Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1849-07-30
A HighWaymans Confession.

Some twenty years ago, two young men
were hung at Baltimore for robbing the
great Southern mail, and killing the criver,
One of the highwaymen was boy nine.
teen years of age; The son of respectable
physician at Utica, in the State of New
York. The other was an older offender.
The following is an extract from the con-
iesslon of the latter, which was published
at the time in a pamphlet. 49, ->-
My first exploit on the highway was to
rob an old Scotchman had perceived in
the afternoon, from my lurking place drv-
ing fat'ed COW to neighboring market.
As he was returning "a little in liquor,) |
placed myself in his way and saluted. Him
with Good morning, old dad.
'How do ye, how do ye,' said he.
Sold your COW, ah?'
Yeas { (Hickup
'Too leetle, too leelle; only twenty siller
dollars -s.
well, SHE'LL said |. .< ... --.-
'Shell!' -s. -..-'.-.ae
Yes, shell out; and do it Quickly too, or
l'll make daylight shine through you with
an ounce ball. ....-.-. -
'Oh! for Gods sake, you wadna roD meg
mo, but for my own sake-to be brief
i am gentleman in distress, and will
take your money as loan from you.'
w eel, awoel, dina hurt me- said he,
apparently sobered. and will count it ou,
til ye.' -...-.
SO saying, he put his hand in his Goa!
pocket behind, and drawing forth large
pistol, read y cockd, he presented it at me,
observing very coolly: --
Il hae hearit O. sic borrowin' us he afore
now and sac hae gone provided VII the
ready plank doun.'
Such novice was in this new business
that had not taken my pistols from my
belt where they were confined under a but
ton coat; besides, if had. it would no
have availed me, for | had neglec led e
provide hnls for them.
'But, 'ntinued he, 'as ye say We are q
peur gentleman, (aLd peur enough, GUIDE
kens,) just stap aft 4 few yards further
and dance Scotch, jeg or hornpipe,and
the music WI yere aIn whustle too or ye're
deed mon.'
'Oh! my friend, impossible! surely, you
DO not insist on my dancing a jig in sand
half way up TO my knees
'Gif ye diuna at it VII a. yere might, in
less time than caud snap my fingers three
times, by the son Of Elihu, (wha I'm fond
to thenk they cad Mosey,) wi the Yep O.
guild load O. buckshot. iii make as mony
holes through We, as We could count in an
auld ten lanthorne-and I'lI make het led
run through ye, for a. The world like queck.
si.ler through the reddle O. Scotch fan
an ye dina dance right aft the reel, 'llke
a hen upo' het griddle' Moo them
What could do? Feeling it was no
time to trife, and almost tancying the
buckshot were already perforating me, |
bethought me of a wallz,and whistling it in
less than three minutes, belabored myself
into a perfect foam Of perspiration, in the
deep sand. Fired 10 death, | paused to
breathe, and asked the old tyrant if that
would not do for this time.
fNa, ia dinha fash yourself dear. |
am M tired O. lukin on, gif ye are ma Tired
o scolloping Sa gale US twa or three
jerks more, and whom ye haze dune Eli
reward ye WI twa or three O the siller
dollars
renewed the dreadful heat, and when
stopped again out Of wind, he pitched the
silver at me, and recommending an honester
mode Of borrowing, bade me clear my sci!
which, it is needless to say, | did.