Litchfield enquirer., 1830-06-10

zss Salsm AI.sdss.--on the first iaIe Of .6-daysu paper are given some fthe chromosomes which led to the develOpement of the late murder in Salem. The following more particular statement is furnished by the Salem Register Thtrs appears but lit,Ie reason to doubt that the gGy pafpe.raiOrs o this horrible assassination will no@ bk bropgh. to justice Seven or eight persons are already ih jail for being concern ed either ms principals accessaries. AVarice was undoubtedly the foandatiOn ofshe whole matter. Why many persons, and some of them Of such doabIEal character should e entrusted with the project is ees- tainly very anaccounsaBle. The statement of Knapp corresponds with those previously made, that Richard CrOwnnsheId, u. wasthe person who actually conn mitted the murder. s' Knapp is the son-in-law ofAlrs. Beckford the niece and hoasekeeper of Capt. White, and has been marr- ed about three years. He rela.es that in February last he declared to his accompce his desire to pros cure the death Capa. Whine by assassination oh CT violent means; and that by hs request said pce undertook to make negociatOn with two other the accomplishment Ofthis object An arTangementwas concluded with one of them up. on the promise to pay him the sum ol one thousand dollars, and the persons thus eng aged to perform the
 
 generally supposed, and in fact by Knapp to Le probably contained in ahe iron chest.
 Knapp says that he enteftained the notion (notnn.
 
 die without will his wile's mother would have been entitled by lawto one hal Of the estate Of Capt. w.. as Mrs B. was ihe only of deceas- ed sister of Capt. White, and the children of his de ceased brother were the only heirs, and entitled to the other aAlG *Ste$g 3I Z t%NTG f,sfg
 He knew that Capt w. had made will by which he mother would be entitled only to moderate legacy Capt. White for $lOOO, which he agreed 10 pay, the first step was to puroin or destroy the wilt as he had free and frequent the house, he agreed to do nsAa iNnNk dow of the house, hat the assassin might gain en- trancc. Various modes were thought of to take the life. He cOnlesses that he went 10 Capt. W.s cham Der on tue 2d of April, four days before the murder and finding the key in the iron chest, unlocked it. and took out the wi put it in his chaise box, covered it over with hay, carried It to Wenhnln and ket 1t tll alter the murder and then burned it. Aiier the will was secured he gave notice 10 the assassin that all was ready On the same evening previous to his going to Wenham, he had meeting on the centre oi the Mall with the assassin, who showed him the bladgson and the dagger with which he intended to perpetrae the deed; that he (Knappl examined then and asked the other if he intended to do it that night: hc said that he thought not-he did not feel like it-knapp then returned to Wenhnn. & t tf.ttv.r. A i.
 On Sunday arternoon, 4h of April, he ascertainetl that Capt. w. had gone to take tea in Chesn1t street. with relative, and the assassin then determined to dirk him in the street on hs re.urn bn. .arned on. that he returned home beore dark, SD Una. t4e dssiga then frustrated. It was next arranged for Tues dny nght and In the forenocn of Una. day. he says hc par, from Capt. W's house, and to ride to Wenham to visit her daughters and to spend the night with them
 He says that all the preparations belng thus made,
 the assassin and hisaccOplicc met tab0ut ID o'clock in the evening, in Brown street, which passes the of Capt. W's garden, and stood some time in spot from which they could observe the mOveMentsi in the house, and perceive when the family retired to bed The assassin then round through tho street, and entered the yard ofCapt. w. in fron went round the house to the back window designated, lifled i entered the house alone passed up the star.case O' pened the door Oflhe chamber where Cnpt. w. slept approached the bedside, and with bludgeon prev. oi,sly made by himself t1r ihc purpose, gave him heavy aud mortal blOw the side of the head. while he sleeping, then, with dirks gave him the stabs n his body, then retired from the house conplsce raa down Howapd stteet, Rdts ciab nsdsr
 the steps of Howard st. meeting house, md then went of. ~s 4Ba 5 8%W
 He says that several days aer the murder, lhe as- sassim and accOmplice went to Wenhan 10 call tor a thousand dollars--that he could not pay the whole, lated 10 hin the particulars Of the mnrder, told him where the club concealed, and said he was sorry Knapp had not got possession of tine right wil for had he known another had been iR the room he would have had it. Knapp sent the Bcconpliee to get tle club and destroy , but the accolnpce was unable tO fnd if, as be afterwards said.
 The club was subsequently, found in the spot where the assassin himself put t. It s of hickory, loaded with lead, and was made purposely to give mortal blow, being % l.2 inches long. Knapp coniesses that he the writer of the anonymous letters to the Committee of Vigilance, fixing ,he murder upon ,le Executor and rosidunry legaee of Capt. White; that the will he had taken Ud will, and the real one he left behind in his guilty haste. s 9ut
 Knapp has heretofore suslained a good character. and this act of his has spread grief and misery among his numerous respectable relations.