Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1852-09-30
'r From the Mobile Daily Register.
CrIsps Confession Of the Murder Of Nye.
MOsLE, Thursday. 5 o'c.oek .. MT
f..--f.- ~ Sent. 2ud. 1852,

-f.'irf-r lo Sept. 2nd, 1852.
The following is the confession oI
Nathan Crist, as TO the murder oI
Theodore Nye, at the Eutaw House,
in this city, on the morning Of the
26th Of February. 1852. This con-
lession was made this morning, BY
Crist, to the Rev. Mr.. Massey, the
clergyman in attendance, who wrote
il down at the dictalion of the pris-
oner, and read il over 10 him, when
it was signed by the latter in firm,
fair hand. r 5 F Esr Eru
Having no longer any hope OF
escaping The just sentence Of the
law, and trusting, through Gods
mercy. 10 secure the salvation oG my
soul during the short time | have yet
to live, | hereby make a full comics.
sion OF my guilt in the awful murder
OF Theodore Nye. r.
The idea Of committing the mur-
der first entered my mind on the
morning OF the day we left New
Orleans for Mobile. Nye told me
thai he had large sum ofmoney.
and was. on his way 20 California:
and this tempted me 10 commit the
deed. Having heard him say that
he had some friends in Mobile, !
told him that | was coming here and
il he would come along would pay
his passage. IL was then my inten.
tioa TO kill him on the way here; but
nv heart failed me, and | abandoned
the idea entirely. fthen determined
TO 60 10 Montgomery on the same
day Of our arrival here, but when /
went 10 The New, Orleans boat Tor
my baggage, the servant who had
charge OF it was away, and | could
not get it. When ! returned TO the
hotel that time, the Devil again put
into my head to kill sNye. went
and bought hammer resolving TO
execute my purpose during that
night, but my heart Jailed me; and
in the morning of the twenty-sixJh |
arose, again determined TO give it up
altogether. | left my room early,
Nye, being asleep, having been out
the night before. Two or three
times before breakfast, | went TO the
room to kill him, but could not do
i'll ale breakfast and went again
up to our room and told him TO ''get
up and come and get his breakfast" /"
aud left the room. Alter awhile |
started mp stairs again. without any
idea OF murder, but when | entered
the room, Nye being still in bed, the
first object that met my eye was the
accursed hammer which | had pur,
chased. In momeRt-in what
seems now a whirl OF arrangement
Il seized the hammer and strove TO
bury il in his temple. He said Moth
ing afterwards, and made no noise,
but seemed struggling to move him
self. took towel and tied il
tightly about his throat, and then
searched for his money under his
pillow and in his pockets. Being
disappointed. | went down stairs,
paid our bills, and asked for the
package Nye had deposited. Fail
ing 90 get that. went directly TO
the New Orleans boat, got my bag
gage, and went on board the Lown-
des. .-..r1 r.H hetrrH-- 'r-
never was on board the St.
Charles. as one Of the witnesses on
trial asserted. Shortly after getting
on board the Lowndes, CURL and
Terrell ca E aboard from the Ore
gon. | vas sitting on the forward
part Of the boat. CURL came and
took his seat near by me, and re-
marked, "we had pleasant time
coming over." ] said, "very pleas
anst." He said, "Oregon is a very
fine boat" | replied, "yes very
fine ."-and so on, not correcting his
impression that | had come over
with himsd On our way to Mont
eomery, many little incidents were
spoken OF, bv CURL and Others, as
having occurred on the Oregon--oi
all OF which ] talked as though
was familiar with them. And when
these were again brought 10 his mind
by Gen. Andrews, TO whom related
them, they confirmed his impression
that had come with him from New
Orleans. do not doubt that Curl
is an honest man, and that he iully
believed every word he said at my
trial. | had managed 10 deceive
him. ..f
We remained on board the Lown.
I des all the day before she left, except
about two hours, during which, as
Curl stated, we were wandering
about the city. Ou our way back
TO the boat, when we got in the
neiqhborhood OF the Postofice, NE
paried-he going TO see "the wild
horsen-and / to the boat. CURL
came down just after dinner, and the
Captain asked him. I think, TO go TO
the pantry and get something TO eat,
When ] first went on board the
1Lowndes registered my own name