Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-06-15
THE EXPERIENCE OF A MURDERER.

The Northern press is filed with sicken-
ming details the recent execution Of PRoBsT,
the murderer of the DEERTNG family. A
more heartless murder is seldom found in
the calender of crime The following ex-
tract from his confession exhibits the great
depravity of his nature:
"PRoRsT expected to realize fully one
thousand dollars by the robbery of Mr..
DEERING. When asked if the murder was
a sudden and irresistible impulse, growing
out of the desire for gain, he refused to avail
himself of that plea, and said no, he had de-
termined on the murder the evening pre-
vious, and perfected his plans during the
night. When asked if revenge had any,
thing to do with the motives of the crime,
he answered in the negative. The DEER
INGs had always treated him tolerably well,
and he killed them simply because he
wanted to obtain the money which he
thought they possessed"
PRoBsT says that after the butchery was
completed, he experienced a feeling ofthOr-
ough appreciation of his crime while search
ing the house. He had expected 10 obtain
a thousand dollars, and lie realized $l7.15,
four dollars of which proved TO be counter
feitl The failure of the reward he had
hoped for and expected, brought with it a
horror of the deed he had committed. He
felt a conviction that he would be discovered
and hanged, and stood for some time with
Mr. DEERING's revolver poised in his hand,
and hesitating whether or not he should des-
troy his own life. He finally determined to
brave it out, and he went on with his prepar-
tons for leaving the place. He said it was
when he started away from the deSolote home
that the full horror of his situation came
over him.
When it was urged upon the murderer by
our informant that the little baby could not
have harmed him, OF interfered with his
purpose of robbery, or exposed his guilt,
had he suffered il 10 live, he replied; 1T may
seem absurd for a man guilty of the crimes
which | have committed to say so, but
killed the babe from merciful motives. |
knew that the DEERINGs had no visitors, and
that il would probably be several days before
the murder was discovered, and | could not
bear the thought of the poor child lying
screaming and furnishing, so | thought 1t
best TO kill it." 1t will be remembered that
before he left the scene Of the murder he
gave the cattle large supply of hay and fed
the chickens. What strange compound ?
When asked if he had told the truth
concerning the Sl20 that were said 10 have
been in Miss DoLAN's pocket-book, he rea-
soned that he would not have been SO fool
ish As TO deny paltry theft when he was
willing 10 confess sucha terrible crime. He
said that after he had killed her he took
the wallet from her pocket, and found that
it contained but $500, which he took. He
saw nothing of the larger sum, and there is
no doubt but he told the truth.
PRoBsr said that when the bloody work
was completed, his horror and remorse be-
came almost insupportable. To use his own
words, he tried TO get away from himself"
He plunged into vile dissipation, as is
known, and while he lived in constant ex-
peciation Of being arrested, he almost
wished for the event Life had become in
supportable TO him.