The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1876-06-06
AMUROERER'S REMoRsE.

The murderer's remorse and the Wis
ions that haunt his troubled slum bers
have furnished the theme for many an
exciting sketch. but the free surrender
and unsought acknowledgment. of self
confessed man-slAyer rarely appears in
police annals. The regular bearing at
the Central Station yesterday afternoon
had been concluded, the audience had
dispersed. and Alderman Carpenter was
about leaving. when a blne-costed and
brass -buttoned patrolman. nervously
grasping a man of peculiar appearances.
hurried into the hearing-room and an
nounced that he had murderer in GUS
tody. The prisoner gave his name Is
William Dewitt, and his residence as
nowhere" Officer Smith, Of the Nine
teenth Police district. testified that on
Sunday evening. while he was standing
at Twenty third and South streets. the
prisoner approached him and said Il
want to give myself up. l have COM
mitted murder" The officer then
questioned him. aud subsequently, at the
station house. in regard to the matter,
and learned the following particulars :
About five years ago Dewitt was EN-
ployed as q laborer on railroad near
Uniontown. Fayette county, Pa, about
eight miles from Connellsville. To-
gether with three or four companions.
all of whom. as we'll as himself. were
intoxicated. ho was passing through the
woods. They met stranger, who De-
witt thinks Was a railroad boss" Be-
ing in q quarrelsome humor. Dewitt,
and man whom he terms his part
nor" had controversy with the stran-
ger about some trifiing matter. The
argument advanced TO war of words.
when Dewitt and his partner" seized q
large log of wood. and striking the man
on the chest, crushed in his breast. caus-
ing almost instant death. Devitt's
partner" ran through corn-field, but
had not proceeded far before he was
captured Dewitt himself WAS arrested
the following day. and the two men
We're lodged in Jail. though in separate
cells. Dewitt succeeded in forcing open
the window Of his prison apartment. and
lowering himself to the ground by
means of the blankets cut into strips,
effected his escape. In subsequent con-
versation with Alderman Carpenter and
with the Times man, Dewitt stated since
his escape, five years ago. he had wan
dered about the country. mainly through
the Southern States, working upon va
rious railroads. His companion i'll crime
was convicted of slaughter. and
,ves sentenced 10 f~e years in tho W-s-
tern Penitentiary. Pittsburg. Il have
not had nights rest nor days luck
since that time." said Dewitt, in earnest
tones Every where go the murdered
man is before me everything do his
blood stained corpse distrscts my atten-
ton and grants me not moments
peace. We were all intoxicated, but
want to go back aud be tried. rs l
would then feel far more satisfied"
The unfortunate man WAS according
ly committed to await the action
Of the authorities Of Fayette
county. Dewitt is twenty eight
years Of age and native of Ireland.
His countenance is peculiar one. II
bears n look both Of hardened criminal
ity and firm determination. At first
glance he appears but boy in years.
but upon closer inspection lines that
tell tale of daily torment and a look
Of premature age are plainly discerned.
In talking he has . careless, uncon-
cerned way of expressing himself. lead
ing 10 the inference that he either was
of unsound mind or was narrating q
false tale for the furtherance Of a pri-
vate scheme. The man who. in San
Francisco, announced himself rs the
Nathan murderer, when brought to
New York admitted that his sole pur-
pose was to obtain free pass TO the
latter city. At the Central Station.
however. two years ago last Christmas
day, an individual delivered himself up
to Turnkey Holloway as the murderer
of y msn in Maryland and was subse-
quently sentenced to eighteen years I'M
prisonment The police authorities yes
terday rather mistrusted Devitts tale.
and accordingly telegraphed the au-
thorities at Uniontown. A reply was
received last night stating that mur-
der Of the character that Dewitt de-
scribes had been committed about five
years ago and one Of the accused parties
had managed to escape. Officers from
Fayette county will probably arrive
here to-day, and Devitts wish will be
Orafified - pLfL1iefpIia T.m<s.