofthe chamber where Capt w. slept
viousiy made by himseIffor the purpose rave him
heaVy and mortal blrw on the SIDE of the head while
be was sleeping then with dirk gave him the stabs
10 ms oody-then retired from he house hasted back
WIN the club to Brown street, where he met his &C.
cumpIcc ran down Howard street; hid the Climb I'm
Ger the steps Of the Howard street meeting house
and then weni off, $1,000
he says that several days aft r the murder the as
"a .5in anu accomplice went to Wenham TO call for
S'OOO-tbat he could not pay the whole but rave
hlm 100 hveirane pieces. The assassin related to
MN particulars OF the murder, told him where the
Seo vas concealed. and said he was sorry Knapplhad
'tgo' possession 9th" right WILL for had he known
another had been in the room he woud have had IT.
knapp sent the accomplish to get the club and de-
sroy IT, but the eccomplce was unable to fnd it, as
he afterwards said -
knapp, when he made the confession, designated
'ne place where the assassin told aim the club was
conceaied--and the persons, to whom the confession
went exactly according to the directions he gave \.
Their bret attemP placed their hands on it. and drew
II ont from Under the steps Of the Howard Street
meeting House. u is weapon we'll adapted to the
pufPose-a heavy bugeon or Indian club made of
hickory, twenty two inches and halCIon0. with
smooth surface and large oval head loaded with lead
ana OF such from o. is best adapted to give mortal
oo~ on inc SOUL without breaking the skim or draw
tor taxi g hold oft with firm grasp. lie saws the
assassin told him he tufned the club in lathe.
KNAPP acknowledges hinself to be the writer of
@W0 anonyn0us letters, adore. sed to the Chair
man ofthe Committee ofViDilanra cb,vo;no IT, ,ar