Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1851-05-30
From the Baltimore Sun.
90 800 From the Baltimore Sun.
Full Confession of the Costsen ETassacre.-The Par-
nj In Cusfody.

e#9 From the Baltimore Sun.
Fall Confession of the Cosaen Massacre.-The Par.
ties all In Custody.
We received last evening the following hasty let
ter from correspondent at Chestertown, written
yesterday morning, half hour after the confession
TO which it alludes made. 1t will be seen that
full development of this bloody transaction has
been made by of the parties to the Decd and that
all the accused participants are in jail
CHEsTERTowN, May O. 1851.
Conference.-The have now confession of one of
the parties under arrest for the Cosden massacre,
which is thought to be worthy of credit. About the
time of the murder. man by the name of Hand,
living near Backbrd, suddenly, and without assign
ing any reason, left his home and went to New Jer
sey. few days after his wife also left. The move
ments OF these people of regarded as
suspicious and efforts have for time past been
made to obtain knowledge of their whereabouts
A few days since Mrs. Hand was brought to Ches-
tertown and made statements to the following effect:
That on the morning after the murder, at very
early hour, man by the name of Stephen Shaw,
who boarded in the house with herself and husband
came running into the house, with a musket in his
hand. and very much under the influence of liquor
that he told her the Cosden family were murdered,
and that himself. Taylor, Shelton and Murphy
the parties-that he had been solicited by Taylor to
join the conspiracy which he supposed only for
plumber, and not murder-that he and Taylor pro-
ceeded, on the evening of the murder to the Swan
town mill (about half mile from Cosdens.) and
had a double-barreled gun Taylor musket Shell
ton double arreled gun and double barreled pis
tol, and Murphy double-barreled gun. He then
proceeded to state that upon arriving at the house,
Taylor fired through the window and shot down Cos
den. and then, snatching away Shaw's gun, shot
Mrs. Cosden, as she out. He also states that
Shelton murdered Miss Cosden and Miss Webster,
and Taylor shot the black woman, but that Murphy
took part in the murder. He asserts that he
himself was drunk and took no part in the murder,
apdt hot ho I'd hV
that he fell in the fencecorner and lay there for
eral hours.
Shaw was arrested on Saturday, and this morning
has made full confession, corroborating all the
knows Mrs. Hands testimony will convict him, and
that he may we'll make a clean breast of it.' He
has been confronted with the parties charged and
adheres in their presence to all the particulars, as
detailed by Mrs. Hand.
Murphy, he says. he had never seen before. but
believes the he sees in jail Murphy to have
been at the murder. There is little no doubt en-
tertained of the truth of this confession.
The cause of the sudden flight of Mrs. Hand, was
fear that as she possessed Shaws secret, he might
do her some bodily harm to prevent her divulglng
it. A.
Since the above letter came to hand we have con
versed with a gentleman direct from Chestertown
who present at the jail yesterday morning wher
Shaw confronted with the prisoners, and made
his confession. He says he never more har
in Chestertown WAS intense and great joy was man
Tested by the people at the certainty of all the muir
derers being in custody Webster, the uncle of Mrs
Cosden, is acknowledged to be free of all part
cipation in the bloody deed, and will be discharged
in few days The prisoners are heavily chained
together, and presents most revolving spectacle
Their trial will take place next week.
THE VIRGINIA CoNvENTIoN-BAsIs OF REPR EsBNTA
TIoN ADoPTED.-The Virginia convention adopted
in committee of the whole, the compromise of tn
committee by which the house, organized on the sui
frage basis. will have western majority of IA, th
senate eastern majority Of 10, (giving the ives
on joint ballot majority of A. and by which pro
vision is made that in the year 1865 in the gen
eral assembly shall not be able to agree as to tn
principle Misrepresentation on which Teapportonmen
shall be made the question shall be left to the quail
flied voters of the State to decide.-Batt. Sum-
GREELEY IN LoNDoN.-Amongst the numerou
representatives of the American press in Lon
don is MIR. Horace Greeley, of the New York Tr
bune, who says letter of May 9th may be see
almost daily at the exhibition, promenading wit
some distinguished character, and the shockin
bad hat and old white coat" do not give job
Bull very correct notion of our members of Con
gress.