Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1841-05-26
The ST. Louis Tragedy.

The mystery of the ST. Louis tragedy, says
the Newark Daily, is fully revealed by the Re-
publican of The st inst.---Ed. H. Ennis, ne
gro barber, 10 whom the four murderers (all
colored men) told the whole story, having DIS
closed the horrd tale as confded TO him: ana
various circumstances confirmit it. The negroes
all escaped the day after; one (Madlson'j II -
believed, to New Orleans; Brown in steamer 7
for Cincinnati: Seward or Sewel, formerly ol
New York, for do; and Warrck, oaroer'
went up the Missouri river for the Rocky Noun
tains. Officers were promptly despatched IN
all the directions named, and 1t is reasonable 10
presume that ,bey will be apprehended. En-
mis- the informer. is kept in custody. We add
the particuIars of the shocking affair.
Tbe circumstances of this shocking affair, as
detailed INV Ennis. are as follows: About 10
n,clock on the fatal Saturday night, Ennis went
from the barber shop 10 his boarding house, kept
nv ,eab. a free yellow woman, and Peter Charlie
Vile. free man. Shortly after he had gone
10 bed, negro slave named Madison, came 10
the door and was admitted. Soon after being
admitted, Madison exclaimed, -" CD d---n
the luck" and on an inquiry why, he stated, 81
have done more murder to night than ever did
remarkng that there would be an alarm OF flre
shortly he stated in substance, that he and three
yellow men, viz: James Seward, alias Seweli.
Warrck and Brown, had gone that night to
Mr. Pettus' counting room; that the door was
unlocked; Madison entered alone; Mr.. Baker
was sitting down with his boots of, reading
newspaper. Madison walked up and presented
a bank bill to him, and asked him If 1t was good,
and as Baker turned TO look at the bill he struck
him over The head with short bar of iron which
he had concealed under his arm; the others then
came in and they repeated the blows until he
was quite dead, his skull and one side of his
head completely mashed: after searching the
body for the keys, they rolled it up in the bed
clothes and placed it in the bed
They secured the door and went to work on
the vault to open 1t. While at this work, Mr..
Weaver came to the door and knocked, and
called to Jesse, (Mr. Baker, to let him in.
Some dispute ensued between Brown and Mad
ison, which should kill Weaver; and II was in
sisted that Madison should as he had killed Ba-
ker, but he refused, saying that he had done
his share and would do no more. Brown open
ed the door, and placed himself behind it, and
as Weaver passed into the room, struck him
over the head with bar of iron; on the second
blow he fell, and attempting to rise, Brown
thrust sharp iron bar through his head. From
the statement, it would seem that all Of them
had beaten Weaver
After some further effort at the vault, finding
they could not get into it, Madison left; War
rick, Sewell, and Brown remained short time.
:hen fired the house in five different places, came
out, locked the door, and went up the alley
north from the house, and threw the key away.
Brown took with him gold watch and blue
cloth cloak, which he said he had thrown away
for fear of detection, but did not say where.
Ennis, on the morning following, was in COM
pany with all of them, and many of the facts he
got from others besides Madison. Warrick and
Sewel said but little about it. Madison had
with him on the morning following, the bar of
iron with which the deed was executed, and
Ennis having learned the Office it had perform
ed, took it and threw it into privy in the rear
of Leah's house. The vault was yesterday
searched and the bar found
One of them was arrested at Cincinnati on
the Sd inst.