Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-05-12
THE LATEST WORDS OF THE MURDERER
HENDRICKSON

sfntemcnt of Doctor Kennedy.
The following letter, written by DR..
Kennedy, dated Albany, May 9th, was
addressed to Jacob Hendrickson, Esq:
In compliance with your request, /
give you the particulars of the interview
had with John Hendrickson, jr, on the
afternoon of Thursday last.
AT your solicitation, and, as you stated,
at the request of the prisoner, consented
to put in writing such statements as he
should dictate to me, seal and retain the
same, until called for by his friends. For
the purpose of carrying out this design,
| was left alone with the prisoner in his
room. The substance of the statements
made by him, and mostly in his own lam
guage, is as follows:
"Diy Dear Parents Tomorrow am
to die, and standing as | do on the brink
of eternity, | wish to say to you, in the
presence of that God before whom [ am
soon to appear, that | am entirely inno-
cent of the crime of numbering my wife
| did not give her poison. do not know
that any one else gave her poison. She
did not come to her death by violence Of
any kind, so far as | know. [ believe
she died natural death. She did not
vomit on the night of her death. | never
knew that there was such an article as
aconite in the world until after | was put
into jail; nor did l know it by any other
name"
At this point was interrupted by the
expression of some doubt as to the pro.
priety of the course pursued, which oc-
casiored my retiring for a few MINUTES
from the prisoners room. And though
assured Immediately that there was no
in.prorHety in what | was doing, vet in
view of the delicacy of my position as a
clergyman, and because did not wish
to have my name connected with any
transaction which might, by possibility,
furnish occasion for future comment or
controversy, | declined writing any
more, and Immediately DESTROYED the
paper which contained the statements I
have given above.
On returning to the prisoners room,
and expressing to him my resolution to
write nothing farther, he expressed his
regret, but added in substance, 81 do not
know that have anything further to add,
except to say some farewell words to my
parents. But you will remember what
[ have said, and inform, them of it. |
wish you to make it public"
then said to him, Mr.. Hendrickson if
you are guilty while thu protesting your
innocence, you are accumulating upon
your soul burden Of the most fearful
falsahood; you are going down to the
grave with ga lie'in your right" and
you cannot expect any mercy at the tri-
bunal of your God. This reiterated in
different forms, and asked him, do YOU
comprehend what | say, and do YOU be-
lieve it to be true9 He replied, under
stand you perfectly, and believe what
you say; and yet | repeat it. | am inno-
cent. never murdered my wife, nor
was Ill any way concerned in taking
her life. do not believe she came to
her death by violence at all. I believe
she died 4 natural death.
After discharging some further duties
appropriate to my office, and the circum-
stances of the case, left his room. have
only to add, that the same protestations
OF innocence were repeated by him on
the morning of his execution, and up to
within an hour of that event, when |
conversed with him for the last time.
With sincere sympathy in your deep
atftction, am dear sir, truly your,
D. KENNEDY.