Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-08-16
The SELF. CONFESSED MiiRprpru

ready been mentioned in the sun that n Il =. sol
der named John .. LAWYER, formerly school.
master IN ireland. was in custody in New York
IN consequence of voluntary confession he had
made that before coming to the L. States, he had
murdered girl named Mary Dunn, after first
violating her person. Previous to his unrest he
wrote letter to the chief of police, Informing him
of his desire 10 make tho confession. The Post
of Tues day says:
He describes the sutfcrugs he has endured
since he perpetrated tho foul deed az terrible be
yond all power of words 10 describe, and entire.
" beyond the conception of any one who hns not
experieneedlt Wherever he went at all times
and in all placcs--wheiher walking or seeping.a
mountain ofguilt was upon his spirit; aud, finally,
he came In believe that the soul of his victim
haunted him, and 81 real to him became the hal
lucnaion, that he fanced her ever by his side.
He could see her, he AYERS, as plainly as ever
one person saw another. looking upon him-now
with indescribable pathos, begging him to spare
her life--now with looks of terrible defiance and
rage, calling for vengeance upon the head Of her
murder. This state Of suffering became unon-
durable aud he at length confessed his guilt ho-
ping thus to relieve himself in part of his suffer
ings.
The appearance o the prisoner Is that of an
insane man; aud II seems very probable that he
is now laboring under an halluoination or mental
arrangement of some description. or his appear
ance Is assumed, Our reporter visited his cell in
the romhs this morning. aud found him walk
ing 20 fro apparently in the greatest state of
excitement. His appearance similar to that
of somnambulist when laboring under some ter
ribe fright The quick, nervous motions--the
distcnded eyeh ais straining as il To pierce some
object in the distance. aud that, too, when thu
man WINS unconscious OF the presence of any one,
seemed highly Significant and indicated state
OF intense mental excitement. stopping before
his cell, our reporter said:
"ls your name John Lowlerl' lie stopped
suddenly. and then turning round, with mild
look, replied: Il didn't hurt nnyboiy--didn't
kill anybody; | was bad in my mind" But
you have confessed that you were n murderer
Why did You mike that coniossionl" Il was
bad in my mind; am often bad in my mind, and
am now" "Was there any such girl Mary
Dunnl" Mot that know Of" WAS thore
any murder committed" Monet that know
of" at is strange that you should give all the
names and particulars of such transaction, if
nothing of the kind occurred" IL tell you was
bad in my mind, and | wanted to get back to
Ireland SO | told tho story" "lou did not ike
the army. did youl" No" And you wanted
to get out of it aud go TO ireland, aud told this
strange storyl' "ies, when ! was bad in my
mind"
There is certainly much mystery connected
with this affair. The details which he gave in
his confession, the namc of the victim, the plnco
where the deed was perpetrated, tho motive, &c.
appear too straight forward for mn insane man,
aud seem TO Indicate either actual guilt n
shrewdness and calculation capable of feigning
insanity.
There Is one circumstance connected with the
affair which may have significance. When tho
officer first visited him at Governors Island. he
promptly denied having committed the deed and
assured them that he wrote tho letter to the Chief
of Police in one of the fits of mental arrangement
to which he is subject. Yet the letter seemed to
be written in II calm deliberate mauner-in II
firm hand. 1t simply informed the Chief in
business like manner, that if he waited
by the officers he would give them Information
concerning murder.
Now is this had been deliberate plan to get
out Of tho army, we'll considered aud matured,
the supposition is that he would not have denied
it, ms that denial ght defeat his entire plnns:
and his denial would seem 10 Indicate either
halluonaton from guilt, or mental arrangement
from some cause.