The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-07-13
A MURDERER'S CONFESSION.


On tho 24th Of March, Is68-HOw the
MurdeY was Committed - He Desires
his Confession NOS Published Till After
his Death.
By invitation OF Sheriff Nicola we were pre-.
sent in the County Jail at o'clock yesterday
E4ternoon, to hear the confession OF Alexander
Mcconnell, the murderer of Rosa Colvin, on the
1fth OF March last, and sentenced to be hung on
the 10th OF August 1866
There we're several gentlemen in attendance
including M. s. Castle, Esq, the Prosecuting
Attorney, Sheriff Nicola, Deputy Sheriff Ridg-
way, reporters of the Leader and Herald and
one or two jurors who sat on the trial. McCon-
nell shows signs OF deep, heartfelt contrition,
and often choked with emotion while making
the appended statement He seems to have no
hope OF commutation, and talks of his approach
ing doom with a sigh OF half despair and half
resignation. To Mr.. Castles interrogatlons Nc
GOnnell made the following conession:-
My name Is Alexander Mcconnell. j am 50 or
36 years old, don't know which; was born in the
county OF Tyrone, Ireland; came To America l6
yeats ago on the Sth OF July last, and landed IN
Ottawa. ] was married in the township of Fitz-
roy, Carrolton county, Canada West thirty
miles from Ottawa My wife was widow with
six children when married her. We have had
three children. have always been farmer. /
left my home to come here in February last
came directly TO Cleveland; staid one week
in the city, and then went to Berea to work.
| haze sand to some persons that | came
away on account OF difficulties at home, but
il Is not so. ! owed man the sum OF $l2,
and he threatened TO sue me. came to earn
the money to pay him. (Here Mcconnell was
overcome by his feelings and wept) When /
started with GOWN to go to Berea on the morn
ing of the Gath of March last, did not intend
10 60 all the way. intended to turn back and
60 to the shanty There was no one at the shanty
when got there. l took Colvin's clothes aud
boots and lett my own in the bed. / then
started for the railroad, past era Words in-
tending to go by Elyria wesGward-the way /
came. On the way to the railroad track, |
met Rosa Colvin in Egler's lot | kept on.
explaining to her that l had Colvin's things
TO carry them to him; that he was going
was going too We went on about hall way up
the lane by Clodells house, when told her that
If Colvin didn't get his things he would not go
to Cleveland; that was tired, and we would go
back to the shanty-I having bethought me that
1t wouldn't do to tell the other story. We then
went back to the shanty by Eglers. After laying
the clothes down and she seeing them, she said
she didn't believe was going to see her husband
AT all. didn't know what 10 say. | confessed
then to her that was going home TO Canada. She
SAID, "Have you been robbIng the house?n said
no, was taking some of Colvin's clothes, and
leaving some of mine In their place, l then
SAID l would take my own and go home. |
had none OF his clothes on then. She snatched
mp the iron poker, and, placing herself IN the
door, said should not go till william got home.
1 insisted that l would go. She said she would
go and call the neighbors. / got my own clothes
and started to go ont OF the door, when she
struck me over the arm with the poker. laid
down the clothes and think struck her then
with my list. 1t knocked her down. She got
up and struck at me; am not sure il she struck
me or not. l seized stick of wood and struck
her-l think on the back of the head; she fell
she Jumped up and struck me over the head
with the poker. l staggered back against
the wall, seized an axe and struck her
Oh the head-one blow. She died instantly.
When struck her the blow with the stick
which think cut her ear. As she fell the last
lime took her in my arms; | was alarmed, aud
said, MY God, have killed you!" (The pri-
soner here wept bitterly and could not speak for
some moments.) Then did not know what to
do; thought l had killed her in my passion,
and did not know what would become OF me.
went outside of the shanty and stood there a
little while, then came back into the shanty
and carried her to the woodplie. This was be-
tween IL and II o'clock in the forenoon, as near
as i can tell. After carrying her out l
cam came l9ac back into the shanty While I
two Spears passed close by the house. l
heard them talking, and saw them from the
shanty. She was at the time buried under the
wood. AS soon as they had gone to dinner, 1
again packed up the goods and started. | then
went past the Crawtords house to the railroad,
taking the track westward, and walked to Elyria.
There took the O'Clock train for Sandusky.
l arrived at Sandusky little before dark, and
stayed at hotel all night; started on Monday
morning about halt-past O'Clock on foot, for
Fremont, arriving there about halfpast or 10
In the forenoon. There took the IL o'clock
Adlu w AOlcuO, anu hcpl Oh 10 DeITOlI.
then crossed to Port Sarnia, and took the
Grand Trunk road home.
In twenty minutes or half an hour after /
struck Rosa Colvin the last blow, took her
body out and deposited it under the wood pile.
held her in my arms good while, expecting
her to come to; was not conscious when I
dropped the dress which I had wrapped around
her. Alter had deposited the boGy under the
wood l came back into the house and mopped
mp the blood. did place the heavy logs of wood
over her feet. II was not more than fifteen
minutes from the time l struck her the first
blow till struck her the final blow with the
axe. The money that was claimed to be lost,
and the watch and Mrs. Colvin's clothing, /
never saw and deny taking. God Almighty
knows am sorry for the deed have done, and
hope to be forgiven. The foregoing statement
] make voluntarily, and have desired Sheriff
Nicola and Mr.. Castle, the Prosecutor, to be
present with other gentlemen to hear 1t and take
it down.
Mcconnell is not able to write, though he can
read little. We make no comments upon his
confession, except that 1t is doubtless truthful
and made through sincere repentance. When
the confession was concluded Mcconnell gave
way to his feelings, and, weeping, was conducted
OF IeprieVe, and seemed thankful that Christian
counsel had been rendered him. He begged that
his confession might not be published till alter
his death, bnt on being told that it might benefit
his cause, he consented.
Miss Rebecca Mcconnell the prisoners sister,
is engaged IN circulating petition among his
friends in Canada, praying the Governor of this
State that the sentence may be commuted to
mprisonment.-Ute UteUetaRd Leader, llh.
THU HAUCEMAN MTTRnER