Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1844-03-30
Confession ofItall.

The New Haven Palladium publishes the
confession of Hall, convicted of the murder Of
Mrs. Bacon, at Middlctown. lie left Meridcn
on Sunday, the 2ith of September, and procce
ded to Middletown in order 10 rob the house of
Eben. Bacon, whom lie knew to be man Of
property, while the family were at Church
Having, unobscrvcd, effected an entrance into
the house through an open window, he went in
to the front room, and was occupied in reno.
wing money from the desk, when he was inter.
rupted by the entrance of Mrs. Bacon:
"She said, rs this YOU, Mr.. Hall = think
| said Il will kill you,' and caught up a chair.
She said, You're not going 10 kill mr, are youN
and she took up rocking chair to defend
herself. She screamed loud two or three times
! think she said, Don't kill me- She rctrea-
ted towards the kitchen door: | struck her
with chair held, aud eithcr knocked the
rocking chair out o. her hand or she let it fall
She then turned TO run into the kitchen. !
should think then hit her with the chair on
the back of her head, aud that knocked her
down she 90, part way up aud knocked her
down ngain-this blow was on the side of her
head, think. She did not get mp again, but
continued to groan should think she rolled
over on her back, the spot of blood nearest the
door must be where she first fell.
"Thc next blow gave her was on the fore
head should think this blow split the bottom
of the chair, then took another chair and struck
her number of times on the head, it might be
three or iour-l thought | still saw signs OF
life, and went into the battery and got the
butcher knife that was found on the nuor--I did
this 90 make sure she was dead. | came back
and stabbed her several times in the breast and
stomach--l thought she brealhcd her last after
the first stab. | then went back to the desk,
and finished getting the money. 1t was during
the struggle that cut my hand---it was with
my own knife, which | had opened when
came into the house; had been using it to GU,
and wh,,le the cane My knife rccolec,
fell on the floor. and picked it up before
went away, thinking it might betray me. Al:
ter the murder, and before | went back 10 the
desk, went TO the front door 10 see il any DO
dy was coming When | first went into the
, house laid the cane on n chair in the kitchen
near the door into the front room, and forgo,
to take it when | went away. | went on,
through the front door Of the |. part; Ihad gone
some ways before remembered the cane, and
then was afraid to 60 back after it. went
to Mcrden as fast as could. | took of my
coat and carried it on my arm part Of the way
| stopped at Fall brook and washed some ofthC
blood off my coat and pan,aloons; ! did mol
wash my bosom ; there was no blood on it.
returned by the same route came, til wa:
opposite Mr. Baldwin's and then vert Though
the lots north of the road To the woods east o
Mr.. Thralrs barn. should think got bach
10 or IL minutes past one. | hid the money il
the barn, all except So; which hid in the gar
ret of Mr.. Thralls house. went to church il
the afternoon. I stopped at the Congregation
al church because il was the nearest, and
was afraid should be too late at the othar.
81 never told my wife of this Transaction, O.
gave her the slightest reason to suspect any
thing about, but have always declared myscl
innocent to her-nor did ever communicat,
to any person until yesterday, when first men
toned 1t TO my counsel-no person participate,
IN the crime except myself Bell and Robert
are perfectly lnnocent-i did not see either o
them that day-my acquaintance with Bell wa
very slight, and / had not spoton to Roberts, a
recollect, out once IN : years. have no
thng more to say, except that most soleml,
declare that never intended 10 de any thin.
more than get some money when first wen
TO the house Of Mr.. Bacon, and that the onl,
motive had to do the murder was tocScape de
lection, because knew that was recognizes
by MIS-. Bacon