Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1830-05-24
DOMHSIIp,
From HE Philadelphia Saturday BnReiiH
GEORGE WILSON.
fnH CONVICTED MAIL hosnrn

THE CONVICTED MAIL kosBrn.
lbls unhappy young man, now confined
"lihn the gloomy enclosure of n solitary reil
has heen convicted by Jury Of Intelligent and
conscientious men, Of n crime which The laws
OF the United States declare 70 be ppniaba.f,.
win dtah. Aher an impartial irini. in wbi,h
numerous Witnesses were examined NOR, M
a matter of torn than necessity, becsu., HE
own eonieSsion suiiifiently proved thu crime
AFTER mo most unremiliing cxeriong of gentle
men learned IN The law, he hna been COW ,c,,d
by jury which his own counsel had s.lec,ed
In The prosent state VI public feeling, prod,e,d
by this trial. and thai which has been proyress.
ING tina week, II mby moi DO amiss 10 Iny bf
fore on READERS some events ~ the Inf, of IN.
criminal, proving III they will TIM but for mn.
unfortunate circumstance, ha mig HI never have
been reduced TO the unhappy eondition
IN which his evil proponsties have plungea
him
George Wilson sns born in the city of Tren.
ton. n. } OF honest and reputable. though ne,
dy parents. lie IL now only four.and.twe.,v
yeats oil age. lis iather wasa Waterman IN
'h' Nni'he'" Liberties some years ago. but
no" follows tho seh-hs mother Is II tenant Ia
the Philadelphia Aims lionar, and, need AMI
poor, survives 10 see he, only son eondrmne,
| ny the laws of his country 10 perish on IN.
scailoid. Atan early age George wa1 thrown
upon the world without the benefit ola trade.
"nd stranger 10 that paornal oversight
WHICH should have directed his youthful foot.
Stops IN thh path Of reciitude. While still yarV
young anu having no regular occupation lac
commiiled lniceny winch cansed him To h.
committed To Walnut Street Prison for lin.
term OF Two ycnrs While u convict there. m
docile aud gentle behaviour, together wnl, ,L.
deep ponlleGce which hu expressed Tor his
crime, aud the shame aud humiliation he felt
al be'ng so degraded, attracted The notice OF
ihe pfcsoht Superiotendnni of the new P.nis
icniiary. Mr.. ). X. Wood, who took much in
'efesi III endcoVoring TO render his reformation
complete aud lasting. Mr.. W. with that h,.
mnoliy which all WIN know him nfc aware ia !,
proininen1 feature IN his character, epDiinu, d a,
hefp friendly eye on George until his term
OF service had expired when, DESTROYS nf MI
iofding him every possible opportunity 10 re
form hs character and become a worthy citt
zen, he placed him as m apprentice, with Nj.
Jbhn ingany. oil Wilmington, Delnware. il he
ng first made known by Mr. Wood that Georye
was convict MI. Hagany being preacher
~ the Methodist Sociei,, and of a kind aud
Charitable disposition, consented to receive him
AS an apprentice. II was agreed moreover
between the three, that IN order 10 give George
every chance Of retrieving his forfeited chsrac. =
4
should be KEEP, profound secret between
them.
fof about two years George remained with
Nj. iihghhy, whose treatment 10 hn was ol
the most benos client character, and who en-
dch"oied With much success, TO Instil into Ia.
mind the principles Of virtue and religion
How Tar he succeeded. Georges conduct whilo
ho remained with him will sufficiently nttrsl
Tie behaved ~ every respect 10 the entire sni-
isiaelion OF his master aud his family, aud NJ,
or gave tile slightest cause oi regret that he bad
been admitted 10 his house. A thorough re-
formation had apparently taken place whnn
| most unfortunately, inan was taken into thu
service Of Mr.. Hagany, who had formerly been
a constable 10 Philadelphia. aud who knew
that George had been a tenant OF the state prs
on. This man, ignorant OF tho experiment
making npou Georges character, itDprudeni
ly, aud Tor no good reason, diyulged the So
erel 10 his fellow apprentices. Their ,aunis
aud jee,s succeeded, and it was soon whisper
cd among all the lads with whom he had mad
acquaintance. They, ignoran, of any crime
themselves, summed him as II fearful OF con.
iamnaiion-and the fact OF the secret being
| known, coming To Mr., Hagany's knowledge,
he Tell II his duty, IN order ~ guard tho othef
lads underbS care from improper associations.
| 10 tell George that he must leave his house
Accordingly, putting n dollar n.o George
hand he told him to return to Mr.. Wood and
acquaint him With the Circumstance.
! But George never did return as he had been
| dreGsd Iha blow WIS 80 Tremendous aud
came upon hun with such startling sudden
ness, US almost 10 dpaden his faculties His
| desire 10 become u worthy aud virtuous citizen
had been sincere, and the hope that former
iransgress'o"s were forgotten. had cheered hi,n
up, aud served still more 10 encourage him
IN doing well. Bui now bis hopes were sudden.
y, Unkindly, aud irreirevably blasted lie
wandered away from Mr. Iiagnnys friendly
dweiling into The adjacant country working
smosg the farmers for "a precarious living
tie crossed over into New Jersey, where he
lnbored IN the harvest field or at the piough tai
as chance threw job in bis way BY This vi,
| settled mode OF life his good desires became
| blunled, and the virtuOus inpressio0s lett upon
his mind, gradually faded away, aud became
almost totally obliieraied While thus situa.
ted, he committed larceny in the State Of
iyland, for which he was sentenced 10 some
years hard labor in the Penitenriary. While
| confined there, he became acquainted with
Porter aud Poteet, tae two other individuals
concerned 10 the mail robbery After serving
out his tine. he was released and some time
afterwards, meeting Porter and Poteei. he re-.
newed with them that intimacy which had been
commenced within the Penitentiary. Among
other projects Of plumber proposed among the
| three, that of robbDg the mail was started. To
| tlris George asserts he expressed unwiliugness
but that no was 6naliy overawed by the
threats OF the Others, WHO forced him 10 be-
come partner in the echeme of plumber.
Their first movement was TO break open n
house and steal FIRE arms. They next deter.
mined upon robbiDg the great Western Ma |
lbe,ween Philadelphia and Pntsburg, and let