Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-05-09
CONFESSION OF ANTON pRoBsr.
The Murder OF tsac Beerinz FamiIy-IEovg
the HOrrid Deed Was Done-NO Accom-
psice in the Bloody Work, &c,

psice in the Bio0Gy Work. tsc.
Anton Probst, the murderer of the Deering family,
near Philadelphia, on Monday last made frank
confession of having committed the awful deed and
that ho had no accomplice whatever
HOW THE HORRIBLE MURDERS WERE DONE.
That morning was dark, raining ard cold, and
Deering went to the cty then made up my mind
to do i that day; ! calculated to kill Deering as he
in the house or not; did not know whether he
had it.
THE KILLING OF THE BOY CORNELIUS
Me and the boy were working out on the bank we
went to work that morning about TX o'clock.
guess; MIR. Deering went up to the city before we
went out; he said he would he back about o'clock;
we went to work in the meadow about one hundred
yards from the hay stack; took the horse and cart
and went 10 work together; took with me to kill
him the axe the big axe for cutting roots out also.
We were standing under the big tree when killed
him. it was raining little; he sat down under the
axe in my hand; he sat there and talked of some
thing about work while l stood right behind him;
going to kill him. and drew my hand back three
or four tines hit him the le;t side of the head;
he did noe hOlleT; he fell down; | gave him one or
much (the prisoner stopped looked down on the ro-
sary, and his fingers the small beads OF the
rosary,) on the tree lifted him up aud put him
the cart he had the strap every time round him, to
keep his coat up; that was all in full view of Mr..
Wiles' house; was not afraid of them seeing me;
looked fIst; then drove the horse up, and lifted
him up, and laid him in the haystack, and covered
bin up with hays there was little blood tho cart;
took little hay and wiped it off, took some out
side hay and threw il over him.
ngTcHERY OF THE MOTHER AND LITTLE CHILDREN.
Then went, took the axe with me-, to the house,
and also took the horse with me; this about
fer 10 o'clock In the morning: came to the house
with the horse and cart and had little wood the
cart and put the wood down IN the yard; lett the
unhitch the horse; went into the stable and laid
the two axes and the hammer in the right
the left corner the narrow door that faces the
ditch; well, then would go over in the house and
had little blood on my pants; took hay and took
1T off; then went over in the house. and the child
were all in the house, and the woman was out at
the ditch for water.
! took the oldest boy, John is his name, and told
him to go in the stable and help me with some
thing had to do; he goes / stood inside the door
got my axe in my hand, the little axe, and then he
comes in; through the long entry first he comes right
the corner knocked him down and he fell inside
where the little blood was; he did not holler gave
him one or two of the same and cut and chopped his
throat brought him in, hauled him in through the
hole, and put little hay on him. then put the
to the same place at tue door then came out in the
something the matter with the little horse, the colt
| could not tie it myself.
L went oyer; she comes in two or three minutes,
alone; said nothing to her she comes in the sable
stood inside and struck her the head: she did not
holler; ! gave her two or three more blows. and
chopped her throat; took her on my shoulder and
hauled her in; had to crawl in first and then pull
her in then put the axe in the same place before
at the door.
Then ! go over and bring the boy over there;
Thomas is his name, the next oldest; told him to
come over; ms mother wanted hlmi ne sald notninE
same place; he walked before me- l walk ed behind
him; he walks right in the stable whom he comes
there killed him by striking him in the same place.
nobody did holer; hit Aim on the head when he
laid down; l hit, him once more; dc, not know
whether / mashed his whole skull iu | did not eG-
anime him; brought him in the same place with his
mother; then l left the in the same place.
THE LITTLE ONE
she did not say a word; then took the little baby
took it my arm the little girl walked alongside of
me- left the baby on the first corner as you go into
the sable left the little baby there playing in the
hay; then go in the same place where [ killed the
others; she looked around like her mother, WHO was
in the hay (sming); was not warm; she did not say
anything; knocked her down at the first blow, and
back and got the little baby and struck it on the
head in the same places then l hauled them in the
Then took the new axe and washed it of, and nut
it on the bench in the porch. and left the little axe
the stable, by the door on the left side; then went
into the house; took the horse out of the cart
and put it into the stable, then / went in the
house. and stayed there watching for him to come;
did not search the house then.
MURDER OF MR.. DESIRING AND MISS DoLAy.
guess about halspast one o'clock; do not know
the exact time; | saw him coming out of the win
dow looked through the window and saw him
coming, and went out down stairs and saw Miss Do
Ian in the carriage, and then was worried; then
go out of the house and stay outside until he come:
when he is come with the carriage stepped out to
there in the stable; old him he looks very bad: he
had better sce,him would like him to go over and
see him. then he comes right away; walking over
there; he left the horse standing there; Miss Dolan
Then went to the stable and walked behind him;
took the axe behind him in my hand 1 walked be-
hind him and hit him right On the head with the
small axe; he fell right down on his face; turned
him over and gave him one or two more on his head
and cut his throat and chopped his throat he
spoke to me said word he told was that steer
hurt very bad; he did not look so bai when | saw
him; will go right over to the barn and see him;
then put little hay over him and left him laying
there; killed him at the place where you go up to
the hay mound where the blood is on the boards
put little hay over him; going out put my axe in
DlaCe-tne small | ne
there.
house, said the hor. would not stay there; would
walk around and put the horse out of the carriage;
walked over there and said Mr.. Deering wanted to
see her over in the stable she asked where the
women and the children are; told her they all
in the stable sming that is all talked to her; she
walks right in the stable; took the hammer with
my left hand, and she five six feet inside the
door; hit her on the head with the hammer
and she fell right down on her face; turned her
round, hit her once in the head, and took the little
again and chopped her throat; then l went to
Mr.. Deering and took the watch and pocket book
from him and put them IN my pocket and then
went back to Miss Doan to see if she had money;
looked into the pocket and took pocket book and
put it into my pocket; after that took Mr.. Deerings
boots off, and laid him in the place whore you
found him. and put Miss Doan there, and covered
them up with hay.
THE ROBBERY OF THE HOUSE AFTER THE MURDERs
Then went out and shut to the doors went over to
the house, put the carriage and horse into the stable
and took the gears of him: gave the horses some
thing to eat oats, corn; then Shut the door; went
over to the house and put the carriage in its place in
the carriage house; this was about half past Ocock
cannot tell exactly what time; then went into the
house inside shut the door, and fastened the door;
took my pocket-book out to count the money; took
first the big pocket-bOok out Mr.. Deerng's pocket-
book; found ten dollars in it in greenbacks and
two two-doliar notes and counterfeit three-doar
note; that is all the money saw took Miss Doan's
pocket-book the little one opened it. and saw no.
thing in it but postage stamps; certain there was
mono in it, l will not now lie.
thought they had much money (laughng;) I left
the watch and pocket-book on the table, and went
up stairs; found pocket-book of Mrs. DeerinR's
that little one on the bed there, with a yellow
clasp it, it had 50 in it, in greenbacks and about
sxtyve cents in small change; under the bed there
was little revolver, loaded; | got down stairs
looked all over and cannot find more; took the
things. then | went up stairs and looked all over;
searched about but | cannot find any other thing
took the three shirts and pants and down stairs
and after that shaved myself with Deering's razor
the one in the carpet-bas; then washed myself and
dressed myself and put his clothes on; then eat
something, bread and butter.
l saw the big butcher knife the mantle piece
many time before, but / did not notice it that
time. and did not put it there then eat something
dread and butter), and went up stairs again. looked
all over again. and did not find anything; took all
| could in my carpet-bag down stairs Miss Dolan's
carpet bag, and packed it up and made it ready to
go away with; staid in the evening until or 81
O'Clock; it was not very dark then-abOut sunset;
did not then anybody coming through the yard;
had the doors locked, and the window, too, in the
yard; had nothing in the house to defend myself