The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1902-10-02
THE CONFESSION
OF
DAVID LEWIS
THE NOTED
HTGHWAYMAN AND C0UNTERPElTER.

Continued from First Page)
took my departure about four o.
clock in the morning, without bid
ding adieu or returning thanks to
my landlady, of whom began to
entertain suspicious thoughts and
recall to mind the many stories l
had heard of poisoned cheese"
and "colt sausages. After wind
ing my way for some distance
through the woods, | assembled
the top of the Blue Mountains,
about sun rise, and avoiding the
great road as much as possible, l
pursued my journey towards the
residence of my mother in Centre
county, after experiencing many a
hungry belly and sleepless night.
I arrived at mothers much fatig-
ued and entering the house just
as the family were preparing to
rake up the embers of a dying
fire, and retire to rest, accosted
the old lady before was recog-
nized by any of my brothers or
sisters; could easily perceive
that whilst the beam of Joy played
in her eye at seeing me again, it
was evident the thorn of sorrow
was planted in her heart, lest it
might involve me in fresh Difficult
ties and troubles. | remained
with my mothers family some
time and was almost persuaded
TO settle and become industrious
and sober, but my rambling dis
position predominated and for the
sake of company and amusement
paid occasional visits to this town
(Bellefonte). l frequented the
taverns for the sake of sport and
to drown in the society of the
loungers which are always to be
found in the bar-room of a coun-
try inn the compunctions of con-
science with which | was at that
time occasionally visited, and al
though I was, previous to this,
guilty Of many juvenile indiscre-
tions and petty offenses, | never
contemplated embarkingin those
dangerous and unlawful enter
prises which unhappily distin-
guish the remainder of my ca
reer. | here discovered through
the medium of the newspapers
and other sources of information
that the people of the interior
had resolved to establish country
banks, and from the number
which then existed, young and
ignorant as l was, foresaw that
while such a measure would ter
inmate in the ruin of society, it
would tend to facilitate the views
of counterfeiters, and open a
door for carrying on extensive
schemes of fraud on the ignorant
and weak part of the community.
Unluckily for me, one day hap
pened to fall in company with one
of those tin pedders or Yankee
card men, who at that time were
very numerous all over the coun-
try, and who showed me a large
quantity of Bank Bills, purport-
ing to be issued from sundry
banks at Philadelphia and else
where, and which he said he OBJ
tanned at Burlington, in the state
of Vermont, at very low rate,
and that he could make an indie
pendent fortune in very short
time, provided he had any person
upon whom he could depend to
aid and assist him in their circu-
lation Being induced by the
fattering prospect thus held out,
l accompanied him to Burlington
where | was introduced to this
manufacturing association, and
soon became initiated into all the
mysteries of the fraternity. With
a mind bent on unholy gain, !
soon became an adept at the bus
mess, and received from them for
distribution and circulation a con
siderable amount of spurious
notes.
fTo be coniinuedl