The Washingtonian., 1845-08-02

ings?-PuBs.
Reported for the Washingtonlan.
CONFESSION, TRIAL, AND EXECUTION,
OF KING ACOHOL.
Was executed, in Washington, on the even
ing of the Cd of June, 1s45, after fair trial by
jury, King Alcohol.
After the rendering of the verdict by the
jury, Judge SAVAGE proceeded, in the mos'
emphatic manner, to pronounce the sentence
Of the law-that the prisoner be taken to the
place OF execution, and in the presence Of the
multitude be burned with fire. His honor the
Judge did not, as is usual, add, and may the
Lord have mercy on your soul; for, said he,
the prisoner has no soul, but is of evil spirit
Just before the execution took place, the fol-
lowing confession of the criminal was deliver
ed by DR.. MATcHETr.
MY mother, who was Miss Amonia, was
a native Of Arabia. She spent the years of her
minority in teaching young ladies the art of
painting their pretty cheeks. eyebrows, &c.
She afterwards married European by the
name of Atropa Beedona; the ceremony was
performed by an old chemist by the name Of
Spirits of Wine, The prisoner was the first
born OF numerous family descended from this
illustrious couple. He emigrated to this coun.
try at an early period Of its history. In all the
pride Of his ambition, he sought to impress his
high spirit upon the people; at first he met
with rather rude treatment from the Puritan
Fathers of New England, and for time was
banished from their shores, but finally return.
ed and gained citizenship among them. was
naturalized, and had the protection of law.
For many years he lived in credit in the new
world; respected by all classes, taken into the
very bosom Of society. The clergy, judges,
lawyers, and doctors, took him by the hand,
and introduced him to their firesides; indeed,
made him the companion Of their wives and
children. He was invited to visit the palaces
of wealth, the domains of luxury, and even the
institutions Of charity. My society was some
times, said the prisoner in hushed tone of
voice, sought after by the pretty ladies there
he fell into paroxysm OF grief upon the re.
collection Of his former associa,ions.)
For the last twenty years, continued the
prisoner, have been the subject Of relent-
less persecution. New England, the first to
oppose my settlement in this beautiful coun-
try, was the first to commence the war Of ex-
termination; other States have joined in the
crusade, until al length am deserted by many
of my old friends and after having promenad-
ed the halls Of American legislation. am
doomed to die like an enemy to the peace Of
society, without even the benefit of clergy;
(Oh my spirit y lamen,ed only by few Of
my old tried friends. who, am sure, will ut
ter, in deep anguish Of spirit, alas alas that
all that good Champagne is to be burned up.
was finally cited 10 trial, and, as might
have been expected, condemned. Tried by a
partial jury, and before prejudiced judge,
and pursued throughout the whole of the trial
by the SAVAGE, with the most, inveterate
malice; deserted by my friends many Of whom
staid from the trial lest they should be in some
way or other implicated; others Of them were
kept away on account Of broken skulls or sore
shins, or occasional twinges Of the gout; others
were positively detained by what my enemies
call the Blue Devils. have neither time nor
am disposed to speak to the several charges
set forth in the indictment.
j Here the prisoner was at the point Of deny
ing the charge Of Murder either in the first
or second degree, but was reminded that he
had been seriously implicated in almost mum.
berless cases; as, for instance, the case Of the
man who through his agency fell from the
deck Of boat on one Of the western lakes.l
The prisoner here contended that he did moi
. destroy the personal identity Of the individual
, in question; that there was only a decompo
sition of the component parts, which woule
. take place in the stomach Of the fish, if, in
!. deed, he was actually destroyed by catfish