The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1872-09-11
The GalioWs.
NEWTON Y. CHANDELIERS WARNING 3 c
YOUNG MEN.

NEWTON v. CHANDELIERS WARNING :
YOUNG MEN.
The following appeal to the youne
men of t he country was written by
Newton v. Chandler O few days before
his execution:
I have been requested by severa
persons to write full sketch of the
events of my life. which, for certain
reasons best known to myself have
refused 10 do. But I can say TO the
world my life has been bad one, es.
pecially for man of my age. an
only twenty-five years of age; was
brought up by pious, Christian pa
rents; my father died when l was about
twelve years old. l never began to be
Incorporate until my father died.
then began to associate with bad com
pany, and, as matter of course, I be-
gan to drink a little, as all druukards
begin. When first began to drink il
was apparently very hard to learn, bu
l lived with an uncle who used it, ani
soon learned the habit. ! never be-
came the slave Of intemperence until
was % or % gears Of age, then / be-
came a complete drunkard. l became
involved IN trouble and resorted t.
spirits as cure. Ny life has been 8
burden for three years. The cause o.
this trouble concerns no man but my.
self. ( will say it was not on accoun,
of any crime by drinking. TO drown
this trouble I found myself in the
strong chains of intemporcnce; it was
now that began to be q desperate
bad man. ] would drink, fight, swear
frolic, dance and associate with the
worst Of companions and dissipated
characters Of all kinds, and at the same
time could associate with good, res
pectable people. ! have been told
that I would be hung if ] kept my
course. I have been begged and ap-
pealed to to abandon spirits. My moth
er has taken hold of me when In the
act Of drinking, telling me in a food Of
tears, that it would ruin me temporal
and external. ! have at simes prom
Used my friends to quit, but soon for
got my promises. i finally left my
mothers and seldom ever went home.
All I cared for was spirits; that must
have; all the appeals of my friends
were dead to me during the times Of
my drunkenness. / cared but little
what I did. 1t is an old eaying that
what is in the heart when sober comes
out when drunk. This vas hot the
case with me. / did things when
drunk that was ashamed of when
sober. For instance, I would lie down
in the rain or enow when drunk {;
would strip off my coat, my shoes or
boots and 60 barefooted In snow and
ice to a neighbours house. I would
strike the best friend I had, burn my
clothing-ride into deep water and gull
lies, or 10 any kind of danger. 1t is
we'll known to those who are acquaint
ed with the that when sober Ihad COM
mon sense and good reason; l could
outreason anything but whisky-that
always beats me.
/ by no means excuse myself, and
feel that I deserve my fate, because
knew that intemperance would ruin
me, and often thought and wondered
what would be the result Of my ways F;
but, poor delnded wretch, in spite of
all my reasoning with myself, I would
swallow the water Of death again.
The last few months Of my drunken
ness l thought of suicide. I at one
time took my pistol to shoot myself
why did not do the deed / can't tell.
Peace was not to be found; sleep was
a stranger. l kept up my habits Of
drinking till was arrested on charge
of a capital crime and placed iii jail
! was arrested on the Cd day of May,
1871, remained in Jail till the spring
term of tho court at Charlotte, 1871
then tried. convicted aud sentenced &c
death; placed in a dark cell to await
my execution. Now my feelings car
be more easily imagined than explain.
ed. What had come to now =
Doomed to die; not fit to live nor pre-
pared to die. Who could help m.
nows Will the liquor sellers come
now who have crammed my money in.
to their capacious pockets7 Will the,
come now' No, indeed; they are fa1
from it. Oh, you liquor sellers ani
makers, Sou must answer for your do
ings; you can't escape the judgment o
God. "Cursed is he that putteth thu
bottle to his neighbours mouth ani
maketh him drunk" You may say m,
neighbor sells, and I hare as mucl
right as he. You have no right t,
murder because your ueighbor muir
ders.
Young men, shun grog- shops as yo'
would den ofinfuriated tigers. The,
will ruin you as they have ruined me