Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1855-06-26

Win tne iiIc 0i luis Strange IHdH, anu 7
his ,rne history none are, and probabl
will not he; bai from his life, as writer
by himself waen in jail at Akron, W
present the leading incidents. or hi
boyhood he says nothing, save that b.
was born in the village Of Boulon-Lee
Yorkshire, and was a weaver by trade
1t has been said that he was at tho sg
Of twenty. five released from prison afie
CONTINENT Of several years for SOM
criminal offence, and that at that TIM
he was again arrested for poaching
tried and convicted, and again imprison
ed. He denies tho first and cquivocate
as 10 the latter. His second arrival il
the United States Otis very singuls
incident, that he never spoke Of his frs
visi) was in ls4l. lie obtained wcrl
at Lonsdale, r. l., and afierward il
Bristol. Getting into quarrel witt
one Jim De Wolf, he sought revenge
and with one Gardiner, broke open biz
falhe' srgrave, having been led TO believe
that the remains of tho "old man" wa
deposited there in a silver coffin. Ht
was disappointed, however, being re
wardcd only by finding a silver plate
For his robbery hc was convicted in
1S42, and sentenced TO Two years con.
finmenl. AT the same time he was tried
for an attemp, to escape from the prison
while awaiting the charge Of robbery by
threatening the life Of the silor, convict.
cd, AMI sentenced 10 Two additional
years of Imprisonment, in aIl four years.
After his release, he obtained work al
four different factories in the vicinity
but only for a short time, his bad char.
acter always following him. From those
places he went to Patterson, n. j., but
finding there men who knew him, he
proceeded to Philadelphia. He soon
found employmen, at Goester Point, a
few miles below, on the New Jersey
side-but there he was again recognized
by an old acquaintance, and was dis.
charged. He became, while at the lat.
ter place, acquainted with one James
Mckennon, who had also been con.
vict, and the latter, prompted by hatred
towards former employer, James {.
Nempton. of Mayunk, near PhIodel.
phia, who had been Obliged to discharge
him on account Of his reputation, per.
suaded Parks 10 assist him in his rob.
berry. For the robbery of Kemp,on he
was sentenced TO prison four years.
Alter his release, he camo TO Cleve.
land.
While on his way here, he became
acquainted with one Ann Carpenter, Of
Michigan, and while here they lived to.
gelher, passing as man and wife. Of,he |
murder OF this woman, and also that oil
an Englishman at the Farmers Hotel,
he has been accused Of both charges he
denies. For time he kept boarding
house for railroad hands in Berea, and
In 1852 kept saloon on Pittsburgh
street.
Up to the time he came here, he was
known by the name Of Dickinson, which
is his real name, bu, because the know.
ledge Of his crimes followed his name,
he changed it to that of Parks, by which
he has here always been known.
In the autumn Of 1862, Parks return.
ed to England, and was married. After
arriving in this country again in March.
1858, with his wife, he informed her of
his previous change of name. What
reason he gave her for such change is
not known /; but inasmuch as she was
ignorant Of the fact until their arrival
here, she Of course knew no, Of his in.
famous career, and therefore not the
least Of his great oa'ense was the fraud
be Practced upon his unsuspectins wife.
Among his fellow passengers from the
Did country was one VIM. Beatson.-
This man did not however, come here
until the early part OF April of the same
,ear, when he immediatIy sought Parks.
he had in his possession large sum Of
money. The circumstances of the mur.
ier for which he was yesterday hung, ,
letslled by the prosecution, are in brief
Is follows: .
Parks and Beatson were together t
lrlnklng many times on the l3tk of I
Aprl, in this city, the day before the 6
murder. Beatson had q large amount ,
\ money, and Parks knew il. During f
ne day on the 18th, and that evening, :
'eatson was quite drunk, but Parks |
ePt sober-the former drinking brandy, v
ne latter beer. Parks said they were t
ding to Pittsburgh in the evening train i
no promised to take care Of Beatson.- Il
hey did go in the cars, having a bran. b
bottle with them but at Hudson they S
1T cars. Parks dragging Beatson out "
them. They took the train for Guy. n
hoga Falls, where they stopped at Halls Il
lvsrn. They drank there until refused t,
quor, Best'on drinking brandy and b
arks beer. Parks said Beatson must a
, back with him to Hudson, a. he had is
,t him off the track, as Beatson wish. tc
to stay all night, and they were told
Halls that nothing could be gained n
going before the morning train. They a
IL inc tavern, each smoking, and Beat. tc
N having filled his cigarcase. The a.
'nduct OF Parks was such as to draw n,
1t from Hall the remark, that he (Parks) ii
tended to rob Beatson, and that Beat. a,
N was SO drunk as to leave his over. in
'at. On the next morning, half mile G,
om the tavern, where the railrods runs
'er the highway, blood was found al. >,
button from Bsalson's vest, his a. a.
me, strip from his stock. and his can. ~ ~
clothes were found in tie ~ ~