The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-02-06
CONFESSION OF MURDERER.
The Galeue Advertiser of the Doth nit. sives

NONF ESSIoN OH a MURDERER,
The Galeua Advertiser of the Goth ult, gives an
account Of the execution of JohnI Taylor, for the
murder of his wife. The following was his con-
.ession:
After surveying the multitude before hir, for a
few minutes, he arose, and with trembling voice,
which grew stronger he proceeded, addressed
the large crowd for about twenty five minutes
"He said he had but Il few minutes to live. and
what he was about to say he wished to have them
remember. He said what had happened and wha.
was about to happen, all came through the use OF
Intoxicating liquor He had heard Of men who
had lost their lives or frozen their limbs through
the ipfluence OF this demon. For forty years he
had drank-and he was forty six years old He
had drank from childhood He had read an ac
coun: of a man who, when drunk had laid down
on railroad track, and the train had passed over
him, killing him instantly, There were men n our
Jail now, who had come there through the influence
of dram chops He said there was set OF gamb
leIs who keep these Internal places, who would get
a man into them, get him drunk, win his money,
pick his pockets, ard then turn him out of DOORS
He repeated that he had but few moments to live
and he wished them all to remember his advice
which was to let liquor alone. 1t was the means
of his wifes DEATH and il be had let it alone and
minded his own business at frst-and it was hard to
suffer for it-he would have been living with his
wife now. Let liquor alope-let liquor alone,
He saw many ladies present-and here was
large assemblage, the largest he had ever seem but
one-he warned them, il they did not wish TO get
killed, to persuade their husbands brothers, and
friends from the use OF liquor in any shape. He had
known men who played cards for money who had
heen killed and their money taken from them all
through liquor. Said he had no father mother
brother, sister, or relations in the country-what
were living OF them were in the State of Maine
He was all alone in this country-he was a straw
sheep of his fathers flock, and had come to his end
through the means of liquor Said he had faith to
believe that he was forgiven for the deed that
9t,A FA- pa,x, rkal L.
much of an orator. but wished them all to remem-
ber TO touch not, taste not, handle not liquor
"On the 10Th OF October last, before he went to
work in the morning, his wife asked him when he
would be home. He said at noon but it 30 happen.
ed tina: he did not get home at that time. He went
TO a neighbor's. who had good will for him. who
had bot strong stuff they wanted him to drink ar
he refused, but after much persuasion, thinking it
would do him no harm, he drank some of the hot
stuif-he stayed there time, drinking; had some
thing with him that he had bought at auction for his
wife, which he showed to them, and drank some
more and then sold them dress, and ate some
supper.
of hot stuff, and left; stopped at a grocery, and
found lot of boys there, apd tried to sell them
some penknives; wanted to sell them by the card !;
sold them all to a man. who aeked him to drink,
which he did.
"Afterward he went TO another grocery, where
high words erose--sud this was all through liquor
some man hit him with neck yoke on the right
thigh, which be felt yet. Then they had fight !;
some men parted them, and they went home. Af-
ter he got home the man that lived in the house
he did not know whether he paid rent or not-atter
he had laid down on the bed, the man bothered
him, and he jumped up. and got his gun to kill him
struck bis wie-don't know who did it, whether
it was him the man, but he wished God to for
give him. His wife was killed. he put in prison
and sentenced to be hung, and was now to suffer
Tor it,
"Had it not been for liquor the penitentiaries
would be empty, and he would not be where he
was; again warning all persons to beware of the
fatal poison said that he had written 20 his friends
giving them full particulars of the affair, and war
ming them 10 abstain from liquor Said that Jesus
died for him he felt that he was forgiven, and ex
pected to die"