The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-06-25
Deacon Andrews. 1tt,o,nfe.,Io;;

Deacon AntrewAsa SCOnfeasiOri.
The Plymouth Memorial says that Deacon
Andrews, the murderer Of Holmes. firat
communicated the facts concerningthe death
OF noimes to his counsel on Monday and
tuesday, June i and 2, and shortly after
ward to Captain A.. II. Harmon, un officer
OF the house Of correction. On Monday.
June 8, he told the same TO Major Jones,
constable Of the commonwealth. and some
days after that to Judge Wood and William
s. Danforth, Esq, all Of whom have ex-
pressed their belief in it's entire truthful
ness. The Memorial adds The reasons for
not revealing this before was the disgusting
character Of the transactions which led to
the terrible tragedy, and the dread and hor-
ror which has led stronger minds than his
to attempt concealment to save even hypo-
critical reputation. It can also be proved
that for several days after that fatal Tues-
day his body and his mind were benumbed
and working abnormally under the infu-
ence of heavy and continuous draughts of
ether, and he did not discover even until he
had been lodged in Jail and deprived Of the
either and its effects that he had suf-
Tered material bodily injury to his side and
arms. If he did make the 6 confession +"
when first committed, in explanation and
extenuation Of his great, guilt, as can be
proved, he ought to be absolved from the
prejudice arising on the general supposition
that he has waited three weeks to find his
conviction sure. One of the meanest eIe-
ments of Andrews's character is manifest
in the base libel upon the reputation of his
victim, if his story is untrue. The public
Justly condemn with @ depth of dishonor
and utter absence of all manliness in cast
ing such calumny, unfit to be written or
read, upon one whose tongue is silent. Mr..
Holmes is honorably spoken Of by his near
est neighbors as being man of correct
moral habits. On the other hand, the fol-
lowing affidavit is from an intelligent and
judicious man. It is true the facts came
through Andrews, but at an early period Of
his acquaintance with Mr.. Holmes, when it
would seem he could have no motive for in
venting such charge:
81, Loring Wilson Barnes, now of Attle-
borough, Mass, formerly of Kingston,
Mass, hereby say that in the year 1859,
some time in the spring or summer, while
engaged as an overseer in the thread fac
tory of Morse g. Newcombe, in which said
factory Mr.. Samuel NJ. Andrews then work
room whereh he worked, he said that as he and
Mr.. Cornelius Holmes were together alone
in the cemetery a few days previous Mr..
Holmes asked him to assist him in the act
of and upon refusing,
x of Mr.. Andrews, and in
ferred, from what Andrews said, he sup
posed it was for the purpose Of doing the
same thing with him. He described Holiness
appearance as very excited.
"LoRING W. BARNES"
IF the witness has not perjured himself,
there has been some such key to the strange
intimacy, but common sense can hardly es-
cape the conclusion that the accused has
dishonored and damned himself in such
intercourse for mercenary gain, while his
victim may claim demoralized and inces-
tuous passion. Few will conclude that
the initiatory and final assaults constitu-
ted the whole history of the intimacy. But,
after all, there is the money, the motive,
and the murder. The law don't allow the
murder of q man, however great his moral
delinquencies. The head was beaten after
the body was powerless to do personal in
jury. Outraged virtue could easily have
made itself heard in that neighborhood, and
conscious innocence would have sought i'm
mediate exoneration from the nearest par
ties to be found, instead Of hiding
the evidence of crime, and burying
the money in the cellar. We dis
miss the trying and most unwelcome
subject with the allusion to the singularly
tragic history of the family Of the accused.
Elderly men among us remember his grand
mother as insanely personating the charac,
ter of q nun, going about the streets covered
with black veil, incoherently begging and
praying. The mother, as has already been
stated, gave him birth in an insane asylum.
For many years his wife has been con-
frmed and almost helpless invalid. His
father was assassinated in the streets OF
New Orleans, it is said, by mistake for an
other man. His only brother was killed in
Kansas during the troubles there, and his
nephew was caught in the machinery of the
factory where he was at work, and so torn
in pieces that he died in few hours.