The New York herald., 1845-03-04
John Gordon's Petition,
TO HIS ErceHency James Fsmner, Governor of the
State of Rhode Island

State OF Rhode Island.
The undersigned John Gordon, a convict under
sentence OF death, humbly asks from your Excel
lency an examination OF the accompanying aft
davlts; and, IN view of their contents, and of the
circumstances under which he was convicted, (too
familiar to ali TO be here recited,) invokes such
action on your part as to your Excellency shall
seem meet.
He IS sentenced to be executed on Friday next
The l4th Instant, between the hours OF nine and
three The facts set forth in The affidavit of Will
liam Gordon. considered in connexion with the
testimony upon which your petitioner was con
yicted-tacis Withheld by the petitioner, even
from his counsel. lest by disclosure he should
leopard his brother William and never diyulged
TO counsel until Saturday lasl--these facts, your
petitioner submits, entltle him to ask repfieve
until his brother Nicholas shall have been again
tried
Wherefore, he would now, as a citizen prefer
ring not unreasonable petition to the Executive
power, ask from your Excellency, (f constitution
ary II may be,) reprIeve until the end of the
nsxt session OF the Assembly," or such other pro.
per executive action, as shall afford him an oppor-
tunity to solicit from the Legislature Of the State
consideration of his case, and that reprieve, which
recently Qor want of that which is herewith pre-
sented,) was denied him. Ha Mt4
And as in duty bound, will prav.
(Sigaed,) JOHN GORDON
WILLIAM GORDON, of Providence, in the coun-
ty OF Providence, declare and say,
That the first information received of the mur-
der OF the late MIR. Amasa Sprague, was from
the house In which, boarded at the time called
at his shop on the morning after the murder, and
ne mentioned the circumstances as the news of
the morning. told him could not believe the
story, lOr was out at Cranston the afternoon be-
tore, and heard nothing about it. He replied that
ne had seen the newspaper which contained an
account OF the matter, and he believed it. I then
went TO my work at Mr.. O'Brien's tailor's shop,
where the murder was several times the subject OF
conversation among the visitors and inmates Of
the shop, taking part in the conversation, and
continulng to express my doubts TO the truth of
the reports. About noon, however, my brother
Nicholas, with man, stranger 10 me, came
TO the shop, and from him we learned that
.hefe was no doubt Of the death of Mr.
Sprpgue O'Brlen was in the shop all the
time Nicholas stayed and one or two other pe rsons
whose names cannot now recall Nicholas wish
"a me to come out to Cranston and spend New
Years Day, with my family, saying it was the FIRST
New Years Day that had come since John and l
mad arrived in America, and it was TOO bad should
work that day. was willing, and rather wished
to go, but my employer, Mr.. O'Bren, objected, as
ne needed my work that day; but said might go
dusk, when set off on foot for Cranston On ar
irving near the house of Mr.. Sprague, | noticed
quite body OF men coming down the road, who
turned OFT into Mr.. Sprague's house, when was
within thirty or forty rods of them. This excited
my curiosity, and when, on arriving near the
bridge IN the hollow, met two men, / spoke to
them, bidding them "good evening"" intending to
enquire OF them what was the occasion of the ga
Il
moments before. These men proved to be Will.
liam Tately and William Downey, with both of
whom was acquainted, and one of whom, on my
saying s; good evening". recognised me and replied
William Is that you" In reply to my question
as to the cause OF the assemblage just referred
to, they told me that my brothers Nicholas and
John mad been arrested for the murder of Mr.
Sprague, and were in the crowd had seen. After
a few minutes conversation in the road, Downey
proposed to lately 10 turn about and accompany
me 10 my mothers, and Tately somewhat reuct-
antly consented, and we all proceeded to the house
little daughter. My mother was weeping, but
vas able to converse. proposed to 60 down to
Mr. SPrague's TO see my brothers, but was told by
probably they. had been carried directly to Provi-
dence. Tately and Downey, after lew minutes
left the house, myself, my mother, and the little
grl remaining; For several minutes paced the
room, my mother and the girl being seated at the
ire, but at length took the lamp from the mantle
piece, and without any motive or purpose that can
now recollect, left the room. (the kitchen) and
passing into the room connecting the kitchen with
tue shop, tired to open The door of the shop. 1t
proved TO be fastened on the shop side, and could
not open It, then turned and opened the door Of
the room on the right hand of the room in which
was, and on entering saw Nicholas gun standing
IN Ihe corner OF the room on the right of the
door.
1t instantly occurred to me that as John and Nj.
cholas had been arrested, the house would be
searched to had weapons, and that as in my own
country, where few persons, comparatively, OF the
poorer classes possess arms, the finding OF weapons
IN the house OF the suspected is almost enough to
insure conviction, i. would be greatly to my bro
Tiers advantage TO conceal the gun then, ac-
cording to the best of my recollection, instantly
returned to the kitchen door which had left partly
open, and closed it; and then taking the gun went
up stairs with 1t into the gaIret Then turning TO
the leff, tore up the cloth carpeing between the
two beds which stood there, and tried to loosen
one OF the floor boards with my fingers. Failing
IN this, looked around fci some implement to
aid me, and after few minutes search found
crooked piece of iron, with which l forced
up the end OF one of the floor boards, and
thrust the gun in as far as it would GO The gun
was hot yet wholly out of sight, and therefore at
tempted to raise the next board. In doing this |
split the board but accomplished my purpose, as
was then able to put the gun out of sight. then
replaced the boards. settling the nails in their pa-
ces with my boot heel, and tackled down the car
peiins over them, leaving the floor in appearance
the same as found 1t. My impression is, that af-
ter reaching the garret, ascertained by the ram
rod that the gun was loaded but cannot say that
recoilect doing so. After this, returned to the
ntchen, where my mother and daughter still were,
and there remained until nine or ten O'Clock, when
ve all retired to rest Nothing was said by me to
her about the gun, nor by her to me. have no
reason to belleve nor do believe that she either
knew or suspected that there was gun in the house
at the time.
The next morning about eight o'clock, on going
to the kitchen closet tor some purpose not now re-
collected found lying upon the upper shelf small
4
had often seen it in his possession. This imme-
dately took up, and for the same reason which had
actuated me In conceang the gun, proceeded forth
WIN 10 secrete went up stairs with IT. and on
looking round for fit hiding place, noticed the
hole In the floor through which the stove pipe from
the shop passed. | perceived that between the
5osis under the garrett moor was cavity, and into
that put the pistol, pushing il in as far AS could
with a stick about yard long. | said nothing TO
my mother or any one else at the time about the
pistol.
About nine or ten o'clock the same morning
(Tuesday) started from home for the Jail, to
my brothers, intending to acquaint them with my
proceedings In relation to the gun and pistol; but
reaching the jail was denied access to them, and
thereupon set of for home On the road home,
and when within about hundred yards Of Mr.
Sprague's house, was met by the sheriff and his
posse, who arrested me and committed me to Jail.
There was Kept secluded from communication
with any one but the officers Of the prison for
eight or nine days, when Mr. Knowles was per-
mitted to see me preparatory to the examination
which was to be had the next day. My brothers
did not until met them In the iailers Office in