Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1857-08-27
New Series---Vol. IL, No. AZ.

My razor is at Long Pond-at least left it
there. l never shaved myself while there,
meaning Dunlelth,) or nywhere, until was
taken to the prison. May God Almighty
nave mercy On him.
Rumbold said here that there was not much
the matter with Noreross, but there he said
he was dying man, as man now in this
yard lMr. Williams, Postmaster at Dunleith,l
knows. lie rode to the depot in the wagon
with the trunks, and did not walk up with
Mr. Eaton He was not able to walk, as
swern by Eaton, which was positive false
hood.
Another gentleman was here from some
mills down the eountry-I den't remember
his name-the sled man. never saw him,
or rode upon his sled or ON anybody's L
hope | may never see the Kingdom of lIeaV-
en- if ever | rode on his sled, or any sled after
| left Altoona, until got ON tie other side Of
when / rode on a sled fifteen
miles with the landlord Every word that
man spoke was a positive falsehood-not a
word of truth--but may God Almighty bless
him-may he be prepared to 60 to Heaven
but he can't unless he repents, or any OF
them. | tell you as true American, they
are not men-they have no hearts or princi-
pies of men, and are no Christians. But /
forgive them all. i am here an innocent man,
care not what the world says. tell you
as dying man, nay fellow citizens Of the
United States, | would rather die than trana-
pie upon the laws Of any country. The rope
is around my neck, and there is my cefin,
6at / aeoer murdered Norcross. HOPE New
Err MAY SEE GoD IF | DID! | know this is sol
emn talk, but / know that | am innocent 1t
is disgraeeful death, but if all the innocent
blood that has been shed were drawn into q
ha To tba fa1c
hearted meA who swore false. Fellow citi-
zens, there were men who came in here and
swore to lies that they. might get something
from Blair county. What would your opin-
ion be of such men who would swear link
after link to take your life away2 Can you
say they are Christians, or true-hearted Amer
leans? May Ged Almighty have mercy on
them! They are my murderers! They arc
the men who got the rope about my neck
they are the murdcrers, and not me.
a gentleman from Altoona came here to
the Court, and said McKim took breakfast
with him. This is not so, as | can prove to
his teeth by a man now on the scafold. |
never was at Fleck's, fellow citizens. got
my breakfast at gentleman's who scorned
the idea of coming into the Court House and
swearing my life away. Here he gave an
accurate description of Kearney and Kear-
ney's house, whore he said he breakfast on
the morning of the murder May God Al
mighty bless him and save him. But he
can't be saved without he repents. lie knows
that he is one of my murderers.
l am true American citizen, and will not
haul down my colors-I would rather prefer
death. l am an innocent man, and do not
fear death. | will surrender to what is right,
but will never surrender to what is wrong. !
am going to be launched into eternity, and
must 60 to heaven or to hell, if | am guilty.
l am going home to sweet Jesus. ] am sure
| am going to heaven. | am standing here
an innocent man. | know, fellow citizens,
you do not believe this, according to the evi-
dence in the Court, and | do not blame you,
but | will contend for my rights.
1 was born in Chester county, near the As
mile stone, on the Philadelphia and Lancas-
ter turnpike, on the farm of Jos. Paxton.
don't deny my county, though there are those
mere from it. 1t was at that house my moth
er gave birth to me, though it were better she
never had | never done netting TO fetch me
here; those who swore false stand charged
before God as my murderers Amt got c,
right to speak? | say nothing, as dying
man, but what is true. / know that | can
not convince you of my innocence but that
does not make it 50. / don't stand before the
eyes of God murderer. ] ,ell you as dy-
ing man, fellow citizens, that / did not muir
der Samuel Townsend Norcross, neither do |
know how he came by his death.
Fellow citizens, | am true American, and
| have fought and bled for my country, and
was wounded in the United States Army. /
have pressed forward with the flag Of my
country to the muzzles of cannsns, among
| bayonets, and have carried the flag in tri-
umph. Now l am here to die dishonorable
| death. But | know am not murderer. ]
| have been dragoon in the United States ser
vice, and was wounded. I do not boast of
that, but it is a dishoaorable death am about
to meet. l was private, but was promoted
to sergeant major. | have been with Gen.
Scott and Harney, and Lieut.. Jenkins. They
all know me, and know that anl an honora-
BILE man, and would not cut a mans throat
with a razor, or beat out his brains with u
club.
As dying man, with the coffin before him
knowing that | will 90 to hell if / lie-I
say | believe in my billie. My aged mother
taught me to read it and to believe in it. /
always prayed. You know how she feels.-
She knews I was one who never would give
| way to wrong. God don't call upon me to
confess, and the reason why is because an,
not guilty. / amt the murderer of Samuel
Townsend Nercross, neither do / know how
he came to his death. Because the world is
down on me, is that any reason why should
confess to a murder never committed?
care nothing for the world care noi
what the world says; disregard all. 1t is
my candid belief that some person else will
yet suffer for the murder of Norcross, for
hold that murder will not lay. Mark me
Mr.. Hammond, you will some day find eur
my innocence.
/ 60 in for hanging murderer, but net al
innoeent man. repeat to you that the wit
nesses ccme in and swore against me as if i
was song"
The prisoner then went on, oxoneratin2
his counsel, who, he said, had done thoil
duty also, the jury, Judge, and officers
He continued: