The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1866-05-16
TaE PHILADELPHIA TRAGEDY.


Philadelphia, was one Of the most horri,
bic affairs that ever startled the Ameri.
can public, and the confession Fot the
murderef, Anton probst, is, taken alto
gether, one Of the most remarkable
statements in the records Of crime. So
general and intense has been the interest
excited BY this tragedy that we fndspace
for considerable portion Of the oonfes.
sion, which was voluntarily made by the
murderer in his cell on Monday, the 7th
inst, to the assembled reporters Of the
Philadelphia newspapers.
The Inquirer says that while relating
his horrible story, "as cunning thought
struck his Mid, his face would glow with
suppressed laughter. Yet this would
come at the most terrible details Of the
crime, caused the blood to iingle to the
very tips Of ones fingers with suppressed
emotion" We cohdeDse that portion Of
his story previous to the ommission Of
the murders.
Probst s,id he was native Of Baden,
ard is twenty four vars old. Coming to
the country in 1868, he Immediately en-
tered the army. He deserted twice, was
arrested, but escaped by telling the Pro.
vost Marshal he never was in the army.
He entered another regiment, served a
few months and was discharged.
He subsequently worked in several
places, never stopping long at one place,
and filing in the remainder Of his time
by dissipation. Among other places he
worked three weeks at Mr.. Dsering's, aud
was discharged because hs would not work
on rainy day During his stay there he
saw MIR. Deering counting considerable
mopey, and he subsequently deierm ned
10 rob him. With this intention, he went
back to Mr. DeeriDg aud requested work
which was given him. He studied soue
plan ofrobbipg him withvut murder, but
without effect. Eight or ten days before
the commission OF the deed he thought OF
numbering the whole family. He says /:
My fret plan was to kill him and get
the money / could not get the neney in
any other wny. thought Of killing
them in the house, as they came down in
the morning. l 20, the axe sometimes
ready for them when they came down, in
the evenings sometimes; / did not do il
then /; j never could do it. L got some
times gecd chance, but my heart failed
it. Deering was home always in the
evening.
The merning wss dark, raining and
cold. and Decring went to the city ;ihcn
made up my mind to do it that day
calculated 10 kill Decrins as he came
home, / did not know whether the mon.
ey was in the house or mott did moi
know whether he had it.
Me and the boy were working out on
the bank; we went 10 work that morning
abou; n or 8 o'cl' OK, I guess, Mr. Deer
ing went up TO tho city before we went
out he sad he would ba back about
O'Clock, we went out to work together; |
took with me to kill him the axe, the biz
axe for cutting roots out also
| We were standing under tho big tree
when killed him, it was raining little
lie sat down under the tree, and stood
above him, behind him, with the axe in
my hand, he sat there and taxed If some
thing about work while / stood right be
hind him, was going to kill him, and
drew my hand back three or four times,
hit him on the left side CT the head; ht
did not holler, he fell down. | gave hin
one or two more blows, and then cut hi,
throat he bled much {thc prisoner stop
ped. looked down on the rosary, and rlu
his fugers over the small beads ol the TO
rsyl on the tree, lifed him up, and pl
him on 70 the carr he had the strap every
time around him, to Ike, p his coat up, ant
that was al in full view Of Mr.. Wiles
house, 4 was not afraid Of them seeing me
i looked first, then / drove the horse NJ
and lifted him up, aud laid him in tn
bpystack. and covered him up with hay
there was little blood on the cart;
took n little hay and wiped it of, | tool
some outside hoy and threw it over him
Then went, took the axe with me, L
the house and also took the horse will
me this,was about 10 O'Clock or after il
The morning, | came, 10 The house will
J the horse and cart, and had little-wOo,