Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1860-07-05


N. J., last Friday, for the murder of Isaac
H. Gordon. The following is the murder
ers
CONFESSION:
It was in the afternoon on the 18th OF
October, 1859, while Isaac Gordon and l
were sitting upon the stoop Of the Mont
vile Tavern, and he was telling me about
his money, that the evil thought instiga-
ted by the devil, and tie liquor l had been
drinking, first came into my mind, and l
said within myself, old fellow, 1 will way
lay you, and have the money. l thought
at the same time of the knife he carried.
I started on towards Boontown, he soon
followed. 1 met J. M. Van Duyne and
Peter Van Drof, also John J. Norris and
Miss Farrand. l pulled up stake nea,
the saw mill, carried it little ways, and
threw it down.. Isaac H. Gordon came
up. A faint struggle was in my heart
We walked or together until we reached
the little wood. could see no more. On
reaching heap of stones by the road side,
picked up one, my heart failed me,
threw it down. Satan then said to me,
go ahead, you never. will be found out,
here's your place; lifted another, said
nothing, and threw it with allsmy might.
1t struck him just back of the ear. He
fell upon his face on the ground. 1 seized
him, and threw him over the fence. l
picked up his dinner pail, cap, knife, and
some bread, and hurried over the fence my
self. I picked him up under one arm, and
with the pail in the other hand, l took
him about forty yards behind some bushes,
laid him down, took his knife from the
pail, and while be was insensible, to make
sure work of it, l cut his throat. As l
was rifing his pockets, 1 heard people
passing in the road. They could not see
me, nor them. l thrust my fingers into
the pocket book, and whatever found
stuck in my pocket, and put the pocket
book back into his pocket. What has be-
come of the money I know not; I have
never seen it since.
l then came out to the road. I saw
blood upon my leg, and said to myself
there is death mark against me. Istoop-
ed down in the road, rubbed my hands in
the dirt, and locked to see if there were
marks of the body. saw none. At this
time John ]. Norris came up from toward
Montyille. My hat blew off, I picked it
up and started for Boontown. Mr.. Norris
drove past me, when his hat blew off. 1
picked it up, and stepping towards him
with my guilty looks, handed it to him.
He asked me to ride. 1 said no, am GO
ing to take the tow-path at the bridge. As
l passed up the ow-path the thought of
the death mark upon my leg was upon my
mind, | must make way with the oyeralls.
1 shifted the things from the pockets, and
think put them in my pantaloons or coat
pocket. Whatever became of the money
| took from Isaac H. Gordon l do not
know. Nor do know the amount.
When little above the lock / went
down by the side of tew-path and stripped
of my oyeralls. Some one passed as I
went there. I rolled them up, and walked
up the tow-path. When near John Ty-
ior's house, rolled stone up in them and
threw them into the canal. I passed on
to the United States Hotel. After being
at II. B. Macey's store awhile, 1 got into
the band wagon and rode home by the
way Of ]. P. Doremus. E
went into the house and gave my wife
some onions and candles that had got at
Macey's store. I then took a bottle and
went up to the tavern, and Isaac Provost
filled it with liquor. Staid there awhile |
and went home. sat the bottle of whis-
Ky inside the door, and went over TO JON
athan Provosts' store for paper of tobac- |
CO. As went home l picked up the bot
tie of whisky, took it up stairs and sat it
on the table. | sat down, looked guilty
ate no supper. Took a drink of whisky
10 quiet my guilty conscience and nerve
me for the job I had on hand. 1 then
went to the closet and slipped bit of can
die into my pocket, unknown to my wife.
I turned around and took up the bottle,
when my wife said: "What! have you got
to drink again before you go to bed?" 1,
started for the door-she demonstrated with
me, and asked me if I was not going to
bed, sYes, but must 60 out first" 1t was
now between ten and eleven O'clock
- Weut qulctiy uoWu SldlrS 10 lne lower
room, struck a light and searched my
clothes for theill-gotten plunder. search
ed every pocket but could find nothing. /
cursed myself and wondered what had be-
come of the money. I blew out the light
and quietly left the house and went up the
road. In passing the tavern heard talk
ing; did not stop, my business was not
there this time. 1t was quite dark. 1
saw no one. walked very fast till came
to the little woods. l then struck light,
but it was blown out in getting over the
fence. OnI went, feeling my way through
the dark, until I stumbled over the lifeless |
body of the poor old man that 1 had so
inhumanly murdered.
l again lit candle to find his things,
but was SO alarmed and trembled so with |
fear, that l found nothing but his dinner
pail and hat, and by the handkerchief he
wore around his neck I dragged him to the
fence. l there left lis body and took the
dinner pail and hat to the bars beyond the
big rock. I returned, reached through the
fence and dragged the body through: put
it on my shoulder and passed on; the tbo't
came TO take him to the sand-hol instead