Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-03-20
Confession Of Murderer-An Innocent
Man Hung.

, on Monday night of last week. a pegro
named George Orem, died at his home, !,
Baltimore. Previous to his death he mad,
confession acknowledging that he was
; murderer, and stated that nm innocen,
man had oeen hung for his cri ne. II,
confessed that he murdered the nogre
King, and that The negro Cyphus, who va,
hung as the guilty parto, was entirely in
noceit OF thescrime. Dram was attacked
with sickncss1some few weeks since. and
continued 10 grow worse until Mordo,
night when it became evident that he
must die.
During his illness he appeared much
distressed in mind, and when he found
that he would surely die, he called some
friends near him and made his confession
At the time the murder took place Orem
was engaged in selling Oysters through the
city, and King was in his employ. The
day previous Orem had a quarrel with
King, and the former then determined TO
take the latter's life Orem was also on.
gagged in butchering, and was in the habit
of carrying his butcher knife in his pooket
on the back part of his pantaloons. On
the night of the murder he placed his
Xnite IN this pocket and started for the
house in Wagon alley, where the tragedy
was enacted. When the difficulty com,
mencod, orem seized the first opportunity
to plunge the butcher knife into Kinc
killing him instantly. lie then made his
escape. The negro Cyphus was arrested
on the charge Of committing the murder.
From the moment of his arrest to the
minute previous to his exception he de-
MED his guilt The evidence on the trial
was that Of negroes only. One of IL G wit. |
ne1ses, known as Topsy, who s.w the
murder committed, stated that Cvphus
was not the man wLo did it. The same
statementw which she gave before the Jury.
she made on The night of the murder TO
several pe'sons who conversed with her.
She described the murderer as black
mar, heavily built.
pohlsruthe oth..,~ ...--1:.., r.. r,,>.'''~. ~
the murder. The girl Topsy was weak
minded and by some considered insane.
Her TESTIMONY was cast aside as unworthy
OF belief. she was in company with
negro on heIway to Kings hoase. The
negro Cyphu denied being in the vicinity
of the muda at the time it was commits
ted. and fey minutes before he ascendCd
the scalIold remarked to the writer OF
this article hat he was innocent Of the
charge and few years would prove his
innocence. His statement has proved TO
be true, and there is now no doubt that
he suffered leqth for crime which he
never ccmmitted.
Olem, the murderer, died on Monday
night, and the body has been buried.
Previous TO his death ! stated that he
had been much harrassed since he had
committed the deed. lie was unable TO
sleep, and it was only when weoried out
with toll and in some instances after
several nights Of re, tless wakeiulnesS, that
he was enabled TO sleep. Even thon, he
asserted, he was afflicted with horrible
dreams, in which the tragedy would he
re-enacted, and he would suffer the pains
of death for the crime. The image Of his
murdered victim followed him wherever
he went, day and night, and no doubt TO
q consider able degree fastened his death.
-Balimore paper,