Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1866-05-17
Confession of Probst, the Murderer.


Saturday morning (the day of the muir
der) was dark, cold and rainy day. 1
went out with Cornelius about half past
seven O'Clock in the morning. He took
The horse and cart with him and we went
to the ditch in the rear of the hay-rack.
| took the big AK with me as we generally
did to cut roots with. Cornelius sat down
under the big tree and | got behind him.
My heart failed me and it was some time
before could brace myself up to commit
the deed. | raised the AK several times
before l left it come down on him. i fl
nally struck him on the back of the head
and then cut his throat. | then put him
into the cart and hauled him to the hay
rack, where | concealed him He always
had the strap around his waist There
was some blood in the cart, but | washed
it off with some hay. The sight of the
blood produced in me devilish and blood
thirsty feeling, and could have killed a
hundred persons if they had been about
the farm.
| then put some wood in the cart and
drove up to the barn. left the horse and
cart standing there, and went into the
barn, takirg with me the large and small
axes and a hammer. l then went into
the house, and told John, the oldest boy,
TO come out and help me in the barn. He
did so, and / struck him down. then
went after Mrs Dearing, and told her
something was the matter with the colt.
She came out, and after she entered the
barn dispatched her with the small AK
| carried the bodies and placed them in the
small building at the far end of the barn
| then went inIo the house and called the
other children out, with the exception of
Annie and the baby, and slaughtered them
in the same way. | then went after the
others. | carried the baby in my arm
and Annie walked by my side. | seated
the baby in the hay while killed the sis
ter, and then murdered the baby.
Question.-IIow was it that you struck
the baby so often2
Answer.-I was in hurry. | then
carried the children and laid them with the
mother, after which took the harness off
the horse put the cart away, and went
into the house TO look for plumber. i Sc
cured large pocket-book with SO in it,
two counterfeit bills and a three dollar bill
About half past three O'Clock Mr.. Deer
jng and Miss Dolan arrived. Miss DoIan
went direct to the house, and | told Mr.
Deering something was the matter with
the steer. He went right away into the
stable. and while he was looking at the
animal struck him as the others. Miss
Dolan then came into the barn and | killed
her. None of them made a remark
knocked them all senseless.
MIR Deering's boots | took off his feet,
thinking they might contain his money.
secured Miss Dolan's pocket-book, but it
had only few small notes in it. After
secreting the bodies under some hay went
back to the house, made another search
for plunder, secured the rcvolvers, watches,
&c; eat some bread and butter, went back
TO the barn, fed the horses, cattle, chickens,
&c, and left the house in the evening. !
| did not see any large bills in Miss Dolan'
| possession. | was afraid TO leave the ba-
| by in the house lest it might cry and at
tract attention. Mr.. Deering did not take
off his gloves before going into the barn.
| The prisoner then related the story of his
| stopping on Front street, selling the watch
| es, &c. which all came out al the trial
Probst stated yesterday that he worked
for his father at carpentering at home, anC
was not banished from the country for any
! bad deed.
He further said that he would hav,
confessed to all the murders before, but h,
feared if he did so he would be torn tC
pieces by the mob. During the trial, ant
even at the time of his capture, he state
that he had a disposition to make a con
fession, but the yells of the crowd wheI
he first saw them frightened him into th,
belief that if they knew the extent of hi
crime all the police in Philadelphia coul,
not save him from their clutches.
Probst also states that he did not lik,
10 60 10 the courtroom during the trial, a
the yellS of the crowd when he made hi
appearance on the street made deep ant
terrible impression on him, and he mucl
preferred the solitude of his cell
Although n no one had doubted for a lon,
time, that he was solitary and alone in hi
devilish work, it is source of infinit
satisfaction to know, from his own lips
that he had no accomplice