Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1845-07-12
by 11asSef l. 1isely
A Fearful, story Of wrong, ana Rsvens.

man of that city was driven to by wrongs and
ontrages inflicted upon her by one to whom she
lookei for affection and protection. In all such
cases the sympahles OF the public are always
with the injured party, however reprehensbe
the means resorted to for re,ribution. We give
the story as we find it in the Picayune
"FEARFuL RETRIBuTIoN-Ourn neighborhood
was startled yesterday morning by the report Of
pistol, fred in Mr. kendig's au,ion store, on
/ Camp street, nearly opposite our Office. A mo.
'nent after the discharge, men were seen run.
ming to and fro, as though some frichttul deed
had been committed The immediate occasion
OF the STIR and confusion is soon told. though be.
yond the act there is n history, we fear darker
IN It's complc cXlon than the transa c,ion we are n.
bout the relate.
About 10 o'clock, n girl, named Henrietta
blanchard, stood in the front door of Mr. Ken.
dig store, and beckoned to some one to come
to her. Mr.. kendig, imagining that she desired
to sec him on business, stepped up to her. lie
was told that it was not him she wanted. but
Mr.. John Parker Pet,iway. who is negro ira.
der. Mr.. Pettiway hereupon approached her.
She asked him to walk out with her, when no
turned to Mr.. Kendig and desired that gentle.
man TO step on, and hear what she had to saw.
MT N refused to accompany them into the
street, but said if they would 90 into the back
room he had no objection to being present at the
interview. He then took Petiway by the arm.
and they were walking together to the rear of
The binding when pistol was discharged. and
Pet'iway exclaimed that he was shot. pettiwav
rceled, but was supported by MIR. X. and borne
INTO an ante room, where he remained until
his wound was examined by physician. The
ball struck HIM in the back, to the left of the
spine, just below the ribs, and passed on, in
front, making 4 dangerous, though it is no,
thought mortal, wonnd
As soon as she fired her pistol, Henrietta
threw it down and turned deliberately to walk
out. Mr. kendig requested some one to de,ain
her. She then remarked that she did not wish
to elude the officers of the law that she in,en.
ded to give herself up to the Recorder She is
a tine-looking, well.tormed woman, about eieh
teen or twenty years of age, as we should mdge.
She has blue eyes, light brown hair, rather a.
bove the ordinary stature, and was dressed in
neat, comely and plain style. Her mien was as
dlgnfed ms The agitation belonging to such
scene would allow, while at the same time she
seemed n be 'aboring under deep cxcitcmen,
which bore many Of the characteristics of a wi.
thering sense Of wrong endured through shame,
abasemcn' and outrage. She was told hy snmr
one that she had killed Pe,tiwsy. Sne replied
that tie had done worse To her. She said that
she was n poor, deienreless woman, who had
been brought nearly to the grave by him. had
been wrongcd beyond endurance and abandon.
ed in her despair. To some one who asked her
why she did this strange thing, she replied, He
knows. She then added in voice somewhat
shaken and ,reauous, This is fearful TRACE
dy. but ne deserved it,, A short while efter.
wards she seemed to be oppressed, and asked
for water. A gentleman who handed her
glass, thinking she might have drunk audanum
or something Of the kind, so violent was her a.
citation. asked her if she had been taking any.
thing else that morning. She looked him ear
res'ly in the face for moment, and repeated
the words taken anything else :! and then with
more s,ernness added 'Nu. sir,-nothing but re.
yenge!' When the officer was about taking
her to the lookup house in Baronne stree. she
remarked. with much frmness and resignation,
they cat bit kill me, and have suffered more
than that already.
There was nothing in the manner of this un.
fortunate woman that indicated an abandoned
character. We hear that she is a dress maker,
and resides with her sister in Royal street, who
is married TO a respectable citizen We hear,
moreover, many reports of seduction and deser.
iion, !. is said, also, that recently che took the
offspring ot guilty love to Ire house Of Pe,tiwav,
where she was turned away with reproaches,
and her child cast ont as the fruit of an illicit
connection with some other person. How.
ever this may be, she appeared to us like une
who had been wrought up to deed of fearful
import by sense of injuries unrequi,ed and ir-
reParable. The horror occosioned by a scene
so blooiy was qualified by a sympathy for the
principal actor in IL, who seemed berelt OF every
emotion but that of revenge for wrongs that
were too grievous to be borne. and incapable of
eyerton except in resenting injuries for which,
1t must be confessed, human laws furnish but a
poor redress.
II what we hear Of her past history be true,
the blood of Pettwsy could not have washed
out the stain that soils her reputation forever :;