Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1866-07-12

conveys but faint idea Of the interest and true
merit Of the narrative.
A WONDERFUL
tARRATIYE OF OLD ALEXANDRIA.
MURDER WILL OUT.
ALEXANDRIA, Va, Ju'y 10, 1856.
1dgcr Snoecden jr., esq,
DEAR SIR: The "Narrative Of John Trust,
:9hich | eoclosc, was handed me for publication
by an attache of one of the Spanish American
legations in Washington very shortly after the
close of March, 1859, with the request that |
2hould translate and publish it in some Alex
sndrs newspaper. My scant knowledge Of
Spanish compelled me to proceed slowly with
thc .ranslation meanwhile the political hori-
Gon clouded up, and twelve days after had
finished an English paraphase of the original
Fort Sumter was bombarded by the Carroll
mans. Very soon after the war stopped alike
lie thought and the opportunity of publication,
,ort aTaiied myself ofa leisure which it forced
luon me, to test the correctness Of the nara
ion, and owe it 10 candor to say that the
memories of older inhabitants, the newspaper
lies, and John Trusts narrative, given below,
1.e in perfect accord in respect to all the facts
mentioned likely to have come to public no.
ice, then Indeed, if the main facts which
trust relates-his arrival here, and the clrcum-
stances attending his wife death, in lSl6-the
murder of lS2l-and his re-appearance here in
1857, were not SuStainea by popular memory,
Oh the newspaper notices made at the time,
3hould have left the narrative unpublished.
have, in many cases, appended notes, showing
he local authority which corroEorates the mar
2atiye; for / do not intend that It's credlOlity
chell rest on my voucher, ,andin sending it to you
. distinctly avow that if proofs OF its credihl!l-
Y, are not found in the narrative itself and
he well known circumstances which it relates,
:>ey are found nowhere else
Very Truly, WM. T. CARNE.
*,7 SARaAYa Go AND CONFESSION OF JOHN
CHAPTER |.
:: ain au old man now, and feel the Icy hand
81 death grasping colder and colder about my
leart [ long to lay this weary body in its
mother earth, and TO let my jaded spirit, worn
nth lie struggle sleep, for awhile, beside
he eternal fountains. Yet before | 60 forth to
Judgment, I would write with fslteriug hand,
;he story of an erring existence, and Call up in
,he necromancy of imagination, even, as have
dcne 10 the necromancy Of art, the spirits OF the
buried hopes and loves that were the compan-
:ons of my young existence.
let none smile at these as dreams Of an old
i2an dotage; this body bent under the weight
.: ::flc" the years my age ought to carry; even
ne decreplt letters that record theseconfes
5lons bear witness for the record, and though
ne calm which is upon me now lily accords
,'ltn the experience relate yet, in the spirit
D. oeniteDce, submit it to the world, thank
Offering to the goodness that has delivered me,
cnd warning voice, raised up 10 season against
t:>e errinS powers, which, my past experience
caches, are soon to lead the world astray with
.?iag wonders
am Q! English blood. My mother died in
:la alns house at Truro, in Cornwall, having
:&nor;ly before given me life and twin sister.
:3hus bequeathed by poverty to the charities OF
british law, never knew the warmth of a
iethcr 5 kiss, Or caught the soft light OF
mother s sall!e. No dainty food, warm from
ne hfe-blo0d OF affection, molstened my infant
nps, no sweet lullaby Soothed my bahy slum-
bers. Hired nurses cared for US; paid officials
supervised US; Boards of Visitors, lay and
eerc. patted our little headsand said ''be good
2oyS." Doubtless reports were made to Par
!lsnent about us-but we little children, as We
,Mere, loved no one, and no one loved u.s.
.:.rc'aed rp by routine and nultured by system,
re grew up SO artiiciay that the pale lads
nat marched amid the staiely columns of that
'otty prison house Of charity lad little in com
non with other little children, except their hu
1an nature. Never were human beings more
Ike machines. My companions had some
ehmnariog memories Of other days-a smile,
{ .ls& { passing kindness, ere death had
brought them hither alone was blank to ali
ou! tae human mechanism into which they
,'Elnec me. So grew for four years.
~ ieSeth a Freuch gentleman-a philoso-
}aei nc called himself passing through the
t.sylrm, declared himself delighted by MY
3toy answers, and, at his desire, | was per
."At-?c 70 accompany him to America My
?'e?.ouS C;sclp pGne fitted me for the easy auui-
~.'ioH O. ms language, and long before the
ec1a Q; the Republic met nv eve. was con.
1oe3Goly proficient in it. We had a long yov-
s.cs. lIy VlDnng manners and quick capacity
res the theme OF admiration among all on
:oC:t. 0ld no know what were the Intentions
o. 4y guardian when he first took me from the
sylrr2, but be had not been long on shipboard
o2ioree project, which, perhaps, he had dim]v
.;o2oelved 10 the beginning, was matured. T
|.cima the victim Of a singular Whim, to which.
1oTe than to all else, Iattribute my subsequent
1eckerod cereer.
1lSdalning himself, all the restraints i'm posed
,. 'ellglon upon the human intellect, and hav-
-, experienced the impossibity of totally sub
Np'ng the Impressions of his childhood, he de-
slmned I'm that | should be totally free at man