Western courier. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1837-1838, 1837-10-19
AN ABANDONED VILLAIN.
From the Correspondent of the Kentucky
Commonwealth.
Louisville, Sept. l.

From the Correspondent of the Kentucky
Commonwealth.
!, Louisville, Sept. /.
At one O'Clock to-day Jones and fhomp-
son (assumed names )were hung for muir
dcring and attempting to rob Wm. S.
Thomas, exchange broker OF this city,
They rode from the Jail to the gallows,
each driven in buggy by one Of the
sherlfis Of this county. smoking their ci
gars with great calmness, till the moment
before the caps wcrcapullcd over their
eyes, when they shook hands with oach
clhcr, and without any apparent trcpida-
tion, were swung into eternity. Thomp-
son was without any genius of his own,
and has been the mere executioner. OF the
daring villainy Of Jones and others. -
Jones has made donation of his confess
sion to Mrs. Oldham, widow of the late
ialcr. According to this, it seems he
was born in England, Of good family, and
was a merchant in London, where he
failed for three hundred and fifty thou
sand pounds sterIing-showing assets for
one hundred and ninety one.
Here, he says, he deposited fifty thou
sand pounds, without the knowledge Of his
creditors, in the hands Of rich banker,
brought his wife and three children.
daughters, whom he educated weIl) TO
New York, where they married respecta-
bly,, and still live. At this place his wife
died, alcr waich he returned to London
and claimed Of his banker the fifty thou
sand pounds, who, after repeated applica>
tioas, persisted in denying all knowledge
Of the matter. He presently met him at
some distance rom the metropolis. and
s,Hbbed hun to III. hear; the blood gush.
cd from hi, bosom, and he dropped out Of
his carriage corpse. After this, Jones
went to the sea board, engaged IN the ma
val service, excited Tie crew to mutiny,
murdered every soul on board wao refns-
ed 10 jim his party except the captains
wife, with whom he lived six or eight
months, and afterwards murdered her. -
Ilc hen took ship and crew to Africa,
took on board thee hundled s!aTcs, and
steered for the West ladies, twenty five
or thirty nt whom died soon a1er leaving
the African coast; and being pursued by
British man oE>war, to escape detection
they drowned all the others Jones land.
ed at Charleston, South Carolina, murder
cd some man for his money, was thrown
in ial where he lay .hirteen months.
He went rron,-thence to New Orleans,
PIT UP &, Vie hest hotelin the city, dis
covered some gentleman boarding in the
same house who had 81, 900, murdered
and robbed him in some of it's passages,
remained unsuspec'ed in the same place
for SO, eral days. He then took a steam.
boat and went 10 St. I.uuis: on his pas
sage made acquaintance with Thompson,
in connection vita ~hcm he murdered and
robbed man ut ST.. Louis Of $4,000.
Came TO Louisville. watched William S.
Thomas for eight or ten days, entered his
house in 5,h street, nosr Main, in the
most public part Of this city, at nine o.
clock in the morning, murdered bin but
were intercepted IN their intended robbery
by Tbomas's servant breaking open the
door at they were r.flng his drawers Of
tn lr contents. ...F,.-...
Jones was about rs or so years OH, six
feet high sire Git nrd slender, well edn-
Gated ah.!-uncotnmon.Y possessing in. his
manners. He was an nfide'; declined all
intercourse with our clergy tmost Of whom
called on him,) or even naming tho sub
jcct of religion in his presence. So that
he who has probably sraced. by bis pres,
ence, some OF the first cirt les in London.
and possessing an intellect uncommonly
brilliant, by instruction of his g'iltd
powers. persisted in a strange land; igno"
m,niously pellshed under the sallows.
Yours, M.