The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1902-09-25
THE CONFESSION
OF
DAVID LEWIS
THE NOTED
HIGHWAYMAN AND C0UNTERFEITER

l was born in Carlisle, in the
county of Cumberland, on the 4th
day of March, Ammo Domini 1890,
of poor parents, of respectable
connection, but whose precarlous
means of subsistence and conse
quent devotion of their time to
satisfy the more urgent necessi-
ties of life, left them little leisure
to pay that attention to numer-
Gus family of children which is at
all times necessary to their wei.
fare in this world and salvation in
the world to come. OF course |
grew up, as most boys in such
situations do, without regard for
men and little fear of God.
In 1898, my father removed
with his family to Northumber-
land county, and was appointed
Deputy District Surveyor, in
which situation he continued sew
eral years, but was unfortunate
in the many collisions arising out
of his official conduct, and his af.
fairs were but little mended for
the better, when he died, leaving
the family lily provided for and
my education was,Of course, very
limited.
| continued to live with my
mother, and occasionally job for
the neighboriug farmers, until
the year 1907, when | left her and
after being employed in several
occupations enlisted with re
cruiting party at Bellefonte, but
shortly afterwards, the sergeant
undertaking to have me "cobbed "
for petty offence, [ ran away
and left them. Some months aft.
erwards, / enlisted as private
in Capt. Wm.N N. Irvine's company
of Light Artillery, in the service
of the United States, under a
feigned name, using that of Arm
strong Lewis, and was according
ly so called, mustered and enroll
ed. | had before this tasted of
the bitter sweets of pleasure and
dissipation and intending to de-
camp the first opportunity, deter
mined upon supplying my pock-
ct with the bounty money, to ena-
BILE me to indulge in my old ex.
cesses, for which | had imbibed
strong relish and was naturally
very fond of. But many obsta.
cles happening to Illustrate my
plan, "a scheme came into my head
of trying to avail myself of the
"quirks and bubbles" of the law,
and with this view | applied to
little lawyer in Carlisle, where /
was now stationed, whose name
cannot distinctly recollect, but
think he was called Metzgut, who
giving me every encouragement
to proceed, / sued out a writ and
after a tedious hearing before
Judge Creigh, found the hopes
which my lawyers had raised,
disappointed the Judge decided
against me and was again re-
manded into the service. This
affair leading to an inquiry into
my life and conduct, it was dis
covered that / had enlisted once
before under my proper name
and had deserted. At that period
the rumor of war with England
which had prevailed for some
time, began to increase and grow
louder and the officers of the ar
my becoming more rigorous in
their discipline, and strict in the
execution of the rules and articles
of war, it was considered a duty
which they owed their country,
to have me arrested on the Sc
rious charges of desertion and
double enlistment.
A General Court Martial was
accordingly organized, under the
direction of Gen. James Wall1in-
son, who at that time was sta
toned at the Carlisle Barracks,
and the result was such as my
A.