Kenosha tribune and telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1855-1855, 1855-02-22
The Murder in the Room.
FROM THE NOTE BOOK OF AN EMINENT PHILA
DELPHIA LAWYER, LATELY DECEASED.

The narrative which | present, give as
/ find it in my book. 1t, was taken
in almost the very words of the murderer,
though not committed to writing until next
dav; for the narrative made very power
full impression on my mind. The disap-
pearance OF the murdered man had excited
much conjecture as to his fate; but the gen
eral impression was that he had abscond-
ed to avoid his creditors, and his friends
often wondered whether he would ever re-
turn.
THE MURDERER's STORY.
There were FIVE of us together-constant
the dicebox. We made love in COM
pany, got drunk together, and gambled
from the same purse. A very slender
purse it was, too--but that's not to the
point.
There was Harry Pierce and his brother
Fred-litte Tom Needham--Jack Fry and
myself Harry was impetuous. hasty, irri-
table, but in the main good hearted; his
brother was cooler, more calculating, and
if anything. little avaricious. Tom was a
true topper, who enjoyed his glass to the ex-
treme, and was never fully happy except
when halfdrunk; and Jack was kind of
hanger-on and toady of the whole of US
For myself; there were only two peculiari-
ties worth mentioning, from their apparent
inconsistency. AS quick as a flash, the
least angry word would arouse me to a tenn
pest of ungovernable passion, which when
subsidized, would find me as cold as ice,
and with mind free to plot and contriye
anything.
On one evening we had lost good deal
of money--more than we could well afford
at poker, and had left the gaming-room
in no very good spirits. Fred Pierce had
not been with US, or perhaps We should
not have played so long, tor Fred, unlike
the majority Of gamblers. who play most
desperately when fortune is most unkind,
invariably stopped when certain maxim
UNI of loss was arrived at
In the morning Fred called to see me,
having heard something about the loss, and
was astonished and angry when he learn
ed the amount He demonstrated with me
and when laughed at his words, grew If
ritated. One word as, the saying goes,
brought another; we both became angry,
and at length he told me that he thought
it an uniustifable outrage on our parts to
lose his share of the money during his
absence. Icalled him fool, andhe retort-
ed that was a scoundrel. In q towering
rage, seized the tongs, which stood on
the side of the hearth, and before | gave a
thought to the consequences, struck him on
the head with all the force of which | was
master. lie fell instantly. The next mo-
ment restored me to consciousness, and l
raised him up The blow had fractured
his skull, and although no blood had flown
his thick cap, which he had not rcmov-
ed during the conversation, deadening
somewhat the blow--he was evidently
dead
A moment reflection convinced me that
one or two things must be done-either to
conceal the body, or to discover the fact,
and proclaim that l had done the deed in
self defence. The fear that l could not
well make itappear so to the public, deter
red me from the latter course. | had stat
ed the day before to my landlady that in
tended TO send box full Of books and pa
pers 10 my uncle's residence in the country
and the large packing box procured for the
purpose then stood in my room, determin
ed to put the body in this, and thus dispose
of it. AS | was about to do this, | heard
ringing at thedoorbell. Thrusting aside
the window curtin, put my head through
the window, which was luckily half hoist
ed, and saw that my companions of the
night before had come to pay me visit.
| knew that they would at once come to my
room, and take no denial for entrance
In an instant my course was determined
on. l hastily dragged the body to the
closet, placed it upright, and taking my
duelling-case from the place of its usual
beslowment closed TIE closet door |
then threw on my great-coat, put on my
hat and tossed the chairs in confusion round
my room. | had scarcely done this when
heard the steps of the party on the stairs,
and as they entered the room, | gave
tremendous oath, with every othereridence
of counterfeited passion
'Hallo!' exclaimed Harry Pierce, what
is the matter with you? Going OUT
i have this moment come in said |
'to get my pistols. thought I'd practice
this lnorning-and yagabond has been
in my room, and turned everything upside
down. It's too bad, by Jove; there's
whole pile of shirts, just from the wash,
tossed on the floor
Ny friends burst into wild laugh, and
Tom Needham exclaimed:
Served you right. What business have
you to own so many shirts? l have only
one, In fact, that was what kept me from
you yesterday so long. had to lie in bed
while it was being washed and ironed-
and the woman kept it TWO hours beyond
time, because owed her little BILL
Well said l, Il wish you'd stop your
nonsense and fix up matters; and we'll
90 out and take crack or two this morn
ing.
Not with me- answered Tom. It's too
cold for the fingers. I'll tell you what
well do. Well have game of whist
There's Just snug party. | wonder where
Fred is?'
4 don't know, said i; 'he promised yes
tcrday to come and see me-
I'll bet sous cried Jack Fry, that he
was the Robin Goodfellow who upset your