The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1902-10-30
THE CONFESSION
OF
DAVID LEWIS
THE NOTED
HIGHWAYMAN AND C0UNTERFEITER
lcontInued from First Paee:l


travelling brethren made out bet
ter in that state than any other in
the Union, and diverted me ex-
ceedingly, by repeating the many
tricks and various modes of cum
ming practiced by them upon the
unwary, adding, that among them
selves they called it lifting Ger
many, when their plans succeed.
ed aud their tricks escaped de-
lection.
After journeying some days we
at length arrived at New York
about dusk, and took up our lodg.
ings for the night at the New Eng
land Hotel the usual stopping
place for Yankee cartmen. The
next day | procured a room in a
small house up an alley that leads
into Pearl street, the great resort
of merchants and which from its
narrowness and extensive bust
ness, afforded as l thought bet
ter opportunity for my trade than
any other. bad not long remain.
ed in New York, before in my
midnight rambles through the
city, found an acquaintance with
several persons of the same prin-
ciples, habits and characters as
my own. Our views coinciding,
the acquaintance soon grew into
intimacy, and after few inter.
views a week had not elapsed be-
fore we exchanged the oath of IL
deity and secrecy, and entered
into firm articles of a predatory
partnership. The names of my
associates / think it unnecessary
and improper to divulge. Some
have paid the debt of nature, 9th
ers are now suffering for their
crimes in the penitentiary, and
twoof them lately discovered such
evidence Of reformation by aban-
doning their former practices,
and pursuing an honest and in
dustrious course of life, that l am
of opinion the disclosure might
90 society no good, and them
much harm.
While my mind is suffering all
the torments of dispair, and my
body languishes with pain on the
bed of sickness, perhaps death, it
is impossible for me to recollect
at this time, much less to recount
the many adventures, and rob
berries that were com mitted and
practiced by me, and the rest Of
the gang during my continuance
in this place.
| look back upon these scenes
with horror, and when | reflect
on the many tricks and strata
gems we adopted to deceive the
City watch, and the various
schemes we successfully made
use Of to overhear and elude the
police and vigilance Of that great
metropolis, | detest myself and
abhor my own conduct as much
as my greatest enemy can do.
The success Of our Pearl street
establishment exceeded my most
sanguine expectations. The care
lessness of domestic servants and
shop boys in securing the doors
and windows of dwelling houses
and stores; the improper practice
Of keeping front doors unlocked
during the nights of performance
at the threatre, the negligent man
ner in which the watchman per-
form their duties, more of whom
we find asleep than awake, aud
splne of them not unfrequently
parading the streets in a state of
inebrlety, were propitious cir.
cumstances in atfording facilities
to our midnight operations. The
theatre, the battery, the auction
room, hotels, tayerns, boarding
houses and the wharves, were the
principal places which we haunt
ed with most success and we of.
ten waylaid youth and others to
great advantage on their return
home at late hours of the night,
When after night thus spent