Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1857-07-25
A Visit to McKim the Murderer.
His Conversation and Assertion Of His limo

His Conversation and Assertion Of His limo
The editor of the Lancaster Inland Daily
Times has been on visit TO Holiday ysburg,
Pa, and had an opportunity Of obtaining on
sentence Of death for the murder of Norcross.
We extract the following from the editors
account of the interview
| The room in which McKi i'm is kept through
the day, is an apartment about ten feet wide
by twelve, and is the principal room in the
Jail. Communicating with it in the cell where
he is confined at night. This is q small room
or closet about eight feet long and not much
more than five feet wide. Az the time Of our
visit, the door was open, and we bad good
view OF the whole arrangement made by the
Sheriff for keeping his prisoner securely.
! On our entrance we found McKim lying
upon cot with an open book in bis hand
lie appeared to be quite well, only little
pale. His leg was fastened to the floor by
strong chain, long enough to permit him to
move about freely in circle of about five
feet in each direction. On table in his
room were books, writing materials, and some
other articles, the whole appearance Of the
man aud the place indicating that he was
treated with all the leniency consistent with
formed he has never yet evinced any desire or
made any escape. No doubt he thinks that
any effort in this direction would be fruit.
less.
In answer to the question Of the keeper, as
to how he was getting along he said, every
we'll" We were then introduced, upon which
he greeted us with great cordiality, and with
the air of man well practised in the recep-
tion of company. After few common. place
remarks he alluded to his situation, and spoke
OF himself as man who by the force OF ad-
verse circumstances, was convicted with
crime of which be was entirely innocent. To
this we replied that his position was certainly
sad one, but We were glad to see that he
bore himself so well and manfully under a
condition Of affairs, calculated in our estima-
ttoD, to drive any man out Of his senses. To
this he answered, no man knew what he could
endure till he wac tried, adding that the con-
sciousness of innocense would sustain any
one under the most appalling circumstances.
In speaking OF his trial and other matters
connected with his arrest and conviction ne
made no complaint against any one, but pro-
tested very strongly that he was entirely in
nocent. One Of his expressions was
THE law has condemned me to death, and
] suppose shall have to suffer, but my exc
He afterward said he was not afraid Of
death, and that he should die as firmly as any
man, for the innocent did not fear death, with
much more, all tending towards the same
point. In the whole conversation he seemed
to have the idea of inspiring us with a belief
in his innocense continually in his mind. His
last sentence, when conversing on this sub
ject, was
"Mr. Goodall-I am innocent man, and If
you see me executed, as | have no doubt you
will, yon will see that shall say the same on
the scatFold"
lie then began to speak of the circumstan.
ces which led to his arrest, and Of his having
taken two women to Potlsville, of his taking
one Of Marcus Behmes girls along and of
Behme's following him there. While he was
talking of this he said:
at was gambling and this woman business
that has got me into all the trouble
He also said he had Travelled good deal, |
had lived in Boston, had been on the Missis-
sippi; that he had begun to gamble there,
and that it had been his ruin. At another |
time he said he had gambled in Lancaster
and Reading, that he had played with and |
been intimate with Marcus Behme, until that |
woman affair." of which he had before spoken; |
and that his wife and child had been to see
him two weeks ago.
or these persons he spoke in the highest
terms; said his wife was first rate woman,
good in every respect, and thoroughly reli- |
gious, and that she had never known OF any |
his misdeeds until this came upon her like a |
On this topic he spoke with much |
and feeling, and among other !
things said that his wife was not only good |
woman herself, but was Of good family, be- !
ing first cousin of Mr.. Broomall, of Della !
ware county, recently member Of the Le-
risature and a candidate for Congress.
MKim will be executed in the Jail yard, |
a small oblong enclosure Of about sixty by !
Iorty feet on Friday, the 2lst Of August next
probably without single person believing |
those vehement assuerations of innocence, |
which We have not the least doubt he will re-
iterate at the time.