The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-11-25

THE DOMINION.
suicide Of a condemnad oriminal.

Suicide OF Condemned Criminal.
QUEBEC, Nov. 24.-William Richards who was
to have been hanged at Sweetsburg. Quebec for the
murder OF Joseph jackson at Sutton Flats in July,
night, and oied at o'clock this morning.
richards was a desperate English criminal. He
mas left a confession detailing many crimes of
which he was guilty, which will be made public.
[LATER.]
William Richards who was to have been hanged
today for the murder of Joseph Jac kson committed
suicide about o'clock this morning by cutting his
throat with large dull jack knife. He ate supper
last night as usual, and the chaplain stayed with
him through the night accompanied by two guards
He remained up until midnight when he laid down
cell. He then laid down again and few minutes
later noise heard in his cell that of vomit-
to the guards who sitting outside the cell with
him and arousing the keeper of the jail they went
into the cell Richards was living, and bleeding pro
fusely and told them he had done this because they
would not believe his story. The wound extended
from the left ear to the centre of the throat and
was past help and lived but one hour AS high CON
stable Picket went into the cell Richards said Here
is a letter for you' The letter read as follows
My Dear Friend Vincent:-I feel obliged to you
for your Kindness shown me since have been here,
and to every one about here. What / want to say
is this: That ever since have been here have had
the means OF taking my own life. but never thought
to $50 as wished to live long as could to hear
from my children, now the time has come when
must do it or go to the gallows, which don't wish
hope it will not cause any blame to rest on your
back because you did not know ANYTHING about it,
So you see you need not have been careful about
not letting me have the knife for L have had one
ever since came here.
(Signed) WILLIAM RICHARDS.
The constable testified that he was thoroughly
searched on being put into the Jail here and it is
great my stery how he could have concealed the
weapon during all this time. Richards made no
confession and stoutly maintained that he killed
jackson unntentionally.
TheSHistory OF His Crime.
The history of this crime is one which has caused
great excitement and interest in this vicinity About
1he 70 OF last April, while children were play
ting in the woods near the sugar house sof Frederick
Bnssel they discovered the remains off, human be-
ing partially concealed under some stones and
brushes In deep revine The dead person was evi-
dently about 20 years of age and the murder would
have never been traced out had a letter not been
found on his person revealing the fact that his
name was Joseph jackson; that he came from Eng
land 10 ths country to purchase land and try farm
ing The letter was quite lengthy was we'll written
and signed, From y ur loving sister M H. Jack
son. This gave clue. The sister was communi-
Gated with, and found to be the ore who had writ
ten the letter and gave much information This be-
ing obtained, the next step was find the murder
er. II. D. Pickel, high sheriff of Sweetburg, took
the matter in hand and went to Montreal where he
found letter at boarding house where Richards
had stopped. which explained that he had daught-
Sst "a @ with the assistance OF
ry at Waterbury, Conn There he was arrested and
taken to Hartford jail. From there he was finally
ASnV'S Gu W oWoo0puiBI jail u mere ne has since ro-
mained. He was tried September 30, and after a
long and impartial trial was pronounced guilty of
numbering Ioseph jackson and sentenced to be
hanged November "a.
A Groundless Panic
OTTAWA Ont, Nov. 24.--This afternoon one OF
the beams in the parlsmetery printing office gave
away and created panic among about one hun
| dred employees, some jumped out of the windows
and others rushed dowd the stars into the street in
| the utmost confusion. Fortunately the means Of
| escape we're good and few were injured.