The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-01-01
THE CONFESSION
OF
DAVID LEWIS
THE NOTED
HIGHWAYMAN AND COUNTERFEITER.


NNbnllhutu iIoil hlNb pab'J
mid night, and suffered the most
excruciating pain from lacerat-
ed shoulder and bruised body,
lay on the damp earth until day
break without any mitigation of
pain, or relief from sleep, appre-
hensive that the dog was mad, l
endured the utmost anxiety, ter
ror and suspense for nine days;
after the termination of that pc
riod my fears arising from the
dreaded effects ofcanine madness
subsidized, and | recovered gradu-
ally both my health and spirits.
Forming suddenly determi-
nation of going to my mother, |
resolved upon its execution as
soon as could disengage myself
from Connolly, of whose company
i began to grow tired, but Provi-
deuce, that overrules the actions
and destinies of man, had other
wise ordained; as we had been so
long connected tos sether in Grim
inal intercourse, it was to be our
fate to continue in the same ca.
er of wickedness until both
ould expiate their crimes by
be justly merited sacrifice of
yes, on the same occasion and in
he same manner. My wretched
companion suspecting my intcn.
ions to leave him, procured from
me in an unguarded moment, a
rash oath that we should never
= ~separate from one another with
out the consent of each. A false
pride and mistaken sense of
honor operating upon a mind
whose moral sense weakened by
vice, whose conscience was hard
ened by crime, | determined to
fulfil with fidelity, what | had
/, promised with rashness. Many
days had not elapsed after this
before | became affected by a
strange presentiment which |
could not resist, that my glass
was nearly run, and l should soon
be called to answer for my con-
duct here in another world. Not
withstanding the errors of my
\ education, and the wicked and
: criminal manner in which | had
spent my life, / never disbelieved
the existence of a God, or the
truth of Revelation, but my con-
victions of conscience Gf such
they can be called) were of so
transitory nature, that they
never produce any fruits, except
an occasional fearful apprehen.
sion of Divine wrath and punish.
ment, which | endeavored to re.
move as speedily as possible by
embarking in some new adven.
ture, or engaging in fresh scenes
of dissipation and debauchery.
Not being able to overcome this
feeling, and acting under it's in.
fluence, / concluded upon paying
, visit to Carlisle, the place of my
nativity, once more before |
should quit this part of the coun-
try forever, as my intention was
to retire TO Canada and settle
there, after | should see my
mother aud make preparations
for removing my wife and chill.
dren. Previous to my departure
/ was engaged in several enter
prises of criminal nature, in
some of which we were fortunate
and in others, unsuccessful. In
the attempt to plunder the house
of old Mr.. Eberly, and rob him of
a large sum of money, which we
were told that he had in his pos
session, chiefly in old gold and
Spanish dollars, we were sur.
prised in the act, by an alarm
made by the family, and /, in
particular, was very near being
apprehended. After the failure
of this attempt ! started for Car
: Isle early the next morning, hav
ing first disguised my person al
well as / could, by altering my
.clothing, blacking my whisker'
snd eyebrows, covering one o.