Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1836-09-02
From the New York Gazette.

PIoOdoiy IteSn III Ihe minus Vi our Tea'
ders, but the particulars atteudan ut on
it, which we give below, have never
been published, probably for the sub.
stantial reason, that the lives Of the
editors of that city, had they published
them, might have been the forfeit,
The Whitaker family, noted des
peradoes, reside at a considerable dis.
lance from the New Orleans, on the
Mississippi, and are the terror of that
part of the country. Young Whits.
ker, the convict apd suicide, is said to
have been obnoxious TO the censure of
his brothers, on account of his timidi.
ty, although he had committed al least
one murder previous 10 that Of which
he had been convicted. The latter
was perpetraled in a bar room on the
person Of the keeper because he did
not wait on him quick enough. Whit.
aker drew his knife and stabbed him
10 the heart.
He was arrested, triel, convicted
and sentenced 10 death. The family,
consisting Of the father, mother, two
brothers and a sister, repaired to New
Orleans with The determination of ef
tecIlng his rescue, or putting him TO
death with their own hands. Oar in
fOrmant states that The elder brother
told him that he had paid the keeper
of the prison 6O0O dollars to be inslru
mental IN his liberation, 1t is true
that he sawed of the bars Of the prison
window and was in the act of ofrunning
off, when he was more closely con
fued than before. The day Of exc
culion drawing near, aud little chance
being left that he would gain his free
dom, his family determined that III,
glhbel should lose its victim. They
there fore furnished him with lauda-
mum, which was either not taken By
him, or failed in its iutented effect. lie
was attetward visited by one Of the
family, who pu into his hands knifr
OF peculiar construction, IA patIern CT
which we have seen, such as are ear
ried by The assassins Of that portion Of
the country, with an injunction 10 use
ii on himself; and the whole family
have been seen on their knees al
prayers, invoking God that he nighr
not die coward.
A short time previous 10 the day
OH which he was ordered to be hanged,
he made two attempts onhIs ief, breast,
with The instrument given TO him, but
his courage failed. He was goaded
On TO lhe fatal deed by his brother,
aud he plunged it between his ribs
seven inches in depth, perlorating his
heart. This knife, covered with his
blood, is now held by his family as q
trophy of honor. The body was de
livered TO The family, taken home, and
buried with military honors,
TO show The utter reCkIessness of
this horrible crew, they have sworn
that the governor, who refused to par.
don him, the jailor who confined, and
the judge who sentenced him, shall
die by their hands. -and even the sis.
ter declares that if these deeds are de.
Iayed, she will train her little boys up
for the purpose of putting them to
death, This 6eudish woman had
armed herself for the purpose OF assas
sinating her brother on the way to
execution, had he failed himself TO per.
form the deed,
But the whole of the story is not
told. The family, Immediately on
hearing the death Of the young man,
employed gentleman of this city TO
take a cast of his face 10 cement, and
procure a bust 10 be made from it. The
cast was taken while the body was yet
warm, and young man who accom-
panied him, executed the bust, which
vas considered an admirable likeness,
for which they agreed to pay him a
hundred and ten dollars. After re
peated applications for the money,
which was not paid, the family having
returned home, he left The city, re.
paired TO their residence, and deman-
ded the amount promised him. The
elder brother babe him be off or he
would kil! him, and drew his knife,
but his purpose was prevented by the
inlerposiliou of his mother. The
young man mounted his horse, and
was returning TO New Orleans, but
was intercepted next evening OH the
roAd by two of the Whitskers, paint
ed and dIsguiseds-They first insulted
him by asking him who he was,
whence he came, &C.. but he, know.
ing their object, drew pistol and shot
one of them dead on the spot. He
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