The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1852-12-31
Confession of Robert Kelley.

The Madison, Ia, Banner, Of The oath in
slant, says that Robert Kelley, who is inn
prisoned in the Jail Of that county, has con
lessed to the part he took in the awful tfage-
dy which hurled three human beings INTO
eternity. The confession, in substance, is
as follows:
In conversation with two gentlemen, in
Jail, young Kelly stated that he was rais-
ed in the vicinity OF Versailles, in this State !;
where his parents now reside, He went To-
Cincinnati, a short lime ago, 10 use his own
language, "to make raise" Soon after be
reached Cincinnati, he and his brother Mo-
ses shipped on flatboat, belonging 10 Mes
srs. Gardner & Miller. The boat was laden
with potatoes, apples, &C., and was designed
for the Southern coasting trade. Three 9TH
er men shipped on the boat as hands. Thus
manned, the boat, with Gardner and Miller
on board, started down The river. When
some eighteen miles above Troy, Ind, the
boat was landed in consequence OF high wind
and Two OF the hands went ashore, for the
purpose Of taking hunt. The evening be-
ing calm, The boat was turned into the river
and floated down the stream, leaving the two
men ashore. Shortly, after the boat left the
shore the prisoner states that Moses Kelly,
his brother, told him his intention TO mur-
der the proprietors Of the boat, for their mon !
ey. This, he states. was The first inlima-
tion he had received from his brother Of his
murderous intentions. His brother had no
enmily whatever against either of the de-
CEASED, and committed the bloody deed sole
Iy for the purpose Of obtaining their mon
ey. W..
About two o'clock the next morning. he
was called from his bed by his brother and
told that the time had come when the other
men upon the boat must die. They were
Gardner, Miller, and a hand By the name of
Frunk--, the prisoner having forgotten
his surname. He went upon the roof Of the
boat, for the purpose, he saws, of keeping
lookout, and his brother went below and
murdered the three men. He says he heard
blows and groans, but refuses 10 state anv of
the particulars of the horrible tragedy. On
being asked if he saw the men after they
were deld, he replied that he did, but refus-
ed TO say any thing more upon that point
The bodies of the murdered men were thrown
into the river, through the scuttle of the
boat, and their spilled blood was wiped from
the floor by the two brothers. Upwards Of
one thousand dollars in money were taken
from the murdered men, but the prisoner re-
fused 10 state whether or not he shared il
with his brother.
The two Kelleys left the boat next morn
ing and went 10 Evansville, Ind. At thai
place Moses Kelly took passage on the Join
Simpson for St. Louis and the prisoner n
turned TO the residence of his father. The
brother Of Gardner, one Of the murdered |
men, on examining the boat, discovered tie
envelope Of letter addressed 10 Moses Kel- |
ly' This caused suspicion 10 rest upon him
as one OF the murderers. Learning tha. Ke- |
ly lived near Versailles, Mr.. Gar1ner mSds |
arrangements to find where he was. TIE
wife Of Kelly received letter from hin,
post-marked st. Louis, and Gardner pro-
ceeded TO procure his arrest.