Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1866-05-12
Probst, the Fiend, Makes n F"if
Confession.
He killed the Iii sht Members Of the Dearipe
Family Himself.
PHILADELPHIA, May, @.

PHILADELPHIA, May, u.
Anton Probst has confessed. Yesterday
afternoon, in the presence of his spiritual |
adviser the pastor OF ST. A!phonsus Catholic
Church, Mr.. Perkins, the superintendent OF
the prison, and the medical staff on duty at
the prison, Anton Probst made free volun-
tary and open confesson-such confession
as stamps him to be the most blood thirsty
wretch known in the annals of history. He |
KILLED ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE DEARlNG |
FAMILY. .C ft.. il.. !
He was visited by his spiritual adviser
late in the afternoon, who entered into con-
vcrsation with him. and in the presence of
the above named officials Probst was told
that his best course, both in a spiritual and
moral point of view, was to confess all he
knew about the tragedy, and to tell the
Gods truth. He was told that his obliga-
tions to the authorities, by whom he had
been treated so kindly, and every considera-
ton in the future, demanded that he should
make clean breast OF it.
Probst, after the lapse Of few minutes,
proceeded to make the following statement
by way ofa
CONFESSION.
He stated that he had no accompice, and
! conceived the horrible crime unaided and
alone. The theory of the murder as pro-
duced on the trial, and the one SO generally
accepted by the public, is entirely true in
its main parts. He states tlnt he conceived
tbs murder on Friday, and that night slept
| with the boy whom he intended to make
| his first victim, namely, Cornelius Carey.
! lie knew that Carey was working near
the hay rick, and he proceeded there with
| the large axe, but his heart failed him three
times before he could induce himself to
strike the unsuspecting boy the fatal blow.
AT last he mustered sufficient courage and
went at his fiendish work killing Carey just
in the manner he frequently described.
The sight Of the blood Of the boy, Probst
states, produced in him derilish and blood
thirsty feeling, and he determined at once to
murder the entire family. ..-,
He disposed of the body of the boy as de-
scribed before SO often, and then deliberate
ly walked over to the house. He entered,
and told "Charley," the little boy next in
years to "Willie," who was absent that he
wanted him to help him do some work in
the barn. The little fellow followed him,
and as soon as lie got him inside the barn
door, he dispatched him with the small axe
he had secured.
He then went back to the house, and told
Mrs. Dearing that something was the matter
f with one of the cows, and he wanted her to
J come to the barn. She went, and he fol-
J lowed, and as soon as she entered inside, he
: struck her in the head and killed her.
He then states that he went back to the
house and brought the children out, one at
a time, and taking them inside the barn,
despatched them, one by one, with the same
a axe In each instant he cut their throats
q and placed the bodies in the corn crib him.
! self, just in the position they were found
If He then covered them up, and proceeded to
\. wine ont all evidences of his pnilt
o He then went back to the house and
e awaited the arrival of Mr.. Dearing, not ex
o pecting Miss Dolan was accompanying him
AS soon as Mr.. Dearing arrived in the car
riage, ne (Dearing) got out, and Probst tot
him something was wrong with one of tn,
cows, and asked him to go over to the barr
. with him. Dearipg went along with him
and Miss Dolan went into the house, uI
stairs, and took off her bonnet and furs.
] Mr.. Dearing did not even take oil hi
: gloves before going to the barn. but pro
ceeded there at once, followed by Probst
had the axe concealed ready for use.
i AS soon as Mr.. Dearing entered the barn
Il door, Probst states that he struck him il
A the head, and felled him to the earth, anC
then chopped at his neck with the edge O
the axe. r...
Miss Dolar vas the next and last victim
= She proceeded to the barn after comm;
- down stairs, not finding any one of til
- family ip the house, and Probst, who wa
, in waiting, treated her as he had done til
} rest of :he family @ .r ~
.e After laying out the bodies and GOVERNS
Nc them up with hay, the murderer went int
~ I, the house and commenced searching for va
- uables, but he states he got no money, bu
,,e expected to secure a considerable amount
.e He states that Miss Dolan's pocket boo
; had very little in it, and he said nothn
=, whatever Of the two $50 compound interes
~ notes, and the $50 bill of the same charaC
!, ter.
=, He remained about The house for som
i time picked up the articles found in th
black valise, and left about dark His fui
=, ther movements pretty much as brought on
Z on the trial, and which are patent to tn
u minds of the whole community.
: Probst states that he would have confess
~ ed TO all the murders before, but he feare
. if he did so he would be torn to pieces
d. a the mob. 80
a. During the trial, and even at the tim
- of his capture he states that he had dispt
IS IS sition to make confession, but the yells
" - the crowd when he first saw them frighter
- - ed him into the belief that if they knew tn
- - extent Of his criTe all the police in Phil,
10 delphia could not save him from their clutci
N es. ..|
! Probst also states that he did not like {
~ go to the courtroom during the trial as til
-, yeIs of the crowd when he made bis AZ
~ ~ pearance on the street made deep aud lei
~ ~ ribe impression on him, and he much pr
a. a. ferred the solitude of his cell ..--
~ During the afternoon he will be visite
g. by some of the authorities, and it is -expe
u ted that minute confession in detail wi
u be extracted from him .. .f H.. D..
>, He knows that he will never again |
s 40 brought face to face with any number
a. his fellow creatures, until the day of b
os execution, and therefore will give to the a,
~ ~ thOrities all the information they desire
II relation to the murder. -....' ..-.-
or Although no one had doubted, for Ion
lime, that he was solitary and alone in Ia
deVllish work, 1t is source of infinite sati
faction to know, from his own lips, that
&c. had no accomplice. .....,'
?" The President has ordered pardons to |
ro issued to all North Carolinians who had al
iv plications or petitions on file and directe
y them to be completed and sent To the mt