The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-07-28


death and spent a whole day with him, and alter mat
nothing more was said about dvuglng any thing, and
he expired apparently IN the greatest mehai aSony'
and under horrible remorse OF conscience, frequently
exclamdg o God forgive me that one SIN. Inc
Edwards to whom it is supposed he MANN referred,
and who. many now suppose was accessory to the
murder is now living, and has been partially deransed
AT times ever since as well as Mann Truly the way
of the transgressor is hard, ana
ssThe mind that broods DER guilty woes
Is like scorpion girt by hre'
BATH, July 9, 1912.
Messrs. Editors-Much excitement exists in this VI
cinitv relative to the deathbed of Mr. Samuel Manu.
of Benton and many stories in circulation relative
to his confessions in his dying hour, and the strange
sights and circumstances attending II. 10 remove
fasehood and establish the truth the Watchers depo
sitions have been taken, and | enclose them as 'hey
were deliberately and calmly taken before me.
From their character and department, and the ey-
dent solemnity of their feelings, have no DOUBT tat
the enclosed the honest conviction OF their hearts
Different people will have different views of the
light; and the stranger who stood at the bed SIDE Oh
the diving man. in his last hours OF mental and bodily
agony. Some will say that moving the candle VIII &C
count for the Frightening light looking in their terror,
like a crimson unearthly light that the groan they
heard proceeded from the slepers IN the three
rooms around them that they either fancled the sight
of the stranger who stood between them Gas they
thought) and the bed of the dying man, else some
neighbor stepped in unobseryed at the open door and
looked on that solemn scene and witnessed the last
struggle, and as 1t was over departed unoo-
served and in silence by the same way Others VIII
say that is impossible as they ooth heard that ceeP
groan and both located in the northwest corner OF the
room they in, and being IN different parts OF II
the angle of sound coming from the same point to the
ear of EACH and no persons sleeping there or In that
direction is conclusive against such a superstition
Both say the light of the candle was feeble ana the
~ nd
lighting up the walls and all in crimson hue Some
will say that the Imagination, and so was the man
appearing there shadow from the light of the candle
But if shadow it would have been on the wall and
not before the bed and how could it be shadow
when the only light in the was before them as
they faced the bed themselves, and this object was
before them and the bed Then his terror and agta-
ton some will say the last struggles for lie, and
the hard parting of soul and body and that ms con-
fessions perhaps the rawlings OF insanity Others
will say man was missing "A years ago In strange
manner and was never found and never claimed his
tools property. leave all to the reflection OF all
as strange event, but incapable Of solution without
supernatural agency.
am, dear sir, yours, SC.
IRA GOODALL.
P.S. questioned them apart and together, and
they both agree in all the main facts, and especially In
all be sad and in believing that he was perfectly rea-
sonabe but great agony OF spirit and terror at the
object they saw, as he opened his eyes at 1t ana
groaned and rolled and tried to hide his head anu heh
confessed They cannot tell how long it was They
think the groan was about ten, and he died about
twenty minutes past ten They then awoke the fami-
" and found all asleep in their beds, and no stranger
or neighbors there except those IN beds
The public can form their own opinions and leave
the facts have doubt they believe them, to that
public The outside door OF the house was closed du-
ring the time and not heard to open or shut by
| either. i. w.
We, the undersigned, depose and say, that on Sun,
to watch with Mr.. Samuel Manu. neighbour Of
North Benton. One of us had been with him the FRI
day night before, to watch, and had stopped there
the family's request, Saturday night and Sunday
through the day the other, Mr.. WhItcher, came t6
watch about O'Clock in the evening, and the family
soon retired to rest and left with the sick man,
small room, the bed on the north side, the fireplace
on the south side, the doorway to the kitchen on TIT
east and door leading to bed DOM on the ives
end of the and set of drawers on the east sld
of the room near the foot of the bed, and window
by the foot on the north side. The window wa
raised from four to six inches-the door into tn
kitchen was open, and Mr.. Geo. w. Mann slept there
in the southeast corner of 1.-THE door into the ktch
en- was open, and Mrs. Peter Howe and Mrs. Mann
slept there 1t was supposed he was dying on FRIDAY
night his eXtremties cold, and yet fingered
he seemed much distressed, but not insane, but OF
Sunday remained still alive, and apparently sensible
When all still, on Sunday night, and Mr
Whitcher was standing by the foot of the bed close
the drawers by the open window, and MIR. Norris wa
sitting south of the bed four five PAGES from
the head of the bed the west side Of the room, AM
the candle shining, and standing on the mante
over the fire place, both distinctly heard groa
to MIR. Whitcher it seemed on the southeast OIL AM
near him and the drawers, and to Mr. Norris
seemed northeast and near the drawers We are bot
positive it could not come from the sick man, nor tn
bed whereon he was, nor from another room IL wa
deep heightened groan, and startled us both. MT
Whitcher stepped from the foot of the bed, where
was standing by the open window, to the fire plrce,
get light, and see where the noise came from, o
what caused it. AS he took the light and turned
round towards the bed, we both saw the room ghte'
up all at once, with unearthly crimson colored
light 1t almost extnguished the light of the candle
so that its light was very feeble, apparently amos
out-and Immediately we both strange looking
man standing between and the bed, looking ap
parently at Mr.. Mann-his dress we cannot deserts
his whole face we did not see.
His clothes were dark but we cannot give the fash
ion make say whether he had on boots or shoes
or hat or not We were both transfxed--boh stoot
there side by side as Norris had risen up, Whtchel
still holding the candle in his hand and fire in tn
fire place. at least none that gave any light and as Tn
strange stood before us, and his face towards I
Mann, Mr.. Mann appeared much excited and agitated
} he rolled on the bed and threw his arms about ant
opened his eyes wide open and appeared frightened
and to gaze upon the appartion; then he tiled t
cover up his head, then he spoke, and has word
were, according to our best recollection, as follows
am lost man. and going to He'll, and can SEA
He'll and the Devil is waiting for me. On hay'
helped to make way with man forty-four years as
this summer on Jockey Hill, when lived in landau
The IN | worked for is now Dead and assisted mn
up northeast of the house, where was then secon'
xt.,L pnu