Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1888-05-24
COMMUNICATED.
LEoNAR prowx. Mar. 2lst. is.

print in connection with the poor unfor
suhate creature, hanged here, April eat
ultimo. for the murder Of Captain Dixon
Of Baltimore City, nearly two years age
bat, cannot allow the report TO 50 fortl
uncontradicted that Biscoe killed Captain
/ Dixon in selfdeience, thereby making Dix
I On . would he murderer if Biscoe had no
/ killed him 10 have saved his own life, q
that the people Of Charles and st. Mary
counties would have wished or insisted tina
any man should be hung if there was any
reasonable doubt Of his guilt.
DO soics.hly docLIre that believe that
Biscnc's confession, dated February Goth
last, and all statements made to reporters q
few days before his execution, and pub
lished il various newspapers, were at the
solicitation Of his counsel, Mr. Ben Cana
lieT AMI that Biscoc wrote at Camalier's
-d!ctation. Biscoc used his own language
and spelling to make il appear genuine.
! have good reasons for so believing.
will now relate what BiscOe told me of the
crime. visited fhe Jail two weeks before
the execution. | had not seen or spoken
IN him before that time. ] had three rca-
reasons tor going; 1st, felt it my Chris
tian duty To 20 and try 10 induce him 10
prepare for the awful death he was 50 soon
TO die; 2nd, 10 satisfy my mind of his men,
tai condition; 3rd, because he wished to
see me. found him sane and with sense
enough g. know right from wrong III the
main if npt in the abstract. He told me
he knew it was against the law of God
and man To- kill, and he knew it at the time
Of the murder but did not stop TO consider
the awful sin and its consequences He
sand, You know, Mrs. Hammett, when a
mans mad, he don't stop TO think"
Tie requested me 10 read and pray by
him and lcG il TO my choice what To read.
| suggested the Bible. lie expressed great
delight at having the Bible read to him,
and said no one had read the Bible 10 him
since his Imprisonment. He remarked
what little he knew of religion he heard
when hoy in the Methodist Church from
the Bible. He knew the Lords Prayer
After reading and explaining several days
days in succession, the Prodigal Sons Re-
turn, Sermon on the Mount, Crucifixion of
the Saviour Repentance of the Thief on
tie Cross, selections from the Psalms, &c,
&c, pictured 10 him the joys Of Heaven,
the tormen,s Of the unrcpcntant During
moments OF sorrow there seemed to he a
revival Of Christian feeling in his heart
when reason was struggling with his con-
science, b,unted. by Indifference and sin.
| cleaned the following from him, little by
little, of the homicide: 'Biscoc killed Cap
tain Dixon because of malice and spite en-
gcndcrad by harsh treatment Tor what he
considered harsh) on the part of Captain
Dixon. Biscoe could not or would not
work the boat TO suit the Captain which
irritated Dixon and he used rough language
and threatened to punish Biscoc if he did
not DO better. Biscoc knew Captain Dixon
did not intend to kill him nor did Dixon
attempt TO DO So Biscoc told me the idea
OF murder came into his mind several times
Saturday, and during The night Of that day
while breeding over his hariships and
wrongs h. fully made up his mind to
kill the Captain. On Sunday morning, he
and Dixon had some difficulty about pump.
/ ing out the boat After sailing about the
I Potomac for three hours or more he watch.
( cd for an opportunity and as the Captain
came out of the cabin struck him on the
head with stick of wood with the inten.
ton OF killing him. Biscoc tied a rope
around the Captains neck and dragged the
body from the cabin and threw it over,
board. He declared that he did not cut the
mans throat Think his motive in throw.
inE the boiy overheard was TO conceal hi:
crime. The rope cut the skin and bruised
the flesh Of the throat, the water being very
salt and the washing of the waves as thC
body loatci caused the throat to look as i
il had been cut. He said to me several
times with much earneStneSs and emotion
Il could not tell You how felt after had
done it. Il | had my time 10 90 ovci
again no me could pay me ~ kill man
wished ! had jumped overheard" II,
also said, # there had been another hand
on board - aid in working the sails. &c, i
would not have happened as the Captain
woui not have scoldcd him 50 much
certainly think malice was the primar,
causc-malice or money-ceTtainly no
s'li-lctence II l had read or talked 10 th
prisoner the last three days of his life
could have dissuaded him from makinl
any statement that he killed Dixon il
scif-defencc, because was trying 20 &C
him To understand that a falsehood wa
contrary 70 Gods law as well as murder
The reason | did not see the prisoner IN
few days before the execution was that NJ
Charles jenkins, Catholic Priest, objcctc
~ his listening 10 me read or pray. I'll
prisoner told me that Mr.. Jenkins said
him that III he allowed me To read or pra
by him, h would not 60 TO the scatFol
with Linn, and that was reading q Protc
tant EihlC % him which was false doctrir
and he could not be saved If he listened
anything except what the Catholic ChurC
taught When found out that the Pric
objected and worried the prisoner abo
my reading and talking II him, out Of CO
sheraton inr the POOR helpless prisoner
t1h him | would not come to see him asai
| lcciarc positively that Biscoe alwa,
begged me 10 come and sec him and re
and talk u him. lie dill not tell me OF
t.lnaiC oaes that he did no; wish IN So, n