Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-01-14
FEARFUL LESSON OF IN
TEMPERANCE.
Gui'ty-Loye and its consequences
IA Murderer Sentenced.
Confession OF DR.. Jehn W. Hughes
drunkenness and Murder.

drunkenness and Murder.
We have already given our readers an
outline of the trial and conviction OF DR..
John W. Hughes, for the murder OF Tamzen
| Parsons, at Cleveland, Ohio. On Saturday
las. he was brought up for sentence We
extract from the report of the Cleveland
Leader. After reading paper conveying
his thanks to court, counsel, and jury, and
acknowledging the justice Of his conviction,
he gave the following:
SKETCH OF HIS CAREER.
He said: If | am permitted, wish to
| give a brief sketch of the unhappy circum-
stances Of my past life since the time an
unfortunate matrimonial alliance caused me
TO seek relief in visiting foreign lands and
finally drove me to enlist in the army.
While in the army / passed through the
various positions from private up to order
ly sergeant, and then, having passed an ex-
animation, | received a commission. | re-
turned to my home after a long absence,
expecting to find a welcome and happy
home. But such scene as met me there
was enough to drive the most callous per-
son in the world TO forsake such home.
| / rushed from the house, and formed
determination never to return. / knew not
which way was going. ! drove out to the
country. / attended a party, and while
there some one told me that Harry Parsons,
a cousin of Tamzen Parsons, was present
and very anxious to see me- had been
drinking very heavily that day. | drove to
| Mr.. Parsons house that night, but what
occurred there do not know. / awoke in
the morning filled with shame and remorse,
4 e. lrs.d h.vo tas,dar hand II acFad
@who are you ~ She told me il was Tam
zen. She said, doctor, why do you drink
SOP | saw in that look sympathy and
pity that filled my whole soul, and | saw
my feeling was reciprocated. While in that
condition a wild, mad love took possession
| of me. such an one as / had never expe-
rienccd before-an illicit loye-one which
led to illicit intercourse, and which love L
have until this day cherished.
| But il was not all passion. Love destroys
all baser passion. went to Pittsburg, and
the next day Tamzen asked me to marry
her, and, insane as ! was, l did SO. / went
TO the Mayor of the city, and the principal
minister of the city married us, and it was
] then my intention TO seek some retired spot
and settle down, and live in quiet. And the
next day when / was making arrangements
TO find place in which to reside, / was ar
rested and brought before the Mayor on a
charge OF bigamy. / then told him the
| truth, and all the circumstances connected
with the matter / made an offer 10 Mr..
Haines, which, had he accepted it, would
have prevented all exposure and the unfor-
tlInate events that have since happened.
But, Mr.. Haines, for some reason which he
best knows, refused; whether it was from a
virtuous determination TO yindicate the
character of his family, do not know. i
was put in Jail and tried. i did not bring
one word Of testimony for my defense in
that trial I was brought in guilty of
adultery and bigamy. Immediately after
my trial, Tamzen came to the jail. and there
occurred scene / shall never forget. But
parted with her forever, as then supposed.
After she left Iwrote her letter, explaining
the whole matter, and told her it was best
that we should not meet again.
Meanwhile, was kept in Jail till March,
having been sentenced for a year. Mean
while reconciliation had taken place be-
tween me and my wife, and was pardoned.
/ returned to this city and opened on Onta-
rio street. My former patrons returned to
me. | was doing well. practiced faith
never betrayed the confidence Of my pro-
fession.
Nv means were so limited could not
furnish home, and obtained little fur
niture and fitted up suit of rooms. In the
midst of these preparations i received infor-
nation that my wife's passage had been en-
gagged to return to the Isle of Man. 1t has
been said that / sent her, but did not /
thought of returning with her. However,
had not the means necessary, and concluded
would not go with her. My wife left and
in all this there was no thought of Tamzen
Parsons till nearly week after my wife had
gone. Then | received letter from Tam
zen, reproducing me for my neglect of her,
and asking me to come and see her, since
there was now no obstacle in the way.
While considering the matter, / re-
ceived another message from Tam
zen. | still fought against it. Then at
that instant an individual of my ac-
quaintance came to see me. 1t was
Mr.. Campbell, who had been an old
companion of mine in the Crimean war. He
asked me 70 drink with him, and INDUCED
in that vice which has been my ruin. In
the morning went with him TO Newburgh,
and while there we drank heavily. The
events of the night of July oath, when en-
tered Mr.. Parsons house, have been fully
revealed. But Tamzen Parsons never said
to me she did not want anything to do with
me that had deceived her once, and
should never do il again." On the contrary,
she said she would go with me to the end of
the world. II was just after this interview
that / met DIR. Wray, and had some
conversation with him, and j might have
made some such assertion as he testified that
made. But if said, il was only a ruse.
The next day / went to the Plank Road
II Ia lo.,,xo,al sboro hat I
said, don't know. ! returned to the city |
on the following day, and was arrested for
an assault and battery by Tamzen's father. |
II was not till saw Tamzen and talked over |
the circumstances with her that / thought |
she had been playing false with me, and the |
next day Mr.. Parsons, the druggist, went |
with me and we settled the matter up. The |
next night was a restless one for me. had |
been drinking good deal, and what dread |
full determination might have entered my |
mind do not know.
In the joy felt because settlement had |
been effected, | might have made such |
threats as / am said to have made. But | |
came 10 the city fully determined never again |
TO haze anything TO do with Tamzen Par |
sons. | devoted myself to my business. On |
the evening ofth Sth of August, having been |
busily employed in my Office all day, and being |
very tired, ! met my friend Russell in a sa- |
loon, and we drank several times, when / |
proposed to go home. On account Of some |
quarrel, he said he would not go home, and |
he proposed to go to another saloon and |
drink; and we went from place to place, and |
drank, and became very much intoxicated, |
and Russell proposed a ride to Rocky river. |
Went around town on a very unholy mission, |
and visited many places but did not succeed |
in getting any companion, and on going to |
INV room Russell asked to see my pistol |
But there was nothought at that time.of go
ing to Bedford nor any thought of the muir
der of any human being. II was not till we |
went 10 Newburgh that any thought entered |
INV mind of Bedford. Nor then did think |
that such dreadful tragedy as this would |
occur. We went to Bedford, and in the |
morning wished TO return home, but Rus |
sci then tainted me bitterly about the girl, |
and told the driver to take the right road, |
and went to Mr.. Parsons's house, but did |
not find the family at home. Alter leaving |
the house we met TamTen with her mother |
Ell the road. The old lady was very angry, |
but Tamzen did not say an unkind word
We were both very drunk from the effects |
a