The Hawk-eye and Iowa patriot. (Burlington, Iowa) 1839-1843, 1840-03-12
'er's melancholy fate had been deci-

H., he prisoner was brought up to
n .ne trade OF hat making. It injured
ms health and he was advised hv
physician to engage in some light oc.
cupatlon. i accordingly. said he en-
5 1b;a rs Is q Bar-heeper, in Philadel-
Phla. Until this time, nine wears ago
hardly knew what liquor was. AMI All
lor three or Jour years after I con-
menced the business, seldom tastaa
any liquor. It is about five wears
since began to drink little l.
grew upon me, until within the last
year or two | have kept stimulated
most OF the time, though was never
what you may say druak more than
once or twice in my whole life.
/ took care not to drink so much 40 r.
@o'o 1t. My conscience often check.
ed me while in the business. Until !
got into the habit of drinking myself,
never would sell liquor to man
when he was intoxicated; and when.
ever | could get chance, | would 90
to church, but this was seldom, as nv
business required my attention at
home almost constantly
In April, 1888, he came to St. Louis
with Fisher, the keeper of the odd
Dominion For some time he was
steward at the race grounds, till that
was broken up. He then spent sew
eral months in Illinois head
steward for company carving on
the public works in Coles countv.-
Last spring, Fisher wrote to him to
return and keep bar for him. He re-
turned on the 18th of June, and kept
bar till the 28th of Julv,--the day he
murdered Brown. They had been
on good terms. He had nothing a.
gainst Brown, and did not know that
Brown had any thing against .him.-
1T was Sunday. There was more
drinking on that day than any other.
1t was generally our best day. There
were SIX or seven boarders; all but
one had been drinking, and were so
much intoxicated that when they
came to testify they did not know
much about it. Brown had had two
fights--one below and the other a.
bove stairs Prisoner had parted
him from his antagonist both times.
He was not in the habit of CARRYING
pistols, but during the facas, he had
picked up the pistols and put them
into his pocket, for fear that mischief
might be done with them. Brown
was angry with prisoner because he
interfered, came up to the counter,
drew knife from his pocket and
swore he would kill him. Prisoner
instantly drew pistol from his peck
ct and shot him.
4 was intoxicated,' said he, sbut
not drunk. If | hadn't been intoxi-
Gated, and engaged in that business, 1
would never have been here. Since
| have been bar-keeper, / have often
had serious reflections, and was a.
fraid should lose my soul. never
attempted to pray, because l knew it
would be making a mock of it, till |
could give up selling and drinking. No
man can be religious to be in that bu-
siness, because he knows he is iniur-
ing his fellow men as well as himself.
| knew all the time was about it
that | was injuring my fellow men
and making their families miserable.
Oh! have seen enough ofthat in nv
time. | have often had bad feelings
when saw men to whom | sold, go
ing home to their families. But these
feelings would soon pass away
From my personal intercourse with
liquor sellers am satisfied they all
knoD that their business does no bo-
dy any good, but produces only mis-
chief and misery. But all they care
about is the money they get, and they
generally have SO little principle, if it
wasn't for fear of the law don't sec
why they wouldn't steal money Just
as soon as make it in that way. 1t
would not do people more hurt
Mother often wanted me to leave of
my selling liquor, and follow my trade.
AS am soon to die, ! am anxious to
do all | can for those leave behind.
And | should like to warn all liquor
sellers against the influence of their
business; and Hope my example may
be warning to them. would warn
all young men against drinking
From what | have seen and expert
enced during the last nine years.,
am convinced that no man can sip
little occasionally without becoming
drunkard. | have seen great many
respectable men begin in this way,
and not stop till they had ruined their
fortunes, and their health and lost
their lives. / have seen a great many
families in comfortable circumstances,
reduced to poverty and perfect
wretchedness, by my business, and
now l deeply regret that l have in
any degree contributed to it. There
is no safety any where but in letting
liquor alone entirely. When 1 lived
with Esq. Bayard, lived happy in
those days. O! if / had but attend
ed to the faithful Instructions lreceiv-
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