Year: 1861

On Monday night last a negro, named George
orem, died at his home on Union street, between
Pennsylvania avenue and Ross street. Previous
to his death he made a confession acknow Hedging
that he was murderer, and stated that an inno-
cent man suffered death for his crime. He con-
fessed that he murdered the negro King, and that
the negro Cyphus, who hung as the guilty
party, was entirely innocent of the crime Orem
was attacked with sickness some few weeks since.
and continued TO grow worse until Monday night,
when it became evident that he must die.


During his illness he appeared much disturbed in
mind, and when he found that be would surely die
he called some friends near him, and made his con.
tession. At the time the murder took place Orem
was engaged in selling oysters through the city
and King was in his employ. The day previous,
Orem had a quarrel with King, and the former
then determined to take the latter's life Orem was
also engaged in butchering, and in the habit of
carrying his butcher knife in pocket on the hack
part OF his pantaOons. On the night of the murder
he placed his knife in this pocket and started
for the house in Wagon alley, where the
tragedy was enacted. When the difficulty
commenced, Orem seized the first opportunity to
plunge the butcher-knife into the heart of Kino
killing him instantly. He then made his escape
The negro Cyphus was arrested on the charge of
committing the murder. From the moment of his
arrest to the minute previous TO his execution he
denied his guilt. The evidence on the trial was
that of negroes only. One of the witnesses known
as "Iopsy,' who saw the murder committed stated
tudl Oypuus was not tne man who did il. The
same statement which she gave before the iurv she
made on the night of. the murder to several per
sons who conversed with her. She described
the murderer as black man, heavily built


All the other testimony, however, pointed to
CyphEs as the perpetrator of the murder The
girl Topsy was weak-minded and by some con-
sidered insane. Her recollection of events proved
bad, and the only thing she could remember and
state with distinctness the act of stabbing
Her testimony was cast aside as unworthy of be.
lief She was prostitute, and was in company
with negro on her way to Kings house. The
negro Cyphus denied being in the vicinity of the
murder at the time it was committed, and few
minutes before be assembled the scaffold, remarked
to the writer of this article that he was innocent
OF the charge. and few years would prove his in
nocence His statement has proved to be true, and
there is now no doubt that he suffered death
Tor a crime which he never committed.


Orem, the murderer, died on Monday night and
the body has been buried. Previous to his death
he stated that he had been much harassed since
he committed the deed He was unable to sleep,
and 1t was only when he was wearied out with toll,
and IN some instances after several nights of rest
less wakefulness, that he was enabled to Sleep
Even then, be asserted, he afflicted with hor-
rible dreams, in which the tragedy would be re- en.
acted, and he would suffer the pains of dea th for
the crime. The image of his murdered victim fol.
lowed him wherever he went, day and night, and
no doubt to a considerable degree hastened his
death. -