The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1830-11-17

cIuo ABOUT Two feet long, turned of hard wood,
loaded or very heavy; presume it was loaded,
turned with beads on the end--ihe dirk was
about inches long in the blade, sharp, having
a white handle, asl Think do not know where
/ he got the dagger, but he said he turned the
club himself. / asked him If he was roinr TO
do it that night. He said no, he did not feel
like 1t, that he was alone, and George had re-
fused TO back him-he said he would meet my
brother another time. 1t was past 8 o'clock
when went home, | kept the will in my
chaise box, wrapped in hay. After the murder
/ | burned it.
| My brother said he saw Richard at the bot
tom Of the common, Thursday evening, that
he told him the old gentleman had gone u2 to
/ Mrs stones to take tea. Richard said he
would catch him up there, If he didn't come
home before dark. lie did come home. and
they were disappointed tie expected 10 meet
him in CheStnut-street. Richard told my broth
er he would dirk him. | went home Sunday
| night about dark Frank came 10 Wenham
| tuesday; told him my mother Beckford was
there and would pass the night | mentioned
to my brother, that he had better tell It TO
Richard. He said he would inform him
shortly after tea he left the house in his chaise
MY brother made this remark as he started,-I
guess he'll go tonight. Wednesday morning
stephen Whites man came up and informed
us, that the old gentleman was dead. Mrs
! Beekford said she wonld go directly back with
nm MY brother came up about noon, and
asked IT We had heard the news. j told him
yes, and how we heard it, After dinner he told
me aside how it was done. He told me that
Richard met him in Brown. street, in Salem
( or near the common, about ten o'clock Rich
ara lett HIM and went through the front yard
passed the garden gate pushed up the window
went through the entry up stairs and into the
chahoer-that he struck him with the club,
turned down the bed clothes, raised the arm
and Int him several times with the dirk; he
then covered him up and came off He met
my brother again in Brown-street, about II
O'Clock. Dick told my brother before he went
II, that IT he saw any money he meant to take
tlt-iny brother asked him if he had rot it, he
SAID no, but he had fixed the old man. This
was all ! knew till saw my brother again. |
came down to Salem. My brother bad seen
! Richard once or twice. Richard having seen
the accounts in the papers, about the number
of strokes, said he had stabbed him but four
times, and that another person must have been
/ into the chamber, because he did not recoIlect
giving mere than four or five strokes at the
utmost. Three four weeks after the muir.
der, Frank and Richard came to Wenham, and
staid little while. paid him 100 five franc
pieces. While Richard was there, he told me
The same story-said he had done the deed
said he was short of money, and should want
more soon-said it was pity | had not got
the right will, and if he had known it had been
there he would have got it-said he put the
club under the steps of the Branch Meeting
House. My brother told me he had looked
there for it and could not find it, | wrote a
letter to Stephen White, and one to DR., Bars
tow, for the committee, which brought to
Salem. They were put into the post office
Sunday. MIR. Allen came to the house and
! told me they were put in. ] told him | had
received an anonymous letter from the East.
ward and this was to brush off the effects of it,
| know nothing of Chase or Selman connected
with this transaction-Dor of Palmer.
l have given the foregoing to Rev. Henry
Colman, and | now declare that they contain
the truth and nothing but the truth. I have
had no other promise or inducement than was
contained in the letter of the Attorney Gener.
al, shown to me by said Colman. declare
that no other proposition has been made and
no solicitations offered by any perssn l had
also engaged to him TO answer any other ques-
ton which might be asked by any proper au-
thortty / have signed such pages, nine pages
IN the undersigned by Joseph Jenkins Knapp
-attested by Henry Colman, and certified as
having been read to the prisoner and sworn to
by him, by Gideon Barstow, and Stephen c.
Phillips.
letters signed Grant and Claxinn. (They have
been published heretoforc)
SECOND CONFESSION.
Another confession was produced, and DR.
Barstow testified, that it was signed by the
prfsoner-he was present and saw the signature
On receiving the first confession they told the
prisoner there might be some circumstances he
did not recolect, that they wished bin to re-
/ view the matter and they would call again.
/ Mr.. Colman being absent, he went with Mr..
Phillips No particular conversation occurred
at the time.
! The confession snys,-Some time in January
last l went into the chamber of Capt White,
and opened the iron chest, where saw a paper
sealed. 1 cut the seal with a penknife, and
found 1t to be a will, &c. | sealed it, and nut
It back. The old gentleman had stated before
that his wall would be found in the iron chest
My brother was not at home at that time
bought,a5ont that time, some prussc acid, arse
mic, aqua forts, and unguentum | was told
they were good to kill insects on trees. have
never used them for bad purpose | rave
them TO Joseph Beckford, and suppose he has
got them now. Richard had no light in the
house-he put the plank against the window
Understanding occurred to alarm him-he
was not m the house more than ten minutes
he walked home-no wagon was employed on
that evening-he melted up the dirk the next
nornlng-he got no blood on his clothes-he
did not think there was any on the doors, as
had been stated-he felt the pulse and foand it
had ceased to beat don't think my brother
vas ever at the gambling house at S Fields.
Frank said he slept at home the night of the
murder. took the key out of the chamber
door and put it under the covering of the sofa
Tie Wehham Robbery was a hoax. don't
know the conversation between Frank and the
Crowninshields on the Cd of April 1t was
flrst proposed to George-George said he would
not mind stabbing him in the street, but he
would not go into the house. | had only one
interview with Richard before the murder.
went to meeting on Sunday after the murder.
Richard had told Frank TO meet him on the
common-l went and met him. Richard said
ne didn't feel exactly like it that night, for he
was alone, and his brother George wouldn't
PACK HIM. had only one interview with Rich
ard after the murder, which was when Ina came
to Wenham, and stopped about half an hour