Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1865-08-18
Murders.


- Confession of the Murderer.-Albert
L. Starkweatter was visited in Jail al
Hartford, Wednesday afternoon, I'd inst,
by chief of police Chamberlin of that city,
and James Campbell of Manchester, the
father of the young lady to whom Albert
was engaged to be married, and after
some questioning, confessed the whole
crime. He said that he butchered his
mother and than bis sister, with the axe,
and afterwards to make certain of his
fiendish job, repeatedly plunged his butch
err knife into their Threats and bosoms
winding up the deed of horror by setting
the bed on fire, and then his own bed
He declared that his object was to get the
money and property so that he could
marry his betrothed, as she had refused
to marry him until his debts were paid
He exclaimed to Mr.. Campbell, 81 did
it out of love for your daughter, and moth
ing else. felt that | must have that
money, for without it she wouldn't marry
me and got the money" In the letter
" MI. Campball found upun StarKweath-
er's person on the day of his arrest, he
said he was now in condition to marry
Miss Campbell, as be had succeeded,
through forgery, in getting the money to
the amount of $4,000, and it also stated
that he was "about to commit an afro
cious -" leaving the intended crime
unnamed. The forgeries alluded to are
believed to have never been committed,
and his counsel will claim this letter as
proof of the prisoners insanity, the only
defense which can now be attempted
The plea of guilty will doubtless be in
troduced at the Justices examination, and
the case without formality sent up TO the
Superior Court for trial. Starkweather
is believed to have had some connection
with poisoning case at Manchester some
months ago, as we'll as with an incendiary
fire, but of this there is only slight cir
cumstautial evidence.
THE DEATH OF BILLY MULLIGAN.-I
The news of the violent death of this des-
perado has been received by telegraph
from San Francisco, California. We
learn from our exchanges from that city
that on Thursday, July 6, MulIigan, who
was mad from deirium tremens, went to
the police office and asked protection from
the Vigilance Committee, who he i'm
agined were after him. He was let out
next morning and went to the St. Fran
els hotel, where he fired at a Cbinaman
out ofan upper window. The police went
to apprehend him, but he locked himself
in and threatened to shoot any one who
should make the attempt. He fred at
one policeman and missed him. The Of
ficers then went off and an associate OF
Mulligan named John McNab, went up
to his room door to pacify him, when
Mulligan shot and MORALLY wounded him.
In the afternoon Mulligan opened his
window and fred into the crowd Of peo>
pie in the street in front of the hotel, and
shot John Hart and killed him Instantly.
There was no apparent possibility of cap
turing Mulligan only at the risk of more
life, and it was planned that his passion
for liquor should do for him what phys
ical agency was not capable apparently
of doing. A proposition to give him
liquor was made and he accepted it, but
was wary, nevertheless, and kept the
man who brought the potation under
cover of his pistol until it was within his
reach. This scheme was civ
en- up and it was determined to shoot him
down when ever chance presented it
self, and a police force, armed with rifles,
was provided for that purpose. We copy
from the San Francisco Morning Call, of
the 9Th ultimo., the conclusion of the
"After waiting for some time, perhaps
a half-hohr after the men were posted
with their rifles, the report Of a gun, COM
ing from the opposite side of Clay street,
startled the crowd; but it was at first
that the firing was either pre-
or misaimed, and the vast crowd
were about to settle down on this concIu-
sion, and to look out for more favors from
Muligan, when member of the police {
corps passed down Clay street, carrying ,
his rifle, and gave the information that
they had nothing more to fear from Null
Iigan. This announcement caused gen.
eral rush from the front steps of the hotel
Every one was anxious to see the dead
monster; but, as necessity, the crowd ,
was excluded-only officers and some
others whom it was deemed proper to adj \
nit were allowed access to the scene of
Mulligan's death. Ascending the first
light offs stairs, the body was found stretch