Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1841-06-09
From the Hunterdon Gazette.
Life in the Metropolis.
THE FIRST STEP IN CRIME.


that 'ln adjusting the nicely arranged system
of mans immaterial nature, it is abundantly ey.
ident that his passions and appetites were de.
signed to be subjected implicitly to reason and
to conscience. From the want ofthis subsection
all his misery arises, and just in proportion to
the perfection in which it is established, does
he advance in happiness and virtue" Now. il
is found and will be acknowledged by the most
superficial observer, that nothing has the pow
er of infiaming these passions, already too strong
for the control of the possessor like the use of
ardent spirits. Nothing also has the power in
an equal degree to silence the monitions of rea-
son and drown the voice of conscience. and Tins
surrender the man up, the headong victim of
rierce and remorseless sensuality. An inem.
perate man is frenzied at the suspicion of an in
suit, he IS outrageous at the appearance of op-
position, he construes every thing into an Of
fence, and at an offence he is impIacable No
man becomes hardened or drunkard in day
Congenlal as sin may be TO the natural heart.
and inclined as the wicked may be 10 the pur-
suits oil wee, there is first step IN the path of
every cf1nae. Al that point in the career of guilt
The man would have shuddered at the thought
oil deeds which afterwards he performs without
remorse. He never dreamed of the extremity
to which one transgression would lead.
Look not on the wine! cen with temperate eve,
For know that Intemperance lurheth hard by
Taste not of the wine! lest it cling to thy soul,
And thou learn, when too late, there IS death an tie
6O,0l.'
Several examples occur to my mind to illus
trate the truth OF the foregoing remarks, which
L Will take occasion to notice as fast as oppor-
tunity serves. In my present number design
noticing the melancholy exit of an acquaintance
of mine, with whom | became well acquainted
in strange land, who was lately brought to an
ignominious end The following is a brief
sketch ofhis history, which may be relied upon,
as given by friend, which | am permitted to
make public. The subject of the following no.
tice, Buchanan native of this section of New
Jersey, was publicly hung in ST. Louis, on the
Sd inst. | transcrbe this sketch given to me
by one who paid visit TO the murderer's cell
previous TO his execution. awe were met at
the entrance by good looking man of some
three or four and thirty, attired in the garb and
having the department of a gentleman. He
handed us chairs, and asked US TO be seated.
He drew a chair for himself and sat down by
our side. As we surveyed his features, which
we considered fair index of benevolence and
kindness, we could not but exclam, is this the
man who, on Friday next, is to expiate the
guilt of murder upon the galows' He appear
ed detected in view of his awful condition, but
was communicative In answer to our inoui-
Fies, he stated that he was thirty-fve years of
age, was native of Princeton, New Jersey,
where he was brought up, and in his youthful
days he lived in the family of Judge Bayard,
where he was faithfully attended TO. His mo-
ther is still living, an aged and deeply afflicted
widow. He has not seen her for nearly three
years. He showed us letters he had received
from her since he had been imprisoned The
following sentence occurred in one of them
'Whai, oh, my son, could have taken possession
of you! You were always a good and kind
child TO NE, and had not in your youth the bad
habit OF drinking. | am afraid you have fallen
INTO bad ways since you left us | have seen
so little ofyou late years, that it may be you
drink. | cannot account for this dreadful busi-
ness In any other way She mentioned the
fact that younger son had become insane since
his brothers. melancholy fate had been decided
The prisoner was brought up to the trade of a
Hatter--lt injured his health, and he was ad-
yised by his physician to go South, and engage
IN some light occupation. | accordingly, says
he, after spending some time in Virginia, re-
turned to Philadelphia, and engaged as bar
keeper Until this time, when was twenty
five years DID, hardly knew what liquor was;
and for three or four years after commenced
the business, seldom tasted any liquor 1t is
about five years since began TO drink little.
1t gained upon me until the last year or two |
have kept stimulating most of the time, though |
never was what you may call drunk. | took
care not 10 drink so much of it as TO show it. |
My conscience often checked me while in this |
business. Until got in the habit of drinking
myself, would never sell liquor to man when
he was intoxicated; and whenever could get
a chance, would go to church; but this was
seldom owing TO my business. In April, 1888,
be came to st. Louis with Mr. Fisher, keep
er of public house there. He left and spent
several months in Illinois, was superintendent
Of company carrying on public works in Coles
county. Last spring Fisher wrote TO him 10
return and keep bar for him. He returned on
he 18th of June, and kept bar till the 28th of
JuIy. the day he murdered Brown Thev had