Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1846-03-21
From the Albany Citizen.
A Tale or Sorrow. - N,r ,ta

~" i9" A Tale or Sorrow. ~ N'H ,tt9
Names and places might be given, were II
necessary, in veriacution Of the following factsi
A man Of standing and property, named
Major VIM W., Of Connecticut, was
blessed with family of kind, intelligent, obcdi.
ent sons. Two of them--the eldest and hes,
beloved--early received each his portion, and
took their several ways to distant portions Of
the country, intent upon establishing themselves
in the world, and carving out their own for
,unes They were each possessed Of an ex-
celeut common school Connecticut common
Standardization and were well calculated
to make their way in the world
They departed witha fathers and mothers
blessing resting upon them, and were remem-
bered, with tears and earnest hopeful supplica.
,ions before the throne Of mercy, ere their first
days juurney was ended.
A period Of nine years rolled rapidly by,
and among the innumerable changes wrought
during that time, was the removal of Major
W from the land Of steady hubts--glo-
rious fondly remembered, ever loved Connect.
cut-to the far west-a comprehensive term,
which means any locality between Western
New York and the Pacific Ocean.
lie was man Of sterling character; a true
New Englander; intelligent persevering, hon.
est, shrewed, and witbal a little ambitious.
The major dabbled much in politics, and being
good practical writer and speaker. ina yeur
or two revolutionized the country in which
he was settled. Gratitude and political pow.
er rewarded him first with seat ir the State
Legislature. and second with the .herifialty
A better sheriff than Major W that
county had never been favored with During
the first year of his administration the salu,ary
effects of his perseverance and good counsels
were seen and felt. ss, .,s.ai..e
During the second year Of his official liic, a
notorious vogabond, known through the country
as Bill Winchelsea, alias Canlkins, alias Ford
and halt dozen other assumed Dames, afier
course ofpetty crimes, repeated convictions
and escapes, was at length charged with the
perpetration of foul muder A widow, who
resided q mile or two from the county town,
who was reported wealthy, was found early one
morning in June lying upon the floor OF her
barn, few rods from her house, with her throat
cut and her body swfuly mangled with an axe.
1t was known that Winchelsea had been at
the house late the evening previous, and that
he declared he would lodge there that night
Soon as the murder was discovered, search was
made for him, and he could nowhere be found
Suspicion naturally settled upon him, and the
hue and cry was given.
Sheriff W sent out his Deputies and a
strong posse, and accidentally receiving imfor.
nation which led him to believe the murderer
had fed down the Mississippi, instantly set out
nlone in hot pursuit lie traced what he be-
leved TO be the trail of the miscreant down as
far as st. louis, and there lost it entirely, and
gave up the chnse as frutlcss As he was
! preparing TO return, he was taken suddenly in
OF fever, and for many weeks lay in half de.
lirious and very critical state At the end Of
that time he began to convalesce. and ere long
recovered go far as to be abo to return home.
During his absence, Wnchelsea had been
npprehended, tried. convicted, upon proof 80
positive that the jury found a verdict Of Guilty
of wilful murder without leaving the box, and
sentenced to the ignumnious death Of the scaf.
fold .r' rraf' fa
Major w reached home on the day
appointed for the execution. Being yet feeble,
he begged to be relieved from the painful duty
of hanging the poor wretch, aud il according
ly fell upon one OF his deputies. Do s
The hour fixed upon tor the dreadful murder
which the law has legalized came around Al
that moment messenger arrived to inform Ma.
ior w. that the deputy had fallen upon the
scsflold in an apoplectc fit, and that the execu.
tion stayed lis arrival. There was no alterna.
tive. The Sheriff, though weak, and totally
unf, for the terrible task, ielt it to be his duty
to promptly obey the summons,
In few minutes a rolling, heavy hum. and
an unusual coIDmoton in the ranks of the thou.
sands gathered TO behold the shameful death OF
fellow creature, gave evidence of the arrival
o! the sheriff. The culprit was dressed for the
grave, the fatal rope encircled his neck, the
cap. drawn over his face by the deputy before
the fit took him, at his request. remained as it
had been adjusted. "A briet prayer was offered
up to Godin behalf Of the poor wretch. whose
last minute had come. Theclergyman and the
sheriff then took him by the hand and babe
him farewell All things were hushed to
breathless silence. With sudden movement
the sheriff cut the cord, the drop fell, and the
murderer was hanging by the neck between