Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-04-06
0Ortester @aiIp Spy.
THE DAILY spy.
A Most Abandoned william.

house of Mercer county, N. j., in the city of
Trenton, in accordance with the sentence
passed upon him for the murder of Mr. James
Rowand, jewcller, in Princeton, on the night
of November ID, 1862. At nine o'clock yes
terday morning the city of Trenton was all
excitement, caused by the marching of mill
tary companies who were preparing to guard
the court house during the execution of Lew
is, and the arrival in town of large numbers
of strangers from the country who had gone
thltheS to see the hanging. Thousands of
people crowded the street in front of the build
ing bat without being able to crafty their Gu
riOsity beyond the assurance from visitors
from within that the murderer was hanged
dead. The housetOpS and chmneys in the
neighborhood of the court house were covered
by persons who commanded a view of the
gall0ws.
Lewis, as he called himself, had grown gray
IN Mime 1t appears that about twenty
years ago, when he was known by his own
name, Charles W. Simonds, he was engaged
IN a cracker bakery, in RoXbury, MasSachu-
sets lie there accidentally got his left hand
into machine, and he carried the mark left
by the wound, to his death. He was under
stood to have been born in Manchester, New
Hampshire. When his career in crime COM
menced, is not definitely known, but he was
one OF the most unmeasured Williams that ever
lived About twelve years ago, he kept ho-
tel at Hudson, N. Y, where murder and
robbery had been committed, and in order to
conceal the crime he burned down the build
ing. lie was subsequently arrested and kept
in prison for about fifteen months pending the
trial GA a charge of arson, when he was ac-
quilted lie then received the insurance
money, amounting to $4,000. While he was
keeping the hotel referred to, he was in the
constant habit Of making raids into the coun-
try, robbing houses, and in order to fasten
suspicion upon poor people, would throw
bundles OF worthless articles into their houses
His wife has not seen him for the last six
years. She resides in Brooklyn has one
child, girl about eight or nine years of age
Another child died while Lewis was undergo
ing a term Of imprisonment in Massachusetts
Tor crime com 9!tted in ROxbury. Lewis
was well known N several of the gambling
hanuts in this city, and boosted of having
stopped the wind Of many hungry devil
who growled about losing his money" He
was, according to his own story, well acquaint-
ed with DR.. Heryey Burdell and Mrs. Cum
nngham was in company with DR.. Burdell
on the evening Of his murder, and had seen
him with pile of money in a Bowery
gambling house. About that time Lewis went
a-missing, and no more was seen of him un-
til the 18th OF June, 1862, just after his re-
lease from the state prison at Auburn, where
he had served Il term of five years for COM
hitting burglary in Albany. He next turns
up about the time stated in New York, in pos
session Of $4,000 in gold $40 pieces, which
he was anxious to convert into government
bonds. He said he never had an accomplice
in his crimes, his reason being that they al
ways wanted to go halves, and were likely to
''peach' upon him.
In recent conversation with one of his
counsel, in the hearing of one of the deputy
Sheriils at Trenton he admitted that he knew
more about the murder of DIR. Burdell than he
would divulge. In his trunk was found
pocket handkerchief marked "Chas. J. Ketch-
am" 1t may be remembered that a shirt,
marked with the same name, was found in
bloody condition in the attic closet of the
house of DR.. Burdell, the day after the Bond
street tragedy. Those who know the most
about Lewis, believe the handkerchief to have
come from the same place, and to have be-
longed to the same owner. The theory es-
tabllShed on the trial of Mrs. Cunningham,
that Burdel was killed by left-handed per-
son, is also reconcilable with the left handed
habits of Lewis He was seen chopping wood
at Milestone with his lett hand and the evil
dence on the corOner's inquest on the body of
Nj. Rowand, showed the blow to have been
struck by lett.handed man, on the presump-
ton that it was struck from behind and Lewis
with his left hand.
No doubt is entertained by those who have
been in closest communication with him since
his imprisonment, that he was the murderer of
DIR. Burdell, as well as Of others before and
since. He said that when he ''traveled on
Mississippi steamboats,, if any poor devil who
lost his money by gambling said a word, he
was soon done for, and fellow could make a
$4,000 at a pop down there" He was mar
riAii I,t.t D,,r1 dali
murder he drew a revolver on his wife, threat
ening to shoot her if she would not give up
his little girl, now living. To save her own
life and that of the girl, she told him that the
child was dead. From that moment he had
not been seen by either his wife or his child
When asked if he would accept a respite ow-
ing to the day of his execution falling upon
Good Friday, he replied ''No Cd d-n it,
no, intended to leave Jersey on Friday, and
I'm bound to leave it on Friday" Yesterday,
Mr.. EdTin James and Mr.. Dunphy, his coun-
sci on his trial, who have been exceedingly
attentive to him since his sentence, saw him
for the last time. The following conversation
took place between Mr.. James and the doomed
prisoner:
Mr.. James-I have come to see you for the
last time, and to ask you if you are DESTROYS
Of making any provision for your child Your
wife and little girl called upon me last night
to ask that should see you to this purport.
LewlS-lts - - nonsense, l have no
wife; my wife died in New Orleans.
MIR. James-Lewis, hold in my hand your
wiTe'S daguerreotype, and Photographic like
ness Of your child
Lewis-Thats the - who brought
me to this. My wife is a and
my child Is -; - my wife, and -
my child.
This was his dying message to his wife and
daughter His language to the officers who
have had him in charge since his sentence
has been uniformly indecent and wicked he
You'd all precedent. When asked Yesterday
if Methodist minister, Mr.. Monroe. MIGHT
pray by him before execution he said :-stHe
may if he likes; l don't care Il d-n;" and
while prayer was being offered lie sat in
chair in the most unconcerned manner. He.
walked to the gallows with the same ease that
he used to walk into court during his trial
Not a nerve in his powerful frame seemed to
pail in view of the awful penalty he was about
to pay for his crime
He failed to make one sympathizing friend
during his whole Imprisonment. Indeed he
invited no sympathy, but embraced every OPP
porunity OF repelling friendly approach. His
language was exceedingly offensive, so much
so that in what has been quoted of his CONVEX
sation with his counsel, dashes are inserted
for the abomnabe words he used. Although
he made no formal confession of his crimes