The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1902-11-27
THE CONFESSION
OF
DAVID LEWIS
THE NOTED
HIGHWAYMAN AND COUNTERFEITER
(Contlnued from last week)

On our arrival at the place of
destination I had many opportu-
mites of indulging my vicious pro-
pensities, and frequently plum
dered both officers and men of
their money and property. The
hustle of a camp amused me for
some time but the delay in cross
ing the lines, occasioned by Gen
eral Smyth's strange conduct,
created so much dissatisfaction
that | was not sorry, eager as |
was to plunder the enemy, when
the campaign ended. The war at
this time was nothing here but a
war of Proclamation, and the fail
ure OF the expedition produced
nothing but expense to the gov
ernment, laughter among the of
ficers and soldiers of the army, at
the crazy behavior, and bombas-
tic style of the com mmanding gen
eral. Having received from the
commanding officer, or wagon
master, a certificate of the num-
Der of days employed in the pub
lie service, / prepared to return,
but a sudden thought entering
my head of going off with my en-
ployer's wagon and horses, l
yielded to the temptation, and
changing the direction of my
route, steered for the Allegheny
mountains in Pennsylvania, whose
scattered population and numer-
Gus caverns and breaks afforded
various coverts and hiding places
for criminals and fugitives. l
parted with my wagon and team
as soon as 1 could procure pur
chaser, but the money Inever e.
turned to my employer. When
ever | thought o f this unsuspect-
ing, honest man who had mis-
placed in me so much confidence,
the recollection of my ungrateful
conduct for long time occasion
ed me many pang 81 was a
stranger and he took me in, hun,
cry and he fed me, naked and he
clothed me-" but guilt has no
memory for kindness, and | for
got them all in my wretched pur-
suits of means to crafty my SEN
sual desires. | need not mention
the name of this benevolent man,
but should he be living and these
pages ever fall into his hands, he
will certainly discover that the
unfortunate David Lewis and the
person who betrayed his trust,
under the fictitious name of "Pe.
ter Vanburen," are one and the
same person.
AS soon as | thought it safe to
exchange the solitude of the dark
cavern for the busy haunts of man
| repaired to Stoystown, where |
met with an old acquaintance,
who had fled from justice Being
acquainted with my wife, he very
abruptly communicated to me the
first intelligence of the death of
this amiable and unfortunate
woman, who had died and left
surviving her another daughter,
who bore the name of Keziah,
agreeable TO the last request she
ever made. The unexpectedness
of the news and the unfeeling
manner in which the intelligence
was conveyed, brought tears to
my eyes, and sorrow to my heart.
Had now obeyed the dictates of
conscience, l would have quit the
thorny path Of guilt forever, and
Travelled the remainder of my life
in the road OF virtue. The violence
Of my distress continued for some
time, and my heirt being softened
with sorrow, had nearly gained a
victory over myself, when my
companions succeeded, by ridicu-
ling my grief, in getting me to
connect myself again with a gang
Of counterfeiters, who had secret
ed themselves in retired part of
the mountain, not far from the
town.
cro be Continued,