Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1866-04-28
THE PHILADELPHIA MASSACRE.
.4rresi ofthe Murderer-his Confession.

.4rrest ofths Mrdsrer-his Confession
The Philadelphia papers Of Friday and
Saturday last were filed with The horn.
hle details Of the murder Of the Desring
family in that city last week. An addl'
lionsl victim TO The horrible tragedy was
discovered on the morning Of The lth
insr., the body Of hired boy named
Cornelius Casey, being found under The
hay slack. His head had been crushed
with hammer, and his throat was cut.
The victims now number eight persons,
viz: Mr.. Desring. his wife. his four
chIldren, his niece, young woman about
25 years old. and the hired boy Casey.
The eldest chilJ, Willie Desring, aged
10 years, is The only survivor OF the fam
lily, who happened 10 be absen, from
home. spending few days with his
grandfather.
Last Friday morning The hired man,
Antoine Probsl, was arrested on .dsrkel
street, PhiladeI phis, and he confessed his
guilt. but endeavo:ed to imphcaIe an un-
known party. The prisoner was seen
walking, and from The minute description
Of him that had been furnished the police,
was al once recognized. The officer ma.
king The arrest said 10 the accused, ~ on
are German" His reply was. mo |
am not, am Frenchman." He went
with The policeman TO the station house,
where he was searched. and several rings
and purse found on his person, which
were identified as belonging 10 Mrs.
DesriDg, deceased.
The intelligence spread like wildfire
through tie city, and the vicinity ot the
prison in which The murderer was conhn-
ed was soon crowded with excited per
sons. At one time the rage Of the crowd
was a, fever heat. and .f they could have
GOT possession Of the wretch the ptoba.
bii,ies are that an execution would have
been exiemporized; but better cOunsels
prevailed, and all seemed satisfied that the
legal course was The best. The result Of
which is given in the following account
from the Philadelphia Ledger:
At the examination Mrs. Dolan idpn'i.
fed some of The clothing worn by The
prisoner as being the properly of Mr..
Desring and recognized him TO be "An.
tome" the hired man named Probsi. An
tome did not mske any remark al The
time about the murder, but when the Of
icers had taken him down Stairs and
were again searching him. he in reply To
a question, remarked that he had killed
The boy, Cornelius, but did not kill The
family Of Mr.. Uearing; that German
whom lie afterwards described, had done
il all.
The prisoner was afterwards taken 10 a
photograph gallery, which led 10 an in
tense excitement that would. no doubt,
have resulted in dea!h 10 him h,J not a
large police force accompanied him. Five
excellent negatives were taken, and the
interest manifested by the public "ss
shown in the great desire TO obtain copy
Of the picture. An Offor was made 10
follow The prison van as il was being
driven of. but The officers resOIuIely kept
The crowd back. The prisoner, though
morose and unsociable, has not bad
counienspce. His complexion is light.
eyes blue gray, and his mousische OF
yellowish tint. He is tall and muscular,
and bu, for his sioop and down,cass look
would make a good appearance.
AT an interview with The mayor, in his
private office. Antoine stalled that he had
been honOrsbly discharged from the Fifth
Pennsylvania Cavalry, and lost his rghr
hand thumb in The service. He conles.
sed that he had murdered the boy Come
Ius, near The hayslsk, but stated that the
other murders were perPeIraled by an
other man named Jacob Gsunter. He
said that this man Gauuier came To MIR.
bearings place on Friday, the day before
The murder, and had FIVE bottles of whis.
Ky, which they drank while making ar
engagements for numbering the family. He
(he prisoner) 60. quite upsy. 1t was f.
na!ly agreed between them that he Probsl)
was to make way with the boy, and
Gaunter the rest Of the family. The
agreement was that all we're 10 be knock
ed in the head with an axe; and their
rhruats cui. Gsunler slept Id the barn on
Fridsy night. and on Saturday, morning.
Probsl. according TO agreement. got The
boy near the haytick and killed him with
The axe. In the meantime Gaunler was
preparing for his bloody work. PrcbsI
went 10 The house and told Mrs. Desring
that man was al The barn and desired
work. and wished her 10 60 10 him and
show him what TO DO. She accordingly |
went, and was there murdered by GsUn-
Ter. The children, excep, the baby. were