The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1902-11-20
FULTON COUNTY NEWS.
THE CONFESSION
OF
DAVID LEWIS
THE NOTED
HIGHWAYMAN AND C0UNTERPEITER
Continued from last week,)


No seminary can flourish where
such a practice is persisted in /;
no system of discipline can reach
the evil and while the exertions
of the master are defeated by the
acts of the parent, the hopes of
the parent are disappointed and
when he embraces his son on re-
turn from college, he finds him
often, not only unimproved in his
education, but ruined in his health
and corrupted in his morals.
AS soon as the college recess
was over l left Princeton and
went to Philadelphia with my
pockets full of money and my
head full of schemes. did not
remain long in so populous place
before | discovered many persons
Of the same stamp as myself /;
whilst my money remained, l did
not think of any new enterprise,
out my associates taking advan-
tage of my generous disposition,
practiced every art that ingenuity
suggested, to trick me out of the
greater partof it. continued in
Philadelphia two weeks riot
ing in every scene of dissipa-
tion, that my own vicious in
clinations, and the free use of
money could procure. Neces-
sity at length compelled me to re-
sort to my old plans, and the same
system of midnight depredations
robbiug and pocket-picking was
pursued here as in New York. l
was very near embarking in a
plan, which if it had succeeded
would have enabled me to re-
nounce my present course of life
forever. 1t was to decoy the rich
French banker, Mr.. Girard out of
the city into the country, and
keep him in confinement until he
gave checks on his own and other
banks to large amount. If this
failed, we intended to enter the
Dock street sewer and contrive to
open a com mmunication derun
ground with the banking houses,
and thus rob the vaults. But
luckily for Mr.. Girard, before the
time ripened for action l received
letter from Melinda, advising
me of the dangerous illness of my
little daughter, and entreating
me to return to New Brunswick
without delay. | was therefore
obliged to give up the enterprise
Tor the time, and leaving my com
panions in great wrath at my leav-
ing them also critical period
returned home with scarcely fifty
dollars of good money at my com
mand. After remaining with
Melinda about four weeks, during
winch my purse became lighter
every day, | determined upon go
ing to the lines to procure some
situation in the army under the
command of Gen. Alexander
Smyth.
Having prepared Malinda' s
mind for leaving her, | took my
departure for the north in better
spirits than | expected | should
nave done when my mind dwell
upon the forlorn condition il
winch l should leave beloved
wlle and an engaging infant.
nope stu buoyed me up witt
visionary schemes, and the ex
pecIatlon of plunder and booty
which | promised myself wher
'ile army should make it's entry
lnto Canada tended much to driv,
away present melancholy rehec
''ons' On my way to the lines
met with companions as viciou,
una fond of pleasure as myself
""u stopping at a wretched inl
y" ''ie road, kept on purpose fol
'ne entertainment of gam bier,
ana olack legs, / spent severa
'ays aud nights in uninterrupted
scenes Of carousal, gambling ant