The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1855-05-23
& Ggrilling shettg.
THE MURDER IN THE ROOM
FROM A NOTEBOOK OF AN EMINENT PHILADELPHIA
LAWYER, LATELY DECEASED

FROM NOTEBOOK OF AN EMINENT ruILApEIPHIA
LAWYER, LATELY DECEASED.
The narrative which present, give as
6ui it in my note book. 1t was taken in
almost the very words Of the murderer, tho
not committed to writing until next day;
for the narrative made very powerful i'm
preston or my mind. The disappearance
of the murdered man had excited much
conjecture as to his fate; but the general
impression was, that he had absconded to
avoid his creditors, and his frienls often
Wodered whether he would return:
THE MURpERER's STORY,
There were FIVE of us ogether-constant
companions fond of women, wine, and the
dice box. We made love in company, got
drunk to osether, and gamblsd from the same
purse. A very slender purse it was, too
but tliat'snot to the point p .
There was Harry Pierce and his brother
Ned-little Tom Needham-Ja Fry, and
myself Harry was impetuous. hasty, isri-
table, but in the main good hearted; his
brother was cooler, more calculating, and
if ifaaything, little avaricious. Tom was a
true topper. who enjoyed his glass to the ex-
treme, and was never happy except when
half-drunk; aud Jack was a kind of hanger
on and toady of the whole of US. For my
self, there was only tive peculiarities worth
mentioning. from their apparent iacoDsis-
teney. As quick as fash. the least angry
wold would arouse me to tempest OF un-
goyernabe passion. which, when subsided,
would find me as cold as ice. ami with a
mind free to plot and contrive anything.
On one evening we had lost a good deal
of money--more than we coa,d well afford
--at poker, and had left the gaming room
in no very good spirits Fred Pierce b I'd
not been with us, or perhaps we should not
have played so long. for Fred, unlike the
majority of gamblers, who play most des.
perately when fortune is most unkind. in
variably stopped when eertaia maximum
ofloss was arrived at.
In the morning Fred called too see me,
having heard something about the loss, and
was astonished and angry WHOM he learned
the amount. He demonstrated with me.
and when / laughed at his words, grew irri'
tated. One word, as the saying goes, bro
another; we both became angry, and a
length he told me that he thought it an un
iustiiable outrage on our parts to ,osc his
share Of the money during his absence.
called him fool, and heretorted that | wa
a scoundfel. In towering rage, | seized
The tongs, which stood on the side OF thu
hearth, and before give thought TO the
consequences, struck him on the head will
all the force of which | was master. HI
fell instantly. The next moment restored
me to consciousness. and / raised him up
The blow had fractured his skull. and altho
no blool had fown--his thick cap, which
be had not removed during the converse
tion, deadening someWhat the blow-E'
was evidently dead. .....
Al moments reflection convinced me tha
ons Of two things must be done-either L
conceal the body, or TO discover the fact
and proclaim that had done the deed il
self defence. The fear that 4 could not we
make Il appear to the public. deferred m
from the latter course. / had stated th
day before to my landlady, that intende,
TO send box full Of papers to my uncle
residence in tie county; and the slarg
paoking-box procured for the purpose thsl
stood in my room. I determined to pat th
body iathis. and thus dispose it. As
was aboutso do this, / heard a r;sgiag !
The door.bell, Thrustiag aside the window
curtain, I put my bead through the window
swbiehswas luckily half hoisted. and saw Ii,
my companions of the night before ha
come u pay nae visit X \. wv that tho
would et once come to my room, and tai