The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-05-13
A Kascal,s Confession.

We some days ago published an account of 4
fellow who married o young lady at Palmyra,
New York, and then abandoned her. She had
been corresponding with, and became engaged
to man in the army named SANFORD, and
married this fellow who represented her cor
respondent. AS this was his second marriage,
he pleaded guilty to the indictment for bigamv
and upon being sentenced made the following
statement:
The prisoner Not exactly why the sentence
of the law should not be passed upon me, but
l wish to make few remarks respecting the
ladies to whom was married. | state to the
court and to all the world, that these ladies
were respectable, honest, industrious girls.
The first one | married with the intention of
living with her, taking care of her, and of
making her my wife and making myself
home; but as the devil sometimes does enter
into q mans heart, through misdemeanor."
or otherwise, l got to drinking; and at the
| same time being a deserter from the United
| States general service. for which l was likely
| to be arrested; and for that reason fied-not
| because wanted to get rid of my wife, but to
get rid of the penalty for desertion, which at
| that time was death.
with company and other soldiers, l got to
| drinking; and when I went to the house of
| Miss Miller. / had not the least intention of
| marrying the girl at all. After while the
| subject was spoken of. and she said to me she
| believed l was the Mr.. Sanford with whom
she was corresponding at Albany, and asked
me if it was so, and told her l was. At that
| time she had the photograph of the original
Sanford, She asked me if / belonged to the
! army, and I said l did. The wedding was
finally set and we were to be married on Tues
day evening. The agreement was made on
mother, and sister; after this 1 said to her,
suppose you are marrying the wrong man,
| what would you say? She answered that if
she was marrying good man and an honest
one, it made no difference. On Tuesday even
ing we were married. In so doing, l ackDowl
edge that did very wrong, and have brought
girl into dishonor, and wish to take the whole
wrong upon myself.
After we were married. / said to Miss Miller
that nv name was Sanford, but of the Sanford
she talked to me about, knew nothing, at the
same time told her that was deserter from
the army. She said she would not tell her old
parents of this now; but after we had settled
down. and found that We were doing well, she
would tell them. l attended an evening re-
lgious meeting and they asked me if was
| member of their church, and said no but
| being asked to make some remarks, / did SO.
afterward told her was going to Canandai-
qua to give myself up, and did so, and the
Provost Marshal took me in custody and put
me in jail for ten days. This case was reported
to Mr.. Diven, and it was decided to deliver me
over to the civil authorities" In conclusion
| ne delivered a lecture to parents, cautioning
them not to let their daughters marry person
hey have known but few days-something
he intended to take home to himself if he ever
hereafter got into q position when he could
practice such good principles!
The Court said to the prisoner that on his
own statement he had been very vile
man--destitute of any principle of honor. He
had married an honest virtuous girl, and per-
haps with her knowledge and assent had en-
| listed in the United States army. and then
deserted the service, afterward decoying n
young, virtuous and respectable girl into a
marriage, thereby iniuring her deeply. This
conduct was criminal in the highest degree
and there was nothing to mitigate his Grimm.
atty. The Court regretted that he could not
punish him more severely. His sentence was
imprisonment in the State Prison at Auburn,
for the term of five years-the utmost limit of
the law.
The real SANDroRD has turned up, and both
he and the young lady are terribly put out at
this interruption of their romance.