New-York daily tribune., 1854-08-30


ARREST FOR MURDER COMMITTED SEVENTIES YEARs
AGO ~ PHILADELPBIA-CosfEssIoS OF The MURDERER
"A color man, named Edward Crawford, alias Pat the
Irish Lgger.' brought up 81 Phualelphla
on Monday before Mayor Conrad. on the charge
of having stabbed young colored man named
Francis Tun beson to the heart IN hrawi iowa iowa
about seventeen years ago The 4far caused much ex
cit eD at the time. but the memory Of it had almost
passed away when Pat ain appeared with confidence IN
Il Of Pbadelhis and being recognized by those
wLo witnessed ihe preparation OF the deed some ot wnom
ar now we aDced in years he was taken into custody
by the police MonOay morning he was brous h into the
Mayors Office. There was considerable crowd present.
an6 great interest manifested The accused VINO mas
go long eluded justice, very dark IN complexion rather
short ard souty built The preston OF his couneoance
is sinister intelligent and determined his eye being
fearless and steedy as any we ever saw in one 81 ms
race. To all questions he answered steadily and without
any degree of embarrassment The circumstances IN
which he pla seemed to have but little Dhuence up
bic The evidence in spite OF the length OF time
that has elapsed since the commission of The deed was
cl and positive The prisoner was then committed TO
await trial The is certainly very singular lustra
ton OF the Ultimate triumph of justice Tue accused by his
own account and the evidence others has been in Pha-
debia several tms since the commission OF the CRIME ~lth
which he is charged, and, becoming emooldeped by the
freedom with which he allowed TO walk the streets IN
defiance of the laws he ncied that all fear OF punishment
was end But he has found that the punishment Of
crime at time another is inevitable. Still, Pat
seems show spirit OF pentenee lie alleges that IT
was his belief that if he did not kill Tumbleson the latter
would Kill him. and thus attempts 70 justify the deed
However after all his wanderDgs-after having grown
in prsob awaiting the action OF Court.
Mayor ConIaA addressed the prisoner asking him Il he
had any meat to make. The wtaess made the fol-
lowing confession:
Weh Sir on Friday evening had been to brick ys I'd
there was gentleman there named John Oler who had
come hogs Kill and clean; he said 10 me- Pat. have
I" some hogs to kill tomorrow, won't you come aud help
"me /" I said / would, came from the yard on that
evening and went over to Mr. Tbompsons shop there
was man there named Peter Spencer, who Is now dead;
dremember being well acquainted with him; whether
asked him for the knife not knew It was bis 90
Saturday morning after got my breakfast ana had
went TO the yara; when got thoIe they had nearly
got through done; being we'll acquainted "ith him,
tbey set out the bottle, and drank; well Sir came in
ana was pockipg about Birds Court and Locast-st
/ bad taken several drinks, hoS many can't tell
WELL SIR, don know whether II was sunset or not, Il
wRs very pyh sunset; dsemember when Peter Spencer
said TO me- Pat, won you take walk = l formerly
wen. with tbis Peter Spencer 10 have little mirlh; did
not know where he was going after te bad gc' to this
place, where this occurred he said, Pat, come IN here
tLis frsbk in there, AID also the man OF the house
did not know them; saw some eating around; he said,
Pat won't Gu have something 10 eat = after we got
done eating We looked the STALL seed pack
two Of in there; Peter says Come boys. let
have game Frank was very anxious to have d
game, and we commenced after ot found him
cheating We then quit playing and then come
back up home. in Buds Court / made my
home pretty much with Peter Spencer after
klOcking around while, taking two or three
drinks got Mr. Tbompsons shoe shop
the street and, we'll as recoliec Jacob Beans
there by the of samuel Cooper, another
down 10 the cellar think the Of the keeper
Fred Douglass; we sat do~n and commenced playing
Hen Dufy one, Frank Tumbleson another Peter
Spencer wss another Edward Crawford another We
hadn't played many games before found Frank cheating
agsir at that we quiz, Nd commenced sharp dispute
frank blows cut the candle started toward the celsi
door went 10 top of the steps of the cellar and dared
him up; he along he stopped down al the
and lick. up billet Of wood sbou, two feet long, il va:
for the stove was stgoding in this direction hs
right side srd the cellar door he go, ur
within reach Of me he LEI drive with full fvrce chOked
him well as could; the nails win show where be
on the head; my hat cut tbrcugh; be 81
clo,e 10 that struck him in the pit Of the stomach
with my fst; being in great passion and liquor, the
thoughts OF his striking with chunk, third larger
ihsn NE, drew Knife out Of my pocket, opened
il snd cut him crowd coming up, the, didn't know who
done it; some body gave a kick in the side;
said, iheie Pat, tbst mans whipped. and with that
Jun ped of him; | went home ~ Peter Spencer .
I,ur cane hon and foupu me in the bedroom whore
slept; ,sy, be- Pst you can't az here you better ga
away; dion know ye. iha, be ao.l certain: il
lsdlrown j, would have immediately gwen myself up
ere was plenty Of sufficient Witnesses ~ that ,Ioc ~h
ave dosd now; know bat o.e she would tell the tsa,i
on .seb side this is all hat have 10 say about the
action TIE msi.ysl portion Of this evidence corrotc
! rstd ty cil.r gi'oestes.