Bios: David LEWIS the Robber, 1790-1820, Cumberland/Northumberland/Centre Counties, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by the Blair County Genealogical Society 
431 Scotch Valley Road, Hollidaysburg, PA 16648.  
Transcribed by Judy Banja, proofread by Elsie M. Swilley  

Copyright 2001.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/centre/
_________________________________________ 

                        AUTOBIOGRAPHY, DARING DEEDS AND 

                        ADVENTURES OF LEWIS  THE ROBBER

                           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

                     BEING THE LIFE STORY AND CONFESSIONS 

                               OF DAVID LEWIS

                          ROBBER AND COUNTERFEITER 

                          ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

                          PRESS OF THE WEEKLY NEWS,

                        ROARING SPRING, PENNSYLVANIA, 
   

                  JANUARY FIRST, NINETEEN HUNDRED AND ELEVEN

                          ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

                                  PREFACE

   The publishers of this little booklet have no apologies to offer in
reproducing the confessions and life story of one of the most daring, yet
reputed chivalrous highwaymen of the early days.  We give his own story as we
find it from the files of an old newspaper, and no attempt is made to justify
this character, the mention of whose name in his day struck terror to the
very souls of the peaceful settlers and travelers in the regions where he
operated.  It is issued in a sense of warning to the youthful readers who
admire stories on exploits, daring deeds, etc., whose characters are held up
worthy of admiration, and the susceptible, unsuspecting, and unguarded mind
is sometimes led into the ways of vice and crime.
   In the following account Lewis appears rather in the character of a burglar
than a robber, and there is much too apparent a spirit of resentment to give
the work the appearance of a very honest confession.
   He speaks of himself as an entirely illiterate man, while it is certain that
before he started in his career of crime, he taught a school in the lower end
of Cumberland county, according to authenticated statements of very
respectable citizens of that portion of the county who went to school to him,
but have long since gone to their reward.  He is said to have been an
excellent teacher and a gentleman in his manners.
   The great charm, if such it might be called, that has been woven around the
name of Lewis, arose from his surprising physical powers and activity; the
boldness and ingenuity displayed in many of his robberies; his generosity to
the poor; his firm determination never to take life, except in self-defence,
and the "magnanimity" that is said to have frequently characterized his
conduct.

                        AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF DAVID LEWIS

                                CHAPTER I.

   I was born in Carlisle, in the county of Cumberland, on the 4th day of
March, Anno Domini, 1790, of poor parents, of respectable connection, but
whose precarious means of subsistence, and consequent devotion of their time
to satisfy the more urgent necessities of life, left them little leisure to
pay that attention, to a numerous family of children which is at all times
necessary to their welfare in this world, and salvation in the world to come.
Of course I grew up, as most boys in such situations do, without regard for
men and little fear of God.
   In 1793, my father removed with his family to Northumberland county, and
was appointed a Deputy District Surveyor, in which situation he continued for
several years, but was unfortunate in the many collisions arising out of his
official conduct, and his affairs were but little mended for the better, when
he died, leaving the family illy provided for, and my education was of course
very limited.
   I continued to live with my mother and occasionally job for the
neighboring farmers, until the year 1807, when I left her after being
employed in several occupations, enlisted with a recruiting party at
Bellefonte, but shortly afterwards, the sergeant, undertaking to have me
"cobbed" for a petty offence, I ran away and left them. Some months
afterwards I enlisted as a private in Capt. Wm. N. Irvine's company of Light
Artillery, in the service of the United States under a feigned name, using
that of Armstrong Lewis, and was accordingly so called, mustered and,
enrolled.  I had before this tasted of the bitter sweets of pleasure and
dissipation and intending to decamp the first opportunity, determined upon
supplying my pocket with the bounty money, to enable me to indulge in my old
excesses, for which I had imbibed a strong relish, and was naturally very
fond of.  But many obstacles happening to frustrate my plan, a scheme came
into my head of trying to avail myself of the "quirks and quibbles" of the
law, and with this view I applied to a little lawyer in Carlisle, where I was
now stationed, whose name I cannot distinctly recollect, but think he was
called Metzgut, who giving me every encouragement to proceed, I sued out a
writ, and after a tedious hearing before Judge Creigh, found the hopes which
my lawyers had raised, disappointed; the Judge decided against me and I was
again remanded into service.  This affair leading to an inquiry into my life
and conduct, it was discovered that I had enlisted once before, under my
proper name, and deserted.  At that period, the rumor of war with England,
which had prevailed for some time, began to increase and grow louder, and the
officers of the army becoming more rigorous in their discipline, and strict in
the execution of the rules and articles of war, it was considered a duty which
they owed their country, to have me arrested on the serious charge of
disertion [sic]and double enlistment.
   A general court-martial was accordingly organized, under the direction of
General James Wilkinson, who at that time was stationed at the Carlisle
barracks, and the result was such as my foreboding fears and consciousness of
guilt had anticipated. The evidence was positive - I was found guilty of the
charge, and ordered to undergo the ignominious punishment which the law
inflicts.
   Young in years and young in crime, the sentence of death was not
communicated to me without producing the most agonizing sensations, arising
out of a fear of an awful hereafter and the love of life. Besides, I had an
aged mother, to whom I was fondly attached, by the ties of natural affection,
and it pained me to the soul to think that the ignominious death of a beloved
son must embitter the evening of her life, and bring down her gray hairs with
sorrow to the grave. Through the intercession of a friend I was permitted the
use of a pen, ink and paper, to write to my poor mother who lived In Centre
county. I informed her of my distressed and perilous situation, and besought
her to use her influence in my behalf. I waited for some time in dreadful
suspense, and counted the lingering days with great anxiety, until my ears
were at length greeted with the cheering intelligence, 'your mother has
come.'  General Wilkinson whose character for humanity is already well known,
freely granted us a private interview, and the afflicted mother embraced her
unhappy son in solemn silence, without either of us being able to speak a
word for some time. She reproached me not, but the silent rebuke of her heart
searching eye, spoke daggers to my soul. After some time she informed me that
Judge Walker, of whose goodness and humanity, she spoke in the highest terms,
had lent her his horse and written letters in her behalf to some friends he
had in Carlisle, to interest themselves for me.
   My mother had brought with her the family record, to prove my age, and
which she delivered to Andrew Carothers, and James Duncan, Esqs., my
attorneys, who made every effort to procure my release under the minor act.
But Judge Hamilton decided that the civil power had no jurisdiction to
interfere with the sentence of a court martial, and I was again remanded to
the military authorities. Eventually, owing to the human exertions [sic] of
many worthy individuals, and the generous sentiments which filled the noble
breast of Gen. Wilkinson, I was reprieved, and my sentence was commuted to
imprisonment.
   I was now thrown into the guard house, fettered and chained, and the time
for which I was to be confined being indefinite, I was very uneasy and very
unhappy. After a week's painful trial of these miseries, the irons were all
taken off me save a heavy chain, which was fastened to my ankle and to one
end of which was affixed a cannon ball, weighing between thirty and forty
pounds. By the aid of a barlow knife which I hacked on the bars of my prison
window, I succeeded in sawing the chain in such a manner, that I could when a
favorable opportunity occurred, break it off and make my escape. By lifting a
plank in the floor I had contrived to get into the celler [sic]of the
building, but not being able to get out of the cellar without much trouble
and digging, I returned and replaced the plank. Sometimes, for exercise and
to amuse myself, I would lay the chain and clog aside, and throw somersaults
on the floor, etc., which I was nowise careful to conceal from the soldier
who stood centry {sic]over me, who was much delighted with my exhibitions of
agility. And he gave himself little trouble about whether the chain was on or
off.  So that I passed examination in the morning with the sergeant.  I had
also taken so much pains to ingratiate myself in his good opinion that he
appeared to place the most unlimited confidence in me, and one day, having
occasion to go out, he did not accompany me as usual, when I embraced the
opportunity to bid farewell to him and the camp forever. Having succeeded by
this stratagem, in eluding the vig1lance of this sentinal, my whole mind and
thoughts were occupied in making my escape secure. In my occasional rambles
from the barracks, I had been to visit the remarkable cave near Carlisle, and
considering that this place would afford a safe retreat, I accordingly steered
for it.
   My mind being agitated by alternate hopes and fears, I was unable to fix
upon any ultimate course or conduct. This prospect of escape engrossed my
whole attention, and my greatest anxiety was to reach the destined place of
my retreat by the nearest way. In doing this I was under the necessity to
cross the race, which supplies water to the mill below.
   Running at full speed and endeavoring to clear the stream at one leap, my
foot slipped, and I fell against a rock which projected from the opposite
bank. As soon as I recovered myself from this mishap, which was attended with
no other consequence than a slight sprain of one of my ankles, I proceeded in
my flight as rapidly as I could, and arrived at the mouth of the cave just as
the setting sun was shedding its last beam upon the water of the winding
Conodoguinit. I lost no time in entering and without the aid of candle or
torch, made may way as well as I could to the farest [sic] corner of this
dark and dismal place, the abode and habitation of the bat. I crept on my
hands and knees through a small crevice, until I found myself in a place
called the "Devil's Dining Room," and there I remained in great trepidation
and anxiety until as near as I can recollect, about the hour of 10 o'clock at
night, when the cravings of a hungry stomach demanded that I should make some
exertions to supply the wants of nature.
   The danger of immediate apprehension, having subsided, owing to the late
hour, and a supposition that if any persons had been sent in pursuit, they
would not care to travel after night, I determined on leaving the cave, and
accordingly crossed the fording below; and pursuing a direction for the gap
in the mountain, it was not long before the barking of an angry dog,
convinced me that I was near a house.
   As soon as I came opposite, I resolved on making an experiment on the
hospitality of the owner, and accordingly knocked with a loud rap at the
door. All being quiet and still, it appeared that the family had retired for
the night, and it was not until I had made repeated attempts that I succeeded
in making myself heard. The first noise that saluted my ears was the raising
of a small window above, when I observed the head of some person surrounded
with a red flannel night cap, and from the shrillness of the voice who
demanded "who's there?" I immediately perceived that it was a female. After
some parley, she at length agreed to descend and let me in. I found that I
was not disappointed in my expectation of procuring a supper, and my kind
hostess on being made acquainted with my wants, immediately went on to
prepare it.  I assisted her to kindling the fire, and before the lapse of
twenty minutes, partook of the repast with a better appetite, and as much joy
as ever a conquering general or member of Congress or judge sat down to a
public banquet. My fare consisted of fried sausage, bread and butter, a cup
of milk and the biggest end of a Yankee cheese. I did great justice to the
kindness of this good woman, and having indulged myself in eating with a
freedom that I afterward repented of, I was invited to ascend the ladder into
the loft where I was furnished with a bed and lodging for the remainder of the
night.
   Whether it was owing to the effects of the cheese or the sausages, I have
ever since been unable to determine, but certain it is that never was a night
spent in so disagreeable a manner, with retchings, sickness of the stomach and
vomiting.
   Being afraid to expose myself in a place so public in open day, I took my
departure about four o'clock in the morning, without bidding adieu or
returning thanks to my landlady, of whom I began to entertain suspicious
thoughts and recall to mind the many stories I had beard of "poisoned
cheese," and "colt sausages." After winding my way a long distance through
the woods, I ascended the top of the Blue Mountains, about sun rise, and
avoiding the great road as much as possible, I pursued my journey towards the
residence of my mother in Centre county, after experiencing many a hungry
belly and sleepless night, I arrived at mother's much fatigued, 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 I was recognized by
any of my brothers or sisters; I 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, least it might involve me in fresh
difficulties and troubles. I remained at mother's some time and was almost
persuaded to settle and become industrious and sober, but my rambling
disposition predominated and for the sake of company and amusement paid
occasional visits to the town (Bellefonte).  I 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 country inn, the compunctions of conscience
with which I was at that time occasionally visited, and although I was
previous to this, guilty of many juvenile indiscretions and petty offences, I
never contemplated embarking in those dangerous and unlawful enterprises which
unhappily distinguish the remainder of my career. I 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 I was, I foresaw that while such a
measure would terminate in the ruin of society, it would tend to facilitate
the views of Counterfeiters, and open a door for carrying on the extensive
schemes of fraud on the ignorant and weak part of the community. Unluckily
for me, I one day happened to fall in company with one of those tin peddlers
or Yankee card men, who at that time were very numerous all over the country,
and who showed me a large quantity of bank bills, purporting to be issued from
sundry banks at Philadelphia and elsewhere, and which he said he obtained at
Burlington, in the state of Vermont, at a very low rate, and that he could
make an independent fortune in a very short time, provided he had any person
upon whom he could depend, to aid and assist him in their circulation.  
Being induced by the flattering prospect held out, I accompanied him to
Burlington, where I was introduced to this manufacturing association, and
soon became initiated into all the mysteries of the fraternity. With a mind
bent on unholy gain I soon became an adept at the business, and received from
them for distribution and circulation a considerable amount of spurious notes.
   After leaving Burlington with my part of the common stock, and finding
that the Vermonters were too much like their ancestors, the Yankees, to
permit a "green hand" like me to impose upon their credulity, I considered my
wisest plan was to make my way into New York and Pennsylvania, as I know that
in the latter state a great portion of the population consisted of Germans,
who while they are uptight and honest themselves, are unsuspecting of the
villainies of others.  In New York I met with considerable success in passing
and exchanging my counterfeit money, but not always prospering or escaping
detection.  I was discovered in an unlucky bargain which I had concluded with
a certain Gen. Root, who was then on an electioneering campaign, and who had
invited me to crack a bottle of wine with him to the health and success of
Gov. Daniel D. Tompkins. Having taken a fancy to one of the General's horses
and finding him rather soft in the head we soon struck a bargain, and I paid
him principally with my Burlington notes.  In attempting to repass some of
these bills the General was taken up, and being in a place where he was
entirely unknown was on the eve of being committed for trial, when a citizen
who had seen him receive the notes, went bail for his appearance, and
accompanied the General in his pursuit of me. Not expecting an immediate
detection, I had retired to bed. The General and his companion found me after
a diligent search comfortably laid up in snug quarters for the night, and
instantly hurried me off to a magistrate who made out my commitment and I
soon found myself lodged in the Jail of Troy.  I lay here some weeks and had
very gloomy prospects, when reflecting on the result of my trial, which was
to come on in about a month, but soon began to flatter myself with a prospect
of escape through the agency of the daughter of the jailor, who in her
father's absence introduced to my room a young woman who was an intimate
friend of her's, and who I had often observed gazing through the bars of my
window from the house opposite, and who was apparently much interested in my
fate. The sentiments of pity which at first warmed the bosom of this
tender-hearted young woman, soon ripened into love, and after a short
courtship at secret interviews, I prevailed upon her to assist me in escaping
under a promise of marriage. To effect this desirable object, every necessary
preparation was made, and agreeable to previous arrangement, my kind friend,
the Jailor's daughter, forgot to lock the door of the prison department, in
which I was confined, after she brought in my usual allowance, one Sunday
evening, when the rest of the family, and most of the town had gone to
church, to hear a new preacher, whose name I do not recollect. I seized the
favorable opportunity, and without hindrance left the prison. I found the
young woman who had consented to accompany me, waiting with great anxiety at
the extremity of the street that leads to Albany.  Neither of us were in a
mood for much conservation [sic], and we immediately hurried toward hat [sic]
city, after agreeing that both should change their names, she to assume the
name of "Melinda" while I was to use that of Van Buren, the patronymick of an
ancient Dutch family, who had emigrated from Holland, and settled at an early
period, in the provinces of New York. My female companion experienced all the
terrors which usually accompany the most timid of their sex, when placed in a
similar situation. The constant dread of being pursued by her friends, and
overtaken; the regret at forsaking the house and protection of a widowed
mother; the circumstances of her elopement with a stranger, of whose
character she was perfectly ignorant, and whose face she had never seen,
until she saw him through the bars of a prison window, all tending to alarm
her fears for the present, and excite her apprehensions for the future; we
had not proceeded in our flight more than five miles, before I discovered
from her agitated manner, her stifled sighs, and suffocated breathing, that
she repented of the rash step she had taken. A dead silence prevailed, and
neither of us spoke one word for at least half an hour, when all at once she
stopped suddenly, burst into tears, threw off her bonnet, tore her hair, and
uttered the most frantic expressions, exclaiming repeatedly, Oh! my mother!
my poor mother! What will become of my poor mother?" My heart was not callous
to the distresses of others, and the sight of a woman in tears, more
especially one who had so strong an attachment to me, could not fail to
soften my own feelings, and produce a shower of tears nearly as plenteous as
her own. As soon as I subdued this violent expression of sensibility, I used
every argument in my power to assuage her grief, and moderate her passion,
and at length succeeded in pacifying her by renewing my promise of marriage,
which I supported by repeated oaths of sincerity, and many horrid
imprecations and curses on my own head, if I did not fulfil it in the most
honorable manner, at the first opportunity that offered. Having in a measure
composed Melinda's perturbed mind, and painted in glowing colors the
paradisiacal enjoyments of "married" life, which possesses such powerful
attractions in the romantic imagination of a young girl of sixteen, we
recommenced our journey, and proceeded without interruption, until we had
walked near ten miles further, when my "way-worn traveler" began to complain
of blistered feet, fatigue and weariness; expressing her wishes that we
should put up for the remainder of the night. I could not resist her earnest
entreaties, and notwithstanding the dangers of a successful pursuit, the next
farm we came to, furnished us in one of its out houses with a safe retreat,
and the means of repose, on some buckwheat straw, which I had gathered for
the purpose in the adjacent barn yard. My companion in flight, (for so I then
considered her, having as yet no legal right to use the appelation (."wife")
[sic] soon threw herself on these hard lodgings, and so much was she
overpowered with the exercise of travel, that notwithstanding her agitation
of spirit, she instantly sunk into the embraces of sleep.
   She continued to enjoy "heaven's sweet restorer," balmy sleep, for about
four hours, and did not wake until the loud and shrill noise of a noisy,
troublesome cock, who had perched on a neighboring tree, proclaimed the near
approach of morning, by his repeated crowing, the sure, unerring harbinger of
day.
   Shortly after she awoke from this refreshing slumber, we prepared to
commence our journey anew, and continued with slow, but constant through
[sic]circuitous byroads and unfrequented paths, until we reached Albany in
the evening, just as the city clock had struck seven. Not forgetting the
promise of marriage, which I had contracted in the most solemn manner, and
made under circumstances that required more hardihood of villainy to break,
than I possessed at the worst period of my life, I immediately bespoke of the
landlord of the house, at which we put up, a private apartment, and went in
search of a minister, who soon made his appearance, and performed the
ceremony in a mean and shabby tavern at the extremity of State street. As
soon as the services were over, I prepared to pay the minister his fee, and
having mixed my good and bad money together, I unfortunately presented him,
through mistake, with one of my ten dollar counterfeit Burlingtons, but the
generous man, much to my surprise, objecting to the largeness of the
proffered gratuity, returned the note, and refused in the most positive terms
to accept more than two dollars, which I instantly handed him in silver, which
at that time had begun to grow somewhat scarce. Melinda now appeared for the
first time, to wear a more cheerful countenance than she had done since her
elopement.  The performance of my marriage promise, had satisfied her
scrupulous delicacy, and removed a heavy weight of anxiety and distress,
which seemed to press upon her spirits.
It was evident, until this took place, that her chaste mind filled with fears
and doubts of my sincerity, had suspected me of the base design of taking
advantage of her unprotected situation.
   Improper and guilty as my general conduct had been; vicious and profligate
as was my course of life in other respects; and impure and sensual as might
have been my depraved propensities, I always had the highest respect for
female virtue. The fact is, I entertained for Melinda as pure a passion as
ever warmed the breast of man, the lovely girl had not only won my
affections, but she had completely secured my gratitude and gained my
confidence. Although vicious myself, I respected and admired virtue in her,
and had I only followed her excellent advice, and profited by the instruction
which repeatedly fell from her lips, I would not be languishing in jail upon
the bed of death, as I now am, ashamed to live and yet afraid to die. 
Melinda possessed every mental endowment and personal charm, and had she not
been so unfortunate as to meet with me, before years and experience had
matured her judgment, she would no doubt, have made a happier marriage with a
more worthy man, and become the mother of children proud to acknowledge their
father, instead of being ashamed to own the author of their being. Her
pleasing person, her light and flowing hair, the brightness of a complexion
that equalled in whiteness the new fallen snow, the rose of beauty and the
bloom of youth that mantled her cheek, and, above all, the expression of a
blue eye vying from mildness with an April sky, moistened as it was with the
dew of heavenly charity, and shaded with the longest eyelash I ever beheld,
were sufficient to captivate a man whose heart was less warm than mine. But
destiny had wedded her to ruin, when she became my wife. Alas! she merited a
better fate, and what aggravates my present agony of feeling, is the
distressing thought, that an uncharitable world, may visit the iniquities of
the husband, and of the father, upon his desolate offspring.

                                   CHAPTER II.

   But that I may not digress too far, let me now resume the narrative of the
more important incidents.
   We remained in Albany the night in which we were married, and in the
morning, I imparted to my wife a short history of my past life, taking care
to conceal from her knowledge the most criminal of my adventures, while I
only communicated such facts as I considered necessary for her information,
that the course of my life in which I was engaged, demanded on her part, the
utmost secrecy, as well as good management and ingenuity, to prevent a
disclosure of my guilty conduct, which inevitably would bring down disgrace
and ruin on my head, and blast the future prospects of us both.  The
explanation I gave, could not fail to shock her sensibility, wound her pride
and alarm her fears.  Until this disclosure was made I succeded [sic] in
making her believe that my commitment for the horse affair at Troy, was a
conspiracy between Root and his accomplices, and that the combination thus
formed and carried on between them, to charge with the offense, was called a
prosecution under color of law, but was in reality, nothing short of a
persecution against all law, or rather justice, originating in political
revenge, for my refusing to support the election of Governor Tompkins.  I had
entertained a strong dislike against this man on account of certain whispers
which then began to spread among the people about his being a public
defaulter, and having a great itch to once more handle public money.  These
suspicions, it has since appeared were too well founded, for the people of
New York being satisfied of his guilt, refused to vote for him, at a recent
attempt made by his friends to have him re-elected.  Neglected as my
education had been, young as I was in years and experience, depraved as was
my heart, and ignorant as I might have been on most subjects with the
administration of political affairs, nothing could excite my wonder more than
the great inattention paid by the people to the selection of their public
agents.  When I have observed the people hold meeting after meeting, and pass
resolution after resolution, approbating some "great partisan" who had been a
public defaulter, and had embezzled the public money, perhaps one who had
been tried in the scale and found wanting, and saw the same people again
nominate the same man for a re-election to the same office, or perhaps one of
a higher grade, I concluded in my own mind, that it was not always profitable
to be honest, and that honesty now-a-days, was too much overlooked in the
public estimation, as a requisite for office.
   When I saw men who had cheated the people, defrauded the public and
plundered the treasury, become the greatest [sic] favorites of the people,
thinks I to myself "honesty is not the best policy."  When I perceived men in
high stations had been guilty of divers evil doings, and instead of meeting
with punishment were loaded with "honors, and received rewards and applause,
and power and dominion, and office, and influence and patronage," the
reflection had an unhappy effect of extinguishing every remorse of
conscience, and reconciling me more and more to the vicious course of life in
which I was then engaged.  Alas! how often and how foolishly did I argue with
myself, "that it was not dishonorable" in a man who holds a high place of
profit and trust, to cheat the people and oppress the poor, how can it be so
very criminal in me to deprecate the rich, while I spare the poor; nor could
I, for my life, discover the moral distinction which many made, between a
robber on the highways against law, and a public agent, who robs and
plunders, in his office, under the color of law, though he may never happen
to follow the highways in the manner I have done.
   The life of imitation, the force of example and the influence of
association, possess a wonderful agency, in fixing the principles, forming
the character, and determining the views the prospects and destinies of men.
   Societies, whether large or small are necessarily composed of individuals,
and those individuals depend on one another, in a great or less degree, not
only for the means of subsistence and mutual support, but also for moral and
religious instruction, for political information, and for all the tender of
offices of charity, benevolence and friendship.  Although I had been deprived
of the advantages of a good education in my youth, nature had been more kind
and bountiful than I deserved, and favored me with more abilities and talents
than I ever made good use of.  Hence I had not long mingled in society before
I obtained manhood, and began to make my observations upon man and things,
before I perceived how useful were a few good men in a neighborhood, or even
in the same town, and what a wonderful effect this precept and example, and
more particularly the latter, had upon the morals, manners, sentiments and
characters of their neighbors, and indeed all whose happy lot was cast within
the sphere of their knowledge, or actions, while at the same time I was
equally struck with the injurious effect produced upon society, by "bad men,"
whose vicious example had a pernicious tendency to wound public virtue and
destroy private integrity, corrupting like the "Poison Tree of Java," every
moral principle that came within the reach of contact, or imbibed the
influence of its deletereous [sic] effluvia.  I remarked that the danger of
bad examples was increased or diminished in proportion to the conspicuous
situations in life, in which the persons might happen to move, from whom they
proceeded and that the ratio of influence derived an additional accession from
the circumstances of their holding a high or exalted public station or office
and more especially one in the gift of the people.  Crime begets crime, and
one crime furnishes an apology for another, and must continue to do so, as
long as public opinion continues to whitewash guilt, and guilt rides
triumphantly into office and power, upon the shoulders of popular favor, or
political prejudices.
   The poor, unhappy, ignorant and wicked highwayman, who is viewed as an
"outcast" from society, and an outlaw from justice, never hears of a man in
office plundering the people, robbing the treasury, or swindling the
stockholders of a bank, without having his mind more and more familiarized
with vice, and feeling a new encouragement from the force of example, to
persist in his career.  While I speak of myself I judge of the feelings of
others from my own; and can truly, most truly declare, that such were my
sentiments at the time and that I never read in the newspapers or heard of a
breach of public trust, without making a comparison favorable to the life and
calling of the highway robber.
   But to return to my story, shortly after an early breakfast, I set out
again on foot, accompanied by my wife, for the city of New York; which from
its crowded population, and extensive mercantile enterprises, I expected
would afford me a more secure hiding place from pursuit and a more profitable
theatre for my schemes and plots.  After walking for about five miles through
the fields, and cowpaths in the woods, I consulted with Melinda and we both
concluded upon returning to the great road with the expectation, of meeting
with some Yankee wagoner with which every part of the country at that time
abounded and to procure from its owner a conveyance for my wife, who was not
able to travel far on foot, or undergo the fatigue of such a journey, in the
distressing state in which her feet were, on account of blisters.  Besides I
discovered, that in coming from Troy to Albany we had traveled three times
the real distance, owing to our pursuing a circuitous route to avoid pursuit
and apprehension; luckily we had not gone more than a mile before we overtook
a cart loaded with New England wares, bending its way straight to New York;
finding the owner to be a pleasant man and very accommodating, I soon struck
a bargain with him, and providing Melinda with as comfortable a seat as the
vehicle affored [sic], joined my new companion on foot, and endeavored to
beguile the tedious time in familiar conversation and customary inquiries
about various uninteresting matters.  I found "brother Jonathan" shrewd,
intelligent and full of anecdotes.  During my short residence in Vermont, I
had acquired a number of cant expressions peculiar to the Yankees, and
affecting as much as possible the New England dialect, succeeded without much
difficulty in making him believe I was a native of Vermont and was born at the
foot of the Green Mountain.  I endeavored to sift him as much as possible, and
as he was full of schemes and notions, as are most of his countrymen, I tried
to obtain all the information he possessed; after gaining his confidence, I
was very near exchanging with him some of my Burlington notes, when all at
once he suddenly declined the bargain; but what occasioned this unexpected
change of mind, whether he began to entertain suspicions of me, or had some
other reason, I could not learn.  During our conversation, I recollected he
dissuaded me from going to any part of the New England States, alleging that
the Yankees had sharpers enough of their own and but few instances occurred
of a Scotchman, a Jew or any person south of Connecticut who ever made out to
thrive, or do well by removing to any part of that country.  He then advised
me strongly to remove to Pennsylvania, where a great portion of the
population were credulous, ignorant unsuspicious and easy to be imposed
upon.  He laughed immediately when he told me that his traveling brethren
made out better in that state than any other in the Union, and diverted me
exceedingly by repeating the many tricks and various modes of cunning
practiced by them upon the unwary, adding that among themselves they called
it "lifting Germany," when their plans succeeded and their trick escaped
detention [sic; detection].
   After journing [sic] for some days we at length landed at New York about
dusk, and took up our lodgings for the night at the New England Hotel, the
usual place for Yankee cartmen.  The next day I procured a room in a small
house up an alley that leads into Peale street, the great resort of merchants
and which from its narrowness, and extensive business, afforded as I thought,
better opportunities for my trade than any other.  I had not long remained in
New York before in my midnight rambles through the city I formed an
acquaintance with several of the same principles, habits and characters as my
own.  Our views coinciding, the acquaintance soon grew into intimacy, and
after a few interviews a week had not elapsed before we exchanged the oath of
fidelity and secrecy, and entered into firm articles of predatory
partnership.  The names of my associates I think it unnecessary and improper
to divulge.  Some have paid the debt of nature, others are now suffering for
their crimes in the penitentiary, and two of them have lately discovered such
evidence of reformation by abandoning their former practices, and pursuing an
honest and industrious course of life, and I am of the opinion that
disclosure might do society no good and them much harm.
   While my mind is suffering all the torments of despair and my body
languishes with pain on the bed of sickness, perhaps of death, it is
impossible for me to recollect at this time, much less to recount the many
adventures, thefts and burglaries the depredations, frauds and robberies that
were committed and practiced by me, and the rest of the gang during my
continuance in this place.
   I look back upon the scenes with horror, and when I reflect on the many
tricks and stratagems we adopted to deceive the city watch, and the various
schemes we successfully made use of to overreach and elude the police and
vigilance of that great metropolis, I detest myself and abhor my own conduct
as much as my greatest enemy can do.
   The success of our Pearl street establishment exceeded my most sanguine
expectations.  The carelessness of domestic servants and shop-boys in
securing the doors and windows of dwelling houses and stores; the improper
practice of keeping front doors unlocked during the nights of performance at
the Theatre, the negligent manner in which the watchmen performed their
duties, more of whom we found asleep than awake, and some of them not
unfrequently parading the streets in a state of inebriety, were propitious
circumstances in affording facilities to our midnight operations - the
theatre, the battery, the auction room, hotels, taverns, boarding houses and
the wharves, were the principle places which we haunted with most success,
and we often waylaid youths and others to great advantage on their return
home at late hours of the night.
   When after a night thus spent I have returned to my room before day-light
had made its appearance, and found Melinda enjoying that undisturbed repose
in sleep which tranquility of mind and innocence of conduct can only procure,
I have again and again repented of my misdeeds and resolved to myself, that I
would henceforth cease to do evil, and learn to do well.  But all my
resolutions were short lived and fallacious; fallacious however as they were,
the delusion was pleasing; for as long as they lasted they operated for the
time like a weak opiate on my bewildered senses and throwing myself on the
same bed by my sleeping wife, exhausted nature was somewhat restored by an
uneasy sleep disturbed with terrible dreams, which represented to my
disordered and feverish imanigation [sic] the scenes of plunder and danger in
which I had lately been engaged.
   The association which I had formed in New York was governed by certain
rules and regulations, and to make them more binding and appear more solemn
they were written on parchment, in ink of blood drawn from out veins, while
we kneeled in a ring or circle with our hands mutually clasping each other,
and one of the band standing in the center with a basin to receive the red
fluid of life.  According to one of the articles the fruits of our joint
spoliations [sic] were to be divided among us at stated periods - and for
this purpose we proceeded with all the formula of a bank director, having a
president, directors, cashier, teller and clerk, and so particular were we
providing against deception that one of the rules prohibited under penalty of
expulsion any member of the company from being concerned in burning any of the
books, or altering any of the entries.  The depository of our plunder was
denominated in a vault, and committees of examination were regularly
appointed to inspect its contents, and report to the company at a general
meeting.  A dividend was declared every Sunday night just as the cock gave
his midnight crow.  On one of the periodical settlements a disturbance of
singular nature took place that disgusted me a good deal with the fraternity,
and occasioned my abrupt separation from them, it was like this.  During the
previous week, I attended the "ladies auction room," on Broadway, and had
been very successful in picking up and concealing the velvet reticule of a
lady who had made considerable purchases of some rare and expensive articles
of female ornaments and dresses, principally of French manufacture, such as
Brussels lace and jewelry - I had taken my stand on the opposite side of the
street, and lounged about until eleven o'clock, when a handsome equipage
stopped, and I saw a lady descend and enter the room.  I immediately
recognized her to be the wife of John Jacob Astor, esq., one of the richest
merchants in the city, and who report said, was very liberal in presents of
money to supply Madame's pin-money establishment; I soon crossed over, and
dressed like a "gentleman in true dandy style," the sure passport of
admittance into female society, entered the auction room and saluted the
ladies with all the graceful ease of an old acquaintance.  The experienced
salesman, knowing that the best plan for picking a lady's purse was to dazzle
her eyes, soon exhibited to view of his fair customers the finest lace and the
most elegant jewelry that the workshops of France ever produced.  The sale
commenced, and before many minutes had passed away, I saw Mrs. Astor pack
into her velvet bag several pieces of lace and as many ornaments of jewelry
as might suffice to decorate at least half a dozen of brides.  After she had
completed her purchases she carelessly threw her reticule on a bench in a
remote corner of the room, and immediately opened a brisk conversation with a
surrounding group of male and female companions, who buzzed around her and
vied with one another for volubility and nonsense.  The babel of voices could
not fail to attract the attention of the other spectators, who crowded the
place, and while some were occupied in talking, and the rest engaged in
listening admiration, laid hold of the bag with apparent carelessness, and
thrusting it quickly into my bosom, left the room unnoticed, taking a French
leave of the company.
   I honestly showed my companions the whole amount of my valuable prize, and
finding Melinda on my return in low spirits and much disheartened, I presented
her with a piece of lace, which she refused to accept for a long time, and not
until I succeeded in making her believe that I drew it as a prize in a lottery
recently established to befriend a poor widow, whom misfortune in trade had
obliged to decline business.  The company met the third day and after this
transaction, to settle up the business of the preceding week, and on omitting
to render an account of the lace, I had given my wife, I was accused of
fraudulent concealment.  The opinion of the majority coinciding with my
accuser, high words ensued, and blows succeeding words, I was severely
beaten, and my ungenerous companions threatened to lodge an information
against me at the mayor's office, I suddenly determined on quitting them, and
made arrangements accordingly for leaving New York the next day.
   I immediately communicated my determination to Melinda, and she received
the intelligence with evident marks of regret and disappointment.  She was
pleased with her situation in Pearl street, and having formed an intimacy
with a few females in the neighborhood whose society she liked, she was
unwilling to leave New York, or at least wished to remain there for some
private reasons.  She was affected on this occasion even to tears, but her
tears were like an April shower, through which the sun soon broke, and
dissipated every cloud of discontent, that hung upon her brow.  Our household
affairs did not require much time to prepare the necessary arrangements
previous to a removal.  In less than twelve hours our little stock of
furniture was either packed up ready for transportation, or disposed of at
private sale or given away as presents, or small keepsakes to our kind
neighbors.  In the evening we crossed the river and proceeded for New
Brunswick in the state of New Jersey, which I had selected as the place of
our temporary residence - I could not help remarking the contrast between the
feelings of Melinda on this occasion and my conduct - she was so seriously
distressed on leaving the place, that contained companions, who were equally
worthy of one another, that she was afraid to trust herself with taking a
formal leave, and came off without exchanging the parting kiss, or farewell
salutation, whilst I was all anxiety to remove from the same town, that
contained companions with whom I had associated from selfish views of
interest and gain, but whose society I hated, and whose conduct in many
instances, I secretly abhorred and openly disapproved of.  The whole number
of banditti, to which I belonged, consisted of twenty-one including myself,
and for the designation of our persons, when we held our secret meetings, it
was agreed that each should assume some fictitious name, or appellation.  The
name appropriated to my accuser was Bob Brimstone, and that applied to me was
Harry Hurricane, and every one of us had some strange appellation affixed to
him, just as a fancy, blasphemy, or some leading trait of character
suggested.  Bob was one of the most bold, daring and blood-thirsty villains I
ever met with.  Although I cannot say, I was one of those who looked upon
human nature as so very depraved as to admit at all times and under all
circumstances, every species of vice, and crime in its most deformed shape,
and exclude from the same bosom, or extiguish [sic] in it every spark of
humanity, or generous feeling, yet truth obliged me to declare that this
unhappy individual had less of the man, and more of the monster, than any of
the human family I ever knew.  Villiany [sic] had marked him as his own, and
it is to be feared there is not a vice, or a crime, that he had not
perpetrated at some period of his life.  I was particularly shocked at his
brutal conduct on an occasion which came within my own knowledge, and for
which, on account of my agency in preventing his horrible purpose, he swore
one of the most terrible oaths of revenge, that ever fell from the impious
lips of blasphemy.  It had been customary with the band to give their
attendance at the theatre every night of performance to embrace every
opportunity that afforded for plunder, robbery and pocket-picking.
   We knew it was not usual for merchants, and other inhabitants of the city
to carry about their persons any large sums of money, especially to the
theatre, and other places of public amusement.  Our chief dependence was on
country merchants and strangers, who might happen to go there, the first
night of their arrival in town, when owing to the fatigues of travel, and a
desire to indulge a gawkish curiosity, natural to persons who had few or no
opportunities at home to gratify the love of novelty and pleasure, they were
surprised into sleep, or lost in amazement at the new wonders that presented
themselves to his astonished senses in a variety of fantastic shapes so as to
become easy objects of prey and innocent subjects of plunder - it happened,
during a night of performance, on which we counted on great success, in
consequence of a crowded house, on the first appearance of Cook, the
celebrated English actor, in some new and interesting character, the whole
band attended to a man.  Our hopes were not disappointed - and Bob Brimstone,
being more successful than the rest, maddened with joy at his good luck,
became intoxicated with liquor towards the close of the entertainment.
   On leaving the theatre he observed a young lady walking alone to and fro,
in search of her little brother, who had accompanied her, and whom she had
missed in the crowd, as they descended the steps of the vestibule.  Having
offered his assistance to find the lost boy, he succeeded in enticing her
into an unfrequented dark alley, where no voice of distress could be heard. 
Having proceeded up the alley until he came to a place where an opening was
formed by two large warehouses, which had been erected within three feet of
each other, he seized her with ruffian violence, and dragged her almost half
way through this gloomy passage, when he proceeded to stop her mouth by
thrusting a handkerchief down her throat.  The poor affrighted female uttered
the most piercing shrieks that ever proceeded from the voice of despair, but
all her cries would have been in vain, had not chance or rather an ever
watchful Providence interposed by directing my steps and those of another of
the gang to return home through this darksome passage.  Hearing the cry of
distress, we immediately ran to the spot from whence it came, and just
arrived in time to rescue the young lady.
   Having extricated the unfortunate female from the grasp of the monster, we
immediately took her under our protection, and prepared to accompany her to
Greenwich street, in which her parents resided.  She continued in a state of
terror and distress until we delivered her into the hands of her father, who
invited us into the house, and overwhelmed us with the strongest impressions
of gratitude, insisted on our partaking of some refreshments before we
parted.  I instantly took my departure home, and full of the most pleasing
reflections at being the instrument of saving the young lady.  I enjoyed a
more sound and composed sleep that night, than I had done for many months before.

                                 CHAPTER III.

   We did no [sic] reach New Brunswick until the third day.
   We continued to lodge at the stage house for about a week, when I rented a
small tenent [sic] in the outskirts of the town, and having procured a few
articles necessary for housekeeping, we moved in.  In two weeks a daughter
was added to our family, whom to please her, I agreed should be called
Jemima.  This place being limited in population, and not affording many
fruitful sources of either speculation or depredation, I was obliged to make
my predatory excursions into the surrounding country for plunder and
opportunities to pass away my counterfeit money.  Experience had taught me
the necessity of prudence and caution, and I was proceeding with the utmost
vigilance.  Having learnt that there was a college at Princeton, and that
most of the students were from the southward, I concluded that in a seminary
so extensive and conspicuous there must be many empty heads and full purses,
especially during the approaching Christmas holidays, when most of the
students were in the habit of receiving large supplies of cash to enable them
to indulge in the various festivities of the season.  As soon as Melinda was
able to leave her room and attend to her domestic concerns, I set out in the
first stage that offered for Princeton, and having assumed the character and
the airs and consequence of a Georgia planter, I soon succeeded in
introducing myself to the professors, and in order to further my schemes, I
gave out that my object was to procure a berth in the college for my brother,
whose arrival I expected immediately after the holidays.  I sought every
opportunity to court the society and gain the good opinion of the young men
with whom I had contracted an acquaintance - passing for a man of fortune,
singing a good song, and being able to crack a bottle with the best of them,
I was invited to most of their convivial parties, at which cards being
introduced, I was a voluntary loser at first, and apparently played with so
much carelessness and ignorance that those poor youths began to boast of
their plucking the Georgia pigeon, but alas, in less than three nights,
during which our sittings were from five in the afternoon, until five in the
morning, I had not only recovered all that I had lost, but won at least $300
of the money, which their foolish parents had remitted them.  Our place of
rendezvous was a back chamber in the most retired part of the tavern, and the
obliging landlord usually watched the door like a faithful Cerberus to prevent
intrusion, and hinder us from the observation of the citizens of the village,
and the detection of the masters of the college.  In the forepart of the
night, I always managed to lose more than any other, but after supper, when
the heads of those silly youths were heated with the fumes of liquor, which
they generally drank to great profusion, and in which I encouraged them as
much as possible, they became elevated by their former success and good luck,
played unguardedly and bet high, of which I did not neglect to take advantage,
and frequently left the table with my pockets well stored with the fruits of
my victory.  I cannot reflect on my Princeton adventures, without remarking
the very improper conduct of parents and guardians, in furnishing youths at
college with such liberal supplies of money, as is generally done.
   No seminary can long 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 return from the 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, I left Princeton and went to
Philadelphia with my pockets full of money and my head full of schemes.  I
did not remain long in so populous a place before I discovered many persons
of the same stamp as myself; whilst my money remained, I did not think of any
new enterprise, but my associates taking advantage of my generous disposition,
practiced every art that ingenuity suggested to trick me out of the greater
part of it.  I continued in Philadelphia two weeks, rioting in every scene of
dissipation, that my own vicious inclinations, and the free use of money could
procure.  Necessity at length compelled me to resort to my old plans and the
same system of midnight depredations, robbing and pocket-picking was pursued
here as in New York.  I was very near embarking in a plan, which if it had
succeeded would have enabled me to renounce my present course of life
forever.  It 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 a large amount.  If this failed, we intended to enter the
Dock street sewer and contrive to open a communication underground with the
banking-houses, and thus rob the vaults, but luckily for Mr. Girard, before
the time ripened for action I received a letter from Melinda, advising me of
the dangerous illness of my little daughter, and entreating me to return to
New Brunswick without delay.  I was therefore obliged to give up the
enterprise for the time, and leaving my companions in great wrath at my
leaving them in so critical a period; returned home with scarcely fifty
dollars of good money at my command.  After remaining with Melinda about four
weeks, during which [time] my purse became lighter every day, I determined
upon going to the lines to procure some situation in the army under the
command of Gen. Alexander Smyth.
   Having prepared Melinda's mind for leaving her, I took my departure for
the north, in better spirits than I expected I should have done, when my mind
dwelt upon the forlorn condition in which I should leave a beloved wife and an
engaging infant.
   Hope still buoyed me up with visionary schemes, and the expectation of
plunder and booty, which I promised myself, when the army should make its
entry into Canada, tended much to drive away present melancholy
reflections.  On my way to the lines, I met with companions as vicious and
fond of pleasures as myself, and stopping at a wretched inn on the road, kept
on purpose for the entertainment of gamblers and blacklegs, I spent several
days and nights in uninterrupted scenes of carousal, gambling and drinking. 
My companions being old acquaintances, had formed a league, and entered into
a conspiracy to cheat me at cards, of all my money.  They succeeded in
tricking me out of the remains of my ill-gotten cash, and on the morning of
the fourth day, I decamped at day break, leaving them to pay the landlord my
share of [the] bill.  After traveling aboutfifty miles more with an empty
purse and a hungry stomach I applied to a wealthy farmer for employment, who
agreed to hire me for a teamster.  I did not remain long at the occupation,
before my employer's team passed into the service of the United States
army.  I accordingly drove the wagon to the lines with a detachment of
troops, on the way to join the army under the command of Gen. Alexander Smyth.
   On our arrival at the place of destination I had many opportunities of
indulging my vicious propensities, and frequently plundered both officers and
men of their money and property.  The bustle of a camp amused me for some
time, but the delay in crossing the lines, occasioned by General Smyth's
strange conduct, created so much dissatisfaction, that I was not sorry, eager
as I was to plunder the enemy, when the campaign ended.  The war at this time
was nothing here but a war of proclamation, and the failure of the expedition
produced nothing but expense to the government, laughter among the officers
and soldiers of the army, at the crazy behavior and bombastic style of the
commanding general.  Having received from the commanding officer, or wagon
master, a certificate of the number of days employed in the public service, I
prepared to return, but a sudden thought entering my head of going off with my
employer's wagon and horses, I yielded to the temptation, and changing the
direction of my route, steered for the Allegheny mountains in Pennsylvania,
whose scattered population and numerous caverns and breaks, afforded various
coverts and hiding places for criminals and fugitives.  I parted with my
wagon and team, as soon as I could procure a purchaser, but the money I never
returned to my employer.  Whenever I thought of this unsuspecting, honest man,
who had misplaced in me so much confidence, the recollection of my ungrateful
conduct for a long time occasioned me many a pang.  "I was a stranger and he
took me in, hungry and he fed me, naked and he clothed me," but guilt has no
memory of kindness, and I forgot them all in my wretched pursuits of means to
gratify my sensual desires.  I need not mention the name of this benevolent
man, but should he be living, and these pages 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 "Peter Vanburen" are one and
the same person.
   As soon I as I thought it safe to exchange the solitude of the dark cavern
for the busy haunts of man, I repaired to Stoystown, where I 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 Kesiah, 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 I now obeyed the dictates of conscience I would have quit the thorny path
of guilt forever, and traveled the remainder of my life in the road of
virtue.  The violence of my distress continued for some time, and my heart
being softened with sorrow, I had nearly gained a victory over myself, when
my companion succeeded, by ridiculing my grief, in getting me to connect
myself again with a gang of counterfeiters, who had secreted themselves in a
retired part of the mountain, not far from the town.
   After joining the band I was prevailed on to go to Chambersburg to procure
paper suitable for the purpose, from Mr. John Shyrock, who is concerned in a
paper mill near that place.  Owing to my suspicious appearance or some
regulation among cautious and honest paper makers, Shyrock refused to sell me
any, and in consequence of his refusal, I was obliged to go to a paper mill in
Virginia, carrying with me a sample of Shyrock's manufacture, which I had
picked off the table while he had turned around to speak to some person who
had entered the apartment.  Having procured a stock of paper made agreeably
to the sample furnished, I returned to my comrades in the mountain, where we
went to work, and had struck a number of impressions of different
denominations.  As is usually done among counterfeiters, [blank space] an
equal divide of the false notes and then separated to pass them off in the
exchange of horses and other property.  Some of my companions went into the
neighboring states of Virginia and Ohio, while I preferred Bedford, Somerset,
Uniontown and Brownsville.
   In these towns and counties in which they are situated, I was very
successful in passing away and exchanging my bad money, and escaped detection
in such a wonderful manner, that made me bolder as I became more guilty and
criminal.  There is such a chain, and connection among counterfeiters and
robbers in Pennsylvania, and other states, and so numerous are their
accomplices, and secret friends, that it is not easy to discover or apprehend
them.  In traversing Fayette county, I became acquainted with a young woman,
who bore so striking a resemblance to my deceased wife, that I determined
upon paying my addresses to her, and her alone, if ever changed my condition,
but my thoughts were chiefly occupied then about returning to my companions in
the mountain, all having agreed to meet at the cave at a time previously fixed
upon.  At the expiration of the stipulated period, I prepared for my return,
and joined my companions as soon as I could, without meeting with any serious
accident or interruption.  In order to guard against intrusion and protect us
from the unwelcome visits of the officers of justice, of whom we were in
constant dread, there was a door in the cave, which we called Susanna, and on
the approach of any of the gang, the signal for entry was, "open Susanna
open," as soon as these words were uttered, any of the party who happened to
be within, acknowledged the signal by crying out "Susanna is at home." 
Unfortunately I happened to be detained by sickness on the road and did not
arrive in the time appointed.  As soon as I gained admittance, I found all my
comrades in the cave, and the first salutation which greeted my ears,
convinced me that something was wrong.  I was accused of loitering away my
time with the view of spending the money of the company, or concealing it.  I
denied the charge, which brought on a quarrel, that nearly came to blows; and
while my companions were in a deep sleep, I silently and quietly left them
about midnight, carrying with me not only the spoils, which I had made
myself, out of my various exchanges, but I rifled the pockets of my partners
of all their ill-gotten contents, thinking it a light punishment and one
which they deserved, for their unjust suspicions of my honesty.
   In this manner I became possessed of a very considerable sum in bank notes
which I determined upon securing to enable me to abandon forever the villains
with whom I had connected myself, quit the present course of life, in which I
had been so long engaged, make a provision for myself and family, and follow
some industrious mode of livelihood.  But my scheme was frustrated by my own
folly.  Having taken with me a black bottle filled with whisky, to refresh me
in my flight, as soon as it was emptied I put in it nearly all my notes, which
filled it up to the neck, and about twenty miles from the cave I dug a hole in
the most retired part of the mountain, and buried my bottle; bottle or notes I
was never able to find again, though I made frequent unsuccessful searches for
it.  In my hurry I was not careful to mark the spot with sufficient precision
to enable me to discover it again; and thus was my ill-acquired wealth lost
to me, to my family, and to society, unless some person may have the good
luck to come across it - an object worthy of search, and the contents
sufficiently large and valuable to reward the fortunate finder.
   I pursued my journey, or rather flight through Fayette, and chance or
destiny throwing me again into the society of the young woman I had met
before, and with whom I was so much pleased, I resolved upon remaining a few
days with her, and if I found her possessed of a good disposition, I
determined upon uniting my faith with her's in the connubial state; her
countenance was an index of her heart; she was as amiable as she was lovely,
and perceiving that she received my visit with an encouraging familiarity, I
soon declared my intentions of matrimony, and we were joined in wedlock. 
After staying with her three days, I concluded upon returning to my mother's
in Centre county, to procure a home for her there, until I could go to
Philadelphia for my little children, whose uncertain fate, and desolate
condition wrung my heart with all the anxiety and anguish which a tender
parent can not but feel on such an occasion.  To prevent apprehension, and
avoid suspicion, I crossed over into Virginia, and proceeded to Emmitsburg in
the state of Maryland.  Being fatigued with walking so far, I stole a small
mare out of a field in the neighborhood of this town, and rode to
Shippensburg with the expectation of meeting an old acquaintance and
accomplice, whom I had known in Berlin, and who, I understood had gone to
reside there.  Being misinformed, I continued my journey through Cumberland,
and on my way happened to call at a little store, kept by a man of the name
of Martin, on the Walnut Bottom road.
   Drunkenness was by no means my destroying sin, or prevailing vice, but
though I was seldom intoxicated to excess, I would occasionally indulge in
drink more than I wished to do, when I happened to mix in company with
persons of jovial disposition, and would sometimes find myself under the
necessity of drowning the clamours of remorse, and the stings of conscience
in the flowing bowl and sparkling glass.  The morning on which I left
Shippensburg, I fell in with company at a tavern on the road, and drank
freely;  by the time I arrived at Martin's my ideas were in a state of
confusion, and my usual caution and cunning being stupefied with liquor, I
offered him in payment for some articles I proposed buying some of my
counterfeit notes, and acted with such imprudence in the negotiation, as was
sufficient to excite suspicions in the mind of a man, even more stupid than
Martin.  On being charged with passing bad money, I denied the charge and
confirmed the denial with the strongest assertions of innocense [sic], and in
the heat of argument foolishly proposed accompaning [sic] him to town to
submit the notes to the inspection and decision of the officers, of the
Carlisle Bank.  Martin consented, and we rode together to town, and went in
company to the bank; when the notes were laid before the Cashier and Clerk,
they both agreed, after a minute inspection, in pronouncing them counterfeit;
and on refusing to give them up, I began to think the affair might end more
seriously than I had expected.  Some one proposed our going to McGinnis'
tavern to examine further into the matter, whither we went accompanied by the
bank officers; after undergoing a strict examination, and discovering from the
winks that passed between the Colonel and Martin, that they intended to arrest
me, I concluded that my only chance of escape was to get off by means of some
trick, which I thought I could practice upon them with success, as they all
appeared to be green hands at catching a rogue.  After making many
protestations of innocense [sic] and offering to confirm my declarations by
the testimony of a respectable gentleman, an acquaintance of mine, then in
town, I was permitted to go in search of him, alone and unattended by a
constable or any one.  I made the best use of the liberty they imprudently
gave me, and after turning Reitxel's corner in Hanover street, walked off
with a quick step, until I came to Blain's cave, where I remained the night,
and the next morning, as soon as it was day, proceeded on foot to Centre
county, having left the mare, which I had stolen near Emmitsburg, in the
possession of Martin.
   I can have no motive or inducement in my present situation, when I expect
so shortly to leave a wicked world, and appear before the great judge of all
the earth to answer for the deeds done in the body, to close my life with a
lie upon my lips - alas! I have already sinned so much against heaven and
earth, against God and my country, that the only reparation I can make to
society is to give a full disclosure of confession of all my manifold crimes
and offenses; nor do I think the stonement [sic] would be complete unless I
strip the veil from my heart, expose every secret intention, and declare with
truth and candor, not only all my wicked criminal acts, but all the plans,
purposes and schemes, which were from time to time contemplated and agitated,
and whom [sic] I and the rest of the different bands with whom I associated,
were prevented from executing by the special interferences of a providence,
who stayed our uplifted hands from committing many crimes, interposing
various unexpected obstacles, which either I could not account for, at the
time, or attributed to chance or accident.  If no other advantage will be
derived from this disclosure, I trust it will have the effect of deterring
youth and others from adopting or persevering in the same course of life in
hich [sic] I embarked, and if by exhibiting myself as a beacon, I can warn
others from the dangerous shoals on which I have ship-wrecked my own
happiness, and peace of mind, I shall consider myself duly repaid for the
painful exertion I now make.
   When I look back upon my ill-spent life, and endeavor to discover the
cause or source from which all my misfortunes and crimes have sprung, and
proceeded, I am inclined to trace their origin to the wants of early
instructions.
   Had my widowed mother been possessed of the means of sending me to school
and afforded me the opportunity of profiting by an education the early partt
[sic] of my youth, instead of being engaged in idle sports, and vicious
pursuits, might have been employed in the studies of useful knowledge, and my
mind by this means, have received an early tendency to virtue and honesty,
from which it would not afterwards have been diverted; but alas! she was
poor, and the Legislature of Pennsylvania, I blush with indignation when I
say it, had made no provision, nor has it yet made any adequate one for the
gratuitous education of the poor.  Until this is done, and schools are
established at the public expense for teaching those who are without the
means of paying for instruction, ignorance will cover the land with darkness
and vice, and crime run down the streets as a mighty torrent.
   After my experience on the lines, I became disgusted with military life,
and gave up every view of enlisting again; the disappointment, vexation and
terror I experienced in my associations with the counterfeiting gang, who had
fixed their establishment near Stoystown, and the risk I ran in being
apprehended by the officers of the Carlisle bank for my attempt to pass the
counterfeit money with Martin, increased my anxiety to visit my mother, and
brothers.  After leaving Carlisle, I acted with caution, and refrained from
committing any depredation on the road to my mother's.  My relations received
me with a better welcome than I had any reason to expect, and while they
expressed their satisfaction at seeing me, they renewed all their argument in
the most friendly and persuasive style to impress my mind with the wickedness
and dangers of the course of life I was following.  They almost persuaded me
to settle and become industrious and sober, but the bad habits I had
contracted in the army, together with my natural disposition for rambling,
predominated over their good advice, and renewing my acquaintance with some
of my late companions in arms who had been to Canada, I readily entered into
their services, and having procured the necessary materials for
counterfeiting, I became a partner in this tempting specie of fraud.  The
period was extremely propitious for the success of the project.  The
Legislature of Pennsylvania had recently established by law, a great number
of new banks in every part of the state, which we and many others considered
little better than a legalized system of fraud, robbing and swindling. 
Determined upon seizing the golden opportunity of making our fortunes, we
returned to Cumberland, and erected a small hut in the South Mountain, near
Mr. Brewster's tavern, and boarding at a private house in the vicinity, we
proceeded to manufacture all sorts and sizes of counterfeit bank bills, but
principally notes on the Philadelphia bank, of the denomination of one
hundred dollars.  Having struck off what we supposed to be a sufficient
number, we separated for the purpose of passing them off.  I proceeded to
Lindisburg, where I passed off a $100 note to Mr. Anderson, a merchant in
that place; from thence I went to Newville, where I succeeded in putting off
another note of the same description, on a Mr. Geese, a store keeper in that
town.  I was extremely fortunate in both cases, not only in procuring change
in good money, but in walking off with the booty without detection, or even
suspicion.  At this time city money was scarce, and in great demand, and the
country merchants being anxious to make their remittances in city notes,
seized with avidity the opportunity of making the favorable exchange, and
never took time to examine whether the notes were genuine or not.  Passing
through Roxbury, Strasburg and Fannetsville, I exchanged about 1000 dollars
in notes of various denominations, purchased a horse at the Burnt Cabins,
traded him off for a better one, paying the difference in counterfeit notes,
and in this manner proceeded to Bedford, where after several lucky trades and
passing off a number of spurious bills, I found myself in possession of a
handsome sum of money, fifteen hundred dollars of which I deposited in the
Bedford bank, and sported for some time on the residue, when wishing to make
a bold push, and get rid of all my counterfeit stock, my imprudent anxiety
occasioned suspicion, and I was arrested, and imprisoned on the charge of
passing counterfeit money.  I could easily have made my escape from the jail
of Bedford, but Samuel Riddle and Charles Huston, Esquires, the lawyers to
whom I gave the balance of my money to clear me, flattered me with such
encouraging assurances of acquittal, that I was induced to set it out.  After
remaining in jail a considerable time and experiencing all the painful
feelings of suspense, my trial was ordered on and notwithstanding the zeal
and exertions of my counsel, I was found guilty and sentenced to ten years
imprisonment in the penitentiary.  I remained here about a year during which
time I began to have serious thoughts of reformation, when the powerful
intercessions of my friends and the knowledge I had of the weak side of Gov.
Findley in favoring applications of this nature, suggested a pardon as the
best means of restoring me to liberty.  As I expected, his excellency
received my petition for a pardon in a manner that gave my friends no doubt
of the success of the application, and they did not remain many hours in
suspense, before the secretary delivered them a paper under the great seal of
the state, granting me full forgieness [sic] for all my crimes, and a complete
remission of all the penalties of the law.  On my way from the penitentiary I
stopped at Harrisburg, and as soon as it was dark, called upon the Governor
to pay him my respects, and thank him for his goodness.  On parting with him
he gave me a bundle of letters to gentlemen in the western country, which I
afterwards delivered.  After I left Harrisburg I went to Bedford to endeavor
to get back some of my money, which I had deposited in the bank, but the bank
officers refusing my checks, I was again reduced to great distress, and in a
moment of despair, was very near putting an end to my life, when I fell in
with one Rumbaugh, who had assumed the name of Connelly, and a man who called
himself James Hanson.  I did not keep their company many days before they
persuaded me to join them in waylaying and robbing a Mr. M'Clelland, whom
they had traced from Pittsburg to Bedford, and who they had found out was to
pursue his journey to Philadelphia the following morning.  We accordingly
armed ourselves and proceeded to a tavern within a few miles of Bedford in a
lonely placee [sic] in the woods, where we drank a pint of brandy; starting
on a few rods ahead, we at length stopped, and waited in the woods near the
road-side for about an hour, with great impatience, until Mr. M'Clelland came
in view.  He rode along at a slow pace and in a careless manner, until he got
nearly past us, when Connelly jumping out of the thicket, seized the horse by
the bridle, and presenting a pistol, told him if he made any noise he would
shoot him.  Hanson and myself then came up and held his legs, while Connelly
led his horse into the woods, where we took from him money in the manner
which has already been stated in the public prints.  To escape detection
Connelly and Hanson purposed to make way [sic] with him, alleging that dead
men told no tales, but I preremptorily [sic] refused and told them if they
did they must first murder me, and so deterred them from the bloody act. 
Having secured the money, we then bent our course towards Lewistown in
Mifflin county, intending to proceed into the state of New York, but we were
overtaken two miles from the former place, and brought back to Bedford.  It
may not be improper here to state, that I had always determined never to
stain my hands with blood, or kill any one except in self-defense, but Iwould
[sic]certainly have shot Ephraim Enser, the man who caught me, after I had
thrown down William Price, if my pistol had gone off.  My natural disposition
was by no means cruel, and hearing my mother read out of the Bible the story
of Cain killing his brother Abel, when I was yet a child, it made an
impression on my young and tender heart which never had been effaced.
   After remaining in Bedford jail for some time, and finding the usage not
such as should be given to prisoners in our condition, I determined to
escape, and accordingly put the convicts and prisoners who were confined with
me, on a plan to get off, which succeeded to my full expectation.  We let out
all the prisoners that would go, except an ordinary fellow, that had robbed a
poor widow, and who, I was determined, should be left behind to take care of
the jailor and his family, whom we had locked up in the same apartment lately
occupied by us.
   Connelly and myself proceeded along the mountains to Dublin Gap in
Cumberland county, where we came across an old acquaintance, and remained
there a few days, and then went to Petersburg in Adams county, where we
procured some clothing and other necessaries, having left Bedford in a very
destitute condition.  After we had refreshed ourselves, and recovered from
our fatigue, we crossed over to the Conewago hills in York county, and having
committed several petty robberies and depredations, we directed our course
into East Pennsboro, one of the most wealthy and populous German settlements
in Cumberland county, with the view of robbing some of the rich farmers in
that neighborhood.  Hearing that Jonas Roop was about building a new mill,
and had gathered a good deal of money for that purpose, we lurked about in
the vicinity for some time, but could not meet with a favorable opportunity
to accomplish our end.
   We next visited Kreitzer's tavern, and judging from the largeness of his
barn, of the size of his purse, we expected to be more fortunate with him
than we had at Roop's, but we were again disappointed.  While in his
bar-room, we heard some of the neighbors talk in the absence of Mr. Kreitzer
of his not having one cent, for every dollar of his money was in the
possession of Mr. Beshore, who was represented as having more ready money
than all the rest of his neighbors put together.  We immediately laid our
plans for an attack on his house, and would certainly have succeeded, but for
the presence of mind and bravery displayed by his wife, who blew a horn to
alarm the neighborhood, displaying as much courage on the occasion as some
men, and more resolution than any other woman I ever met with.
   It was not long before a number of the neighbors came to her assistance,
and Connelly snatching up a rifle which stood in the house made off, while I
who for the first time in the last five years, being intoxicated to excess,
was taken prisoner, and after being secured and fastened, some cowardly
fellow came up and struck me in my defenceless [sic] condition.  I was then
taken to Carlisle jail, and put in a very strong room, out of which I saw but
little chance of escape, but to my great joy and satisfaction, soon heard that
the Sheriff of Bedford county had come down to demand me.  I was the more
pleased with the prospect of an exchange of prisons from the dislike I took
to the jailor, who seemed to be a very surly fellow, and always looked as if
he begrudged the prisoners the common jail allowance.  The sheriff was not
successful in his application, but upon Alexander Mahon and Wm. Ramsay,
Esquires, swearing that the Carlisle jail was not sufficiently strong to hold
me, I was ordered to be taken to Chambersburg by Sheriff Ritner, a thick
headed lump of a fellow, whom I had remembered to have seen before, while
following an occupation for which he was much better fitted than the one he
was then engaged in.  In conducting me to Chambersburg Ritner was accompanied
by a young man who I think was called Hendricks, very unlike another of the
deputies, who assisted in bringing me from Mechanicsburg to Carlisle, his
name I cannot remember, though I shall not forget him, if I was to live a
thousand years, as I was very forcibly struck with the contrast of character
between the two men, for while the former was modest and reserved, and never
plagued me with impertinent questions, the other was continually teasing me
with various inquiries, which it did not become him to use to a person in my
situation.  I soon discovered that his silly conduct preceeded [sic] from
vanity, and that he had a great desire to make a display of his learning to
me, for he was constantly pulling out of his pocket a little book, which I
took for a pocket dictionary, to find out the meaning of the high flowing
words he made use of.  During our travel I informed the sheriff that I had
met him before at Millerstown on the Juniata, when Connelly proposed our
robbing him, but as I knew he made no profitable sales abroad, nor received
any collection, I concluded he could have little or no money about him.  The
fact is, nothing would have pleased me better at the time, than to have
Robber Ritner, as I had long heard the office holders of Carlisle represented
to be a hungry, avaricious set of extortioners [sic], whom no sense of justice
or feeling of humanity could restrain from grinding the poor.
   If there was any class or description of people in society whom I would
sooner have robbed than any other it was those who held public offices, and
under color of law had plundered the poor and cheated the widow and the
orphan.  Against such workers of iniquity, my mind had taken a set, and I was
determined never to spare them on any occasion that offered.  The groans of
the distressed, the cries of the widow and the complainings of the oppressed
rang in my ears, and called aloud for vengeance.  There was perhaps no place
in the state in which I heard more complaints of this sort than in the county
of Cumberland, and as Carlisle was my native place, for which I felt a strong
attachment, instead of committing a wrong, I conceived that I would render
society a service by punishing those official marauders who infest the town,
in visiting upon them the same degree of severity which they had visited upon
others, and thus make the cruel feel the pain they gave.  With this view I at
one time proposed to my companions, that we should abandon the highways, make
our peace with offended justice, satisfy the penalties of the law, reimburse
those whom we had robbed and wronged, move into town, and adopt the most
effectual mode of bringing extortioners [sic], bank swindlers, and public
defrauders to justice, and make as much money out of them as we could. 
Having heard great complaints in every place of a certain act of Assembly,
called the "fee bill," which had passed in the session of 1813-14, through
the influence of Governor Findley, and his friends, I procured a copy of the
law, and found that it contained a provision, that if any officer should take
greater or other fees than was expressed and limited for the service, or shall
charge or demand and take any fees where the business was not actually done,
shall charge or demand any fee for any service or services other than those
provided for, such officers shall forfeit and pay to the party injured, fifty
dollars, to be recovered as other debts.  I thought it remarkable that this
provision (which was the only part of the law that had an eye to the interest
and security of the people) should remain a dead letter, and that few
instances occurred of the parties resorting to it for redress.  I knew that
in the long catalogue of public officers there were but few exceptions where
this part of the act had not been infringed upon, and where sheriffs,
prothonotaries, clerks of the sessions, justices and constables had not
incurred the penalty.  My plan was to proceed regularly through the town, and
country, procuring a copy of the multitudinous suits spread upon their
dockets, obtain copies of their respective bills of fees, call upon the
parties interested, particularly defendants, make a bargain with them for
permission to bring suits in their names for the penalties, and that I should
receive one-half of the forfeitures for my trouble and expense.  But Connelly
opposed the scheme, alleging that the number of public officers was so great
that they formed such a powerful phalanx in society and possessed so much
influence that they had grown so cunning from the long time they had been in
office they would be able to defeat all the humane intentions of the act. 
The project was in this way abandoned, very much against my will.
   It is but justice to Sheriff Bitner and Mr. Hendrick, to say, that in
conducting me from Carlisle to Chambersburg, they treated me as well as I
could expect, particularly the latter.  In the afternoon of the same day that
I left Carlisle I was lodged in the jail at Chambersburg, where I was shortly
after my confinement gratified with a visit from his excellency, Gov.
Findley, who opportunely had arrived at Chambersburg nearly about the same
time.  He condoled with me on my present misadventure, and after the jailor
and spectators had left the room, we had a private interview, during which we
conversed freely on different subjects, not necessary now to mention, but any
person will wrong his excellency, if he supposes the conversation relates to
an office.  He never promised me any such thing, nor did I ask one of him. 
His excellency did not remain with me longer than half an hour, and on
leaving the room, he gave me an affectionate squeeze of the hand.
   I did not remain long in confinement before I tricked Mr. Leader, who was
confident I would not leave him.  My escape was owing to the negligence of
the jailor, who in his hurry to see a fight that was going on in the street
forgot to lock the door of the last room of the convicts, contenting himself
with bolting it, and fastening the wicket door, or rather window with the key
that unlocked the other rooms, he omitted to return and secure the door in the
usual way.  During the day the prisoners had fixed a soaped string over the
top of the door, and concealed it in a crack on the outside, and by means of
a loop or slit knot, they succeeded in pulling out the key, the plan
succeeding, they unlocked the door through the window; having thus got to the
entry, and having the necessary key to open the door of the room in which I
was confined, I was in this manner liberated, and springing the lock of this
door leading into the woman's apartment, and the door leading from thence
into the yard, as well as that of the gate opening into the street, luckily I
and four other criminals effected our escape undiscovered by anybody, about
two o'clock in the morning.  We proceeded about half a mile, and finding my
hobbles troublesome, we entered a pine thicket, where by means of an axe and
cold chisel, I extricated myself from the irons.  While thus employed, we
heard distinctly the noise of the town bells, which were ringing on the
occasion to alarm the inhabitants and arouse them to pursuit, and could not
help laughing very heartily, notwithstanding the terror we were in, at the
confusion and mortification our escape must produce among the wise citizens
of Chambersburg.  There is no truth in the supposition, that I had bribed the
jailor, or gave him any directions about his getting fifteen hundred dollars,
which, it was said, I had concealed in the Pines south of the Walnut bottom
road.  I never hid any money here, nor promised Mr. Leader any bribe
whatever; he always treated me with humanity as long as I was his prisoner,
and is wrongfully accused, if any body suspects my escape was owing to his
criminality.  We remained all that day in a rye field, and at night pursued
our course to Doubling Gap.  near [sic] this place is a cave in a clift [sic]
in the mountain, formed by a projecting rock, and here we remained for several
days.  After refreshing ourselves and I had succeeded in procuring a change of
clothes, I disguised myself as well as I could, and passing for a well-digger,
paid frequent visits to Newville, especially in the night.  I generally took a
round through all the taverns, to learn what was going on, and discover if I
could, which of the inhabitants had most ready money.  According to the talk
of those I met with in the tavern, I was led to believe, that the three
richest men in that part of the country, were a Mr. Sharp, one David
Sterrett, and an old gentleman of the name of Keehan, or M'Keehan.  From
information I received I rather concluded that the former had more land than
money, as I understood he was in the habit of making a purchase of property
every year, adding house to house and field to field; not believing Mr. Sharp
to have by him as much cash as the others, I concluded upon robbing Mr.
Sterret [sic], but hearing that he had a short time before deposited all his
money in the new bank at Carlisle, and in consequence of its stoppage had
little or no prospect of getting it out again, and learning, also, that he
was a bond buyer or shaver of notes, and one of those people called
man-eaters, and had disposed of all his ready money means in this way, I
despaired of succeeding with him, and finally fixed upon old Mr. Keehan as
the surest mark, I immediately set my ingenuity to work, to devise the best
plan for accomplishing my purpose, and accordingly intended to waylay him on
Sunday evening as he returned from church.  I meant to carry him into the
woods, tie him and threaten him with violence, until he told me where his
treasure was lodged.  On obtaining this information, my plan was to go to the
house and alarm the family, by making them believe that I had just left the
old man dying in the road about a mile off, and that he had begged me to send
every one of them to him directly.  I concluded that the intelligence would
occasion great distress and confusion, and that in their absence, I might
have time enough to rifle his chests, and break open all his drawers.

                               CHAPTER IV.

   In pursuance of this premeditated scheme, I did meet the old man one
Sunday afternoon as he was returning home from church, but my heart failed
me.  I was so struck with his venerable form, his benevolent countenance, his
republican simplicity of manners, and his patriarchal appearance, that I
became confounded; my feet became riveted to the ground, my tongue
motionless, my heart appalled, and my eyes fixed in amazement, so that I
could not find courage to proceed or touch him with the finger of violence. 
On meeting him on the highway, he rode on, after bidding me good day.  When
he had passed by, I looked back at him, and said to myself, what is the
meaning of this?  Oh, honesty! there is sometimes a charm even in thy
external appearance, sufficient to stay the hands of the robber himself! 
There is a majesty in virtue, which often appalls vice it self [sic], and
strikes the guilty conscience with terror and dismay.  I returned to the cave
that evening without committing any depredation, and slept better than I had
done for several nights before.
   Living in a state of constant dread and apprehension of being retaken, I
became tired of the cavern, and determined to return to my old parents in
East Pennsborough, to seek revenge of the fellow who had struck and abused me
after I was tied, when I was taken before.  I took my departure from the cave
rather abruptly, leaving behind several articles of value, particularly a
pair of pantaloons and some blankets. - If they have fallen into the hands of
any honest people on the Big-spring, I hope they will not claim or use them,
but return them to my poor wife in Philadelphia, the first opportunity that
offers.
   On my return, I again met with my evil genius Connelly, who renewed the
proposition of robbing old James Roop.  We made several attempts, but were
always baffled.  Jonas was in the habit of going to Harrisburg, and staying
late in the company of Judge Bucher who lived near the bridge.  I was to
cross over the bridge to the Harrisburg side, and Connelly to remain
concealed in a thick covert of woods on the other side, near the road leading
to Mr. Roop's house.  I dogged him one Saturday evening in particular, and
would have robbed him or perished in the attempt, if I had not discovered
from his conversation with Mr. Bucher, that he kept no cash or ready money in
his house.  I had crept slyly up the bank to the engine house near the bridge,
and getting into one of the empty boxes that lie there, I could distinctly
hear nearly all that passed without any danger of discovery.
   Mr. Bucher used to be very importune [sic] with the old gentleman on the
subject of politics, and always extolled Governor Findley to the skies,
suggesting various plans for entrapping the Germans, and getting them to vote
for Findley at the election.  I also heard him converse with his son John, and
say something about the Governor's Bank Book, which he confessed he did not
like, but if Musgrave only continued mum, until after the election, he
thought the matter could be smothered and kept secret from the people.
   If it had appeared, that Jones [Jonas] was possessed of a sufficient sum
of money to justify the risk, our plan was to seize him after he had crossed
the bridge, on his return home, in some suitable part of the road, the most
remote from any house, carry him into some thicket of wood, tie him and his
horse to a tree, and procure from him the key of his chest, or gain
intelligence where his money was hid, and get some token from him to his
family, enabling us to deceive them, and carry off the spoil without
difficulty or danger, but the intelligence I gathered from the conversation
between him and Bucher convincing me that Jonas neither carried money about
his person or had any at home, compelled me to abandon the scheme altogether,
as fruitless and vain.
   Being thus baffled in my expectations of robbing Mr. Roop, I returned to
our place of rendezvous a good deal disheartened in spirits, and disturbed in
mind as to my future prospects; -- reflections on the past produced only
disagreeable and painful sensations, and anticipation of the future afforded
but gloomy prosective [sic]. - Possessing however, a restlessness of
disposition, my mind could not remain unoccupied, without engaging in some
new scheme.  Necessity too furnished a new motive for action, and though I
generally despised petty thefts and spring house depredations, and wished to
pursue the noble gang of highway robberies, which while they were more
profitable, were better calculated to make a great noise in the world, and
produced a tempory [sic] Èclat, flattering to the pride of one who had gained
a reputation for generosity even in his crimes; I was reduced to the
alternative of starving in the midst of plenty, or descending to the
expedient of committing petty larcenies, for the purpose of supplying the
wants of nature.  I did not hesitate long before I chose the latter, and in
one of my predatory excursions, I discovered on the farm of Mr. Conrad
Reininger, a wealthy and respectable German, a web of homemade cloth, lying
in an exposed situation.  The temptation was too powerful for one in my
distressed case to occasion hesitation or delay in seizing the valuable prize
the first favorable moment that offered.  I made the attempt accordingly, as
soon as the stillness and darkness of night rendered it safe, but darkness
and night do not always afford a cover for crime, or a mantle for iniquity. 
I was surprised in the attempt to carry it off, was pursued in my flight and
finally overtaken.  My pursuers were accompanied by a large dog, whose
fierceness and speed exceeded anything of the kind I had ever witnessed
before; for just as I was in the act of clearing the fence, the dog came up,
seized me by the shoulders, drew me back, and held me fast until Mr.
Reininger arrived, who immediately belabored me with blows, from the effects
of which I did not recover for some time.  I had frequently seen Mr.
Reininger before, and though I perceived he was a robust, broad shouldered,
stout built man for his size, I did not think there was so much strength in
the arm of flesh, until I felt the force of his on this disastrous occasion.
   I was now completely in the power of my pursuer, and expected every moment
to be dragged to a magistrate and committed once more to jail, but Mr.
Reininger not knowing me in the dark, and thinking no doubt, that he had
already punished me sufficiently from the unsuccessful attempt, he discharged
me from his grip, when I lost no time in making off as fast as I could.  I
returned to our usual hiding place about midnight, and suffered the most
excruciating pain from a lacerated shoulder and bruised body, lay on the damp
earth until daybreak without any mitigation of pain, or from sleep. 
Apprehensive that the dog was mad, I endured the utmost anxiety, terror and
suspense for nine days; after the termination of that period my canine
madness subsided, and I recovered gradually, both by health and spirits.
   Forming suddenly a determination of going to my mother, I resolved upon
its execution as soon as I could disengage myself from Connelly of whose
company I began to grow tired, but Providence, that overrules the actions and
destinies of man, had otherwise ordained; as we had been so long connected
together in a criminal intercourse, it was to be our fate to continue in the
same career of wickedness until both should expiate their crimes by the
justly merited sacrifice of their lives, on the same occasion and in the same
manner.  My wretched companion suspecting my intention to leave him, procured
from me in an unguarded moment, a rash oath that we should never separate
from one another without the consent of each.  A false pride and a mistaken
sense of honor operating upon a mind whose moral sense was weakened by vice,
whose conscience was hardened by crime, I determined to fulfil [sic] with
fidelity what I had promised with rashness.  Many days had not elapsed after
this before I became affected by a strange presentiment which I could not
resist, that my glass was nearly run, and I should soon be called to answer
for my conduct here, in another world.  Notwithstanding the errors of my
education, and the wicked and criminal manner in which I had spent my life, I
never disbelieved in the existence of a God, or the truth of revelation, but
my convictions of conscience (if such they can be called) were of so
transitory a nature, that they never produced any fruits except an occasional
fearful apprehension of Divine wrath and punishment, which I endeavored to
remove as speedily as possible by embarking in some new adventure, or
engaging in fresh schemes of dissipation and debauchery.  Not being able to
overcome this feeling, and acting under its influence, I concluded upon
paying a visit to Carlisle, the place of my nativity once more, before I
should quit this part of the country forever, as my intention was to retire
to Canada and settle there, after I should see my mother and make
preparations for removing my wife and children.  Previous to my departure I
was engaged in several enterprises of a 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 he had in his possession, chiefly in old coins and Spanish dollars, we
were were surprised in the act, by an alarm made by the family, and I, in
particular, was very near being apprehended.  After the failure of this
attempt, I started for Carlisle early the next morning having first disguised
my person as well as I could by altering my clothes, blackening my whiskers
and eyebrows, covering one eye with a piece of green silk, and sticking a
large black patch on my left cheek; in this manner I arrived in Carlisle
about twilight in the evening, carrying a bundle of old clothing under my
arm, and affecting the infirmity of an old cripple.
   Afraid to expose myself by remaining too long in the same place, and
anxious to avoid the risk of detection, I changed my situation frequently,
and mixed with different companions in different places.  I occasionally
became a party to the conversation carried on, and thus became acquainted
with characters of some of the inhabitants, and the passing transactions of
the times, which made me think the inhabitants of the place were a really
queer people.  In one of my rambles through the streets I happened to meet
with, and immediately recognized the man with whom I attempted to pass some
of my counterfeit notes, and through whose agency I was very near being
arrested.  On inquiry, I found his real name to be Henry C. Marthens, and
learned that he had removed from the Walnut Bottom and settled in Carlisle. 
I likewise gained some information about the mare, which I had left in his
possession when I took a French leave of him and Colonel M'Ginnis, and was
told the mare was sold for one hundred dollars and the money pocketed by
Marthens.  As Marthens had no right either to the mare or the money, he will
do an act of justice only, if he return the latter to my poor wife and family
whom he will easily find, either in New York or Philadelphia.  At all events
he can have no just claims to the money, and if he is unwilling to restore it
to my family, he ought at least, as an honest man, appropriate it for some
charitable or benevolent use, either in my name, or in our joint names.  I
understood that this man Marthens had intended to make the tour of Europe,
whether in the character of Missionary or Wandering Jew, I did not hear; his
object appeared to be to impose on the credulous, by tendering his services
to collect legacies and debts in the old countries, and for this purpose had
procured a curious kind of certificate from Gov. Findley, under the great
seal of the Commonwealth, and ribbons and wax attached, of which he was as
fond of displaying as a new made justice was of his commission.
   In the evening I repaired to the house in which I was born, situate [sic]
in Hanover St.; nearly opposite Dr. Foulke, and so strong was my affection
for the natal spot, that I stooped down and kissed the sill of the door on
which I had frequently sat by the side of my mother, and enjoyed the innocent
sports of boys older and bigger than myself, who played around us in the
street.  I was anxious to see the draw-well which stood in the street a short
distance from the house and expected to find the same bucket hanging in the
well, from which I had often, unknown to my mother, allayed my thirst; but
finding a pump in its stead, I drew up as much water as cooled my parched and
burning mouth, which I drank out of the hollow of my hand; but alas! It could
not quench the consuming fire that raged in my bosom.  The scene brought to
my recollection the happy days of my infancy and innocense [sic], which had
gone by never to return, and the comparison between what I had been and what
I was now, filled my heart with compunction.  I felt as one possessed of two
distinct souls, and two opposite natures, one inclining me to virtue and the
other drawing me to vice and crime; the strength of the latter prevailed over
the weakness of the former, and had plunged me back in that deep and black
abyss of guilt from which I found it impossible to rise.  My heart was torn
to pieces by the violence of feelings which now agitated me, and I shed a
profuse shower of tears; but tears afford relief only to those who are at
peace with themselves, alas! they brought none to a miserable wretch so
guilty as I had been.  This gentle fluid of humanity, while it ran from my
inflamed eyes, only scalded my cheeks without relieving my bursting heart.  I
remained some time in this agony of feeling, transfixed to the spot like a
statute [sic] of despair, and might have continued to remain much longer,
except for some soft sounds of music which broke upon my ear.  I immediately
turned round [sic] and found the sound proceeded from a house up an adjacent
alley, where I followed until I came to the stone dwelling from which the
sound issued.  I stopped and listened with breathless attention.  Finding it
resembled the melody of sacred music, I opened the gate and proceeded to the
window, when, peeping through one of the broken shutters, I observed the
delightful spectacle of an aged couple closing the labors and duties of the
day in exercises of devotion and worship.  It was a sight to which I had not
been accustomed, and when the venerable man of God, in the concluding prayer,
pronounced, with the voice and countenance of an angel, the solemn expression,
amen! I involuntarily repeated the words in so loud a tone that made them both
start with surprise and astonishment; but lest my appearance be remaining
longer should add to the terror of this worthy pair, I instantly escaped,
without being noticed or perceived.
   Retiring from the interesting spot with more composure than I came to it,
my meditations recalled to my memory the religious impressions with which I
had once before been affected, in New York, on hearing the Rev. Bishop Habard
preach in that city, and lamenting how easily they had been effaced by the
guilty pleasures and criminal scenes in which I indulged on that occasion to
dissipate their effects.  After walking the streets for some time in search
of a resting place for the night, I happened to pass by the public offices,
and finding the door open, I preferred the hard bed and miserable shelter
which they might afford my wearied body, to the damp and unwholesome air to
which I must expose myself, from lying on one of the stalls in the open
market place, I entered with considerable reluctance, as I disliked to be
indebted for a shelter even for one night, to a place which had been so long
occupied by Governor Findley's public officers, and represented as the den of
extortion and oppression.  After placing my bundle on the bricks for a pillow,
I laid down and soon fell into a sound and undisturbed sleep, from which I did
not awake until my ears were assailed by loud cries of Gliddy Glough, Gliddy
Glough.  I was not long in discovering that the noise came from a poor
unfortunate maniac, of the name of Baggs, whom I had often seen before in
Carlisle and other places.  I accosted him without apology, and saying George
be still, the inoffensive idiot immediately replied, Oh, yes, Bill, and
without more to do retired to a corner of the entry, where he laid down and
remained quiet, until he fell asleep, much happier than hundreds who lie on
beds of down under canopies of velvet.  Notwithstanding my poor
accommodations for rest, I rose at daybreak much refreshed, and returned to
the old haunt in East Pennsboro, where I rejoined Connelly, my companion in
iniquity.  We tarried there two days, and on the morning of the third
commenced my journey to my mother's.  The conversation that passed between us
on the road, chiefly related to matters connected with the course of life in
which we had so long been engaged, and the impressions made on my mind by
recent circumstances favoring a change of conduct, growing weaker and weaker,
I soon yielded with a willing mind to every suggestion and proposition that
came from my dangerous companion.  We now agreed to renew our old trade of
robbery and plunder, and as guilt becomes bolder by repetition we possessed a
kind of fictitious courage bordering on despair, increased greatly by the very
circumstance of danger we were in; conscious that having so often offended
against the peace of society, and the laws of our country, no prospect
appeared of receiving another pardon unless Governor Findley should be
re-elected, of which even his former friends were now ever doubtful.
   On crossing the Juniata an incident was brought to my recollection which I
considered as a very unfortunate circumstance at the time it happened.  It was
as follows: -- Having got possession of a very large sum of money in notes of
the Carlisle bank, which I procured in exchange for counterfeit, I carefully
placed them in a curious envelope, made of an alligator skin, tanned at
Havana, which the unfortunate Joseph Hare, lately executed at Baltimore, had
purchased at Pensacola, and gave to me for a keepsake.  On being pursued
through the Tuscarora mountains, I hid the skin with its contents under a
large rock that projected over the river.  During the spring freshet the rain
had fallen in torrents, and the flood overflowing the bank, washed away the
earth, and carried off the rocks into the Juniata, at least ten feet from its
natural bed.  Returning to the spot about three months after the freshet, I
discovered the ravages of the flood, and though I searched the bank of the
river and the water below with the greatest care, I was unable to discover
either money or purse; an accident at which I grieved much at the time, not
only for the loss of the notes as regarded myself, but it distressed me not a
little to think any of Governor Findley's letters should profit so much by the
disaster unless perchance some fortunate water man may have the good luck to
discover it as he descends the river.
   We moved on in this mood for some time and determined not to risk much by
petty thefts on the road, reserving all our skill and courage for greater
exploits, more productive of gain at the same time as free from danger as
enterprises of so daring a nature permitted.  No opportunity for plunder
happened for some time, and our hopes began to languish, when calling at a
miserable grog shop, we overheard a conversation between the landlady and a
stranger, the latter informing her that a wagon loaded with store goods
belonging to Hammond and Page, of Bellefonte, was expected shortly to pass. 
The animating intelligence raised our drooping spirits, and to increase our
ardor for plunder, McGuire, another of the gang, made his appearance at the
door just as we were preparing to leave the house; affecting to treat one
another as strangers, and dissombling [sic] our knowledge of him, and he of
us, we took our departure, after giving him a secret signal known only to the
fraternity.  We had proceeded but a short distance before we were overtaken by
our old companion, and having communicated to him the information we got at
the tavern, we concluded upon making another bold push to retrieve our fallen
fortunes; to accomplish our views with more security, we concerted the plan of
robbing the wagon in the Seven Mountains, and accordingly proceeded to execute
our purpose.  The attempt was crowned with success, and the spoils divided
between us.  Elevated with our good luck and inflamed with liquor, we made
another attempt to rob the store of Mr. James Potter, of Penn's Valley, the
next morning; but though we commenced the operation before the break of day
and had the advantage of being armed with rifles, we were unexpectedly
discovered, and dreading to encounter Mr. Potter and his family, whom I knew
to be a brave and resolute man, we decamped on the first notice, without
making any resistance.
   After this, McGuire was dispatched to Bellefonte to reconnoiter and seek
out safe and suitable objects of plunder.  Assuming the appearance of a
gentleman, he was dressed in the best clothes we could furnish, and in this
character entered one of the shops with the pretended view of purchasing
store goods, while his chief intention was to gain information and make his
observation of the premises, particularly as to the manner of securing the
store at night, and the vigilance of [sic] carelessness of the owner.  On his
return we consulted together about the danger we might be exposed to in case
of a failure and apprehension, and finding Governor Findley to grow more
unpopular every day, and his chances of success weaker and fewer, we were
prevented by fear from an open assault, lest if caught in the act of
burglary, conviction might be the consequence of prosecution, and all hopes
of pardon cut off by the election of Mr. Findley's opponent.  Abandoning the
project of robbery by force, we resolved to attain by stratagem what we
dreaded to effect by violence.  A new scheme was adopted - McGuire was to
return in the garb and character of a laborer to procure employment, and
after gaining admittance into the family as a domestic, he was to carry on a
secret correspondence with us, and as soon as the plot was ripe for action,
introduce us into the store the first night the store-keeper might happen to
be absent.  But owing either to his imprudence or the sagacity of the
store-keeper he was suspected to be an imposter and refused employment.
   On the return of McGuire the news of his failure filled us with new
terror, when we agreed to separate for a time the better to avoid detection
and elude the officers of justice.  For several days I concealed myself in
the most lonely place I could find in the vicinity of Bellefonte, and at
night slept or rather lay in the woods under the most distressing feelings of
alarm and fear.  The noise was sufficient to disturb me, and the dismal scream
of the screech owl terrified my imagination with awful forebodings.  One
night, while I lay under a large oak, my thoughts were much engaged in
meditating upon the forlorn condition to which I had brought myself, by my
imprudent and criminal conduct, sleep had forsaken my eye-lids, and my waking
attention was alive to every noise around me.  The shaking of a tree, or the
fall of a leaf, produced agitation and trembling; thus I spent the night,
anxious for the return of morning, and vainly expecting that the light of
day, while it would dissipate the darkness that overspread the earth, might
also remove the deep gloom that pervaded my mind.  Alas, the sun shines only
for the innocent and the happy; and those who are not innocent and free from
guilt, can no more expect to find happines [sic] either in this world or in
that to come than they can look for sunshine in the midst of night, without
disappointment.  During the night I had heard a strange noise, not unlike the
cracking of a horse-whip, and my mind dwelling on the recent circumstance of
the robery [sic] in the Seven Mountains, the alarm of conscience induced me
to imagine that the noise proceeded from the whip of the plundered wagoner,
who had come in pursuit of me - I jumped up and stood upon my feet, expecting
every moment to see the wagoner in person, and feel the lash of his whip.  The
moon shed out dim light through the thick foliage of the wood, obscuring my
vision and preventing me from seeing with distinctness, even the nearest
objects.  I saw no human figure, heard no human voice and concluded that the
noise was nothing but the unreal creation of a disturbed imagination; after
walking about for a few minutes I returned to my resting place under the oak,
and lay under its branches until the day dawned when I awoke from a disturbed
sleep of not more than half an hour's duration.  The first noise that saluted
my ears was a repetition of the same sounds I had heard during the night; and
again the poor wagoner appeared in full view to the eyes of my affrighted
fancy; but the terror of fancy can never equal the horror of reality. 
Instead of the wagoner and his whip, I perceived one of the most terrific
objects that ever appalled the human sight.  A tremendous snake with two
heads, lay within five feet of where I was, alternately jumping up from the
ground, twisting and coiling itself, and at intervals lashing its tail
against the trunk of a hickory sapling.  It ceased to move for an instant,
and darted at me the angry look of a swollen and distended eye.  Horror
transfixed me to the spot as fast as the oak near which I stood. 
Superstition, like fear, generally accompanies guilt, and I now believed the
serpentine monster before me, was nothing less than the Devil, who had left
the infernal abyss, and reappeared in the same form he had assumed when he
tempted and deceived our frail parent in the garden of Eden.  The design of
his visit I considered to be for no other purpose than to carry me off with
him to the lower regions, body and soul, as a just punishment for my manifold
transgressions, and every other fear was swallowed up in the dreadful
apprehension of being instantly devoured by the two-headed monster. 
Notwithstanding the violence of terror which I now suffered, the impulse of
self-preservation and the love of life restored me to a degree of
recollection and composure sufficient to enable me to fly from the impending
danger.  I immediately assumed a desperate courage, and snatching up my
rifle, fled with the utmost velocity the feet of man are capable of, just as
this wonder of nature had resumed his occupation of striking his tail against
the tree.  I continued my flight for several miles, and did not cease running
until exhausted nature called for rest.  Having reached a safe hiding place,
I concealed myself in the retreat until night-fall, when I expecting the
cloud of guilt, concealing the darkness might afford security to my attempt
to procure some food to relieve the pressing calls of hunger.  Wandering
about from farm to farm, I happened to espy a smoking oven, and seizing a
favorable opportunity, when a negro wench, who had been ordered to watch the
oven, had fallen asleep, I opened the mouth and stole a loaf of half-baked
bread, the sweetest morsel I had eaten in my life, as long fasting and want
of sleep had given a keen appetite to my empty stomach.  After securing in my
handkerchief the remains of the loaf, I ascended the top of a large hay
barrack and lay there till morning, enjoying as composed a sleep as it was
possible for one to do, suffering the same effects from an affrighted
imagination, which I experienced from recent scenes of terror and horror.  I
know my relation of this incident may be considered by many, too wonderful
for belief, but I assure the reader, on the word of a dying man, that I am
within the bounds of truth when I say that the snake of which I have just
spoken, would have measured at least twenty feet in length, and had two
heads, and two tails, one of the tails appearing to come out of the mouth of
the other, with two large frightful eyes in each head.
   Before the separation of my companions, we had previously agreed upon
meeting together at the Bald Eagle.  I found them there waiting for me with
impatient anexiety [sic], and after accounting for my detention, we stole a
canoe and proceeded in it until within a short distance of the Big Island. 
Here we put to shore, and wearied with carrying our stolen burdens, we burned
a part of the goods of Messrs. Hammond & Page.  The smell drawing some persons
to the spot, a discovery took place, which ended in the arrest of M'Guire. 
Connelly and I now separated to wander in the adjacent hills, each taking his
rifle, and fixing a plan of firing and whistling, as the signal for finding
one another.  The next morning we crossed the river, got breakfast, and run
some bullets at a house close by; we now started for the Sinna-mahoning, and
reached the junction of Bennetts and the Driftwood branch, proceeded thence
up Driftwood branch, we arrived in the afternoon at the house of Samuel
Smith, and stopped to shoot at a mark, with some men who happened to be
there. Whilst engaged in this sport, a number of persons hove in sight, and
recognizing Connelly and me, they demanded our immediate surrender, observing
that if we surrendered peaceably, we should be well used.  Connelly swore a
terrible oath, that sooner than do so he would blow them all to hell.  Having
determined never to deprive a fellow being of life, except in necessary
defence, I was reduced to the painful alternative of being overpowered by
numbers or shoot at them to save myself.  Seizing a gun I snapped it twice,
firing at random, but luckily it did not go off.  At the same moment Connelly
fired his, aiming point blank at one of the party in pursuit.  Having procured
another gun, I fired it also, without aiming at any one in particular.  The
fire was quickly returned by the party, when another request was made for our
surrender; we now perceived, that all hopes of escape were cut off, and
actuated by a false spirit of revenge, we uttered the most improper threats
of defiance, and called aloud for them to fire away; discharging our guns at
the same time.  The fire was immediately answered with a volley from the
assailants.  Connelly escaped the shots, but I was wounded in the right arm,
a little above the wrist, and fell.  Connelly started and run, but as he
retreated through a grain field over the creek, was fired at, and afterwards
found hid in a tree top, with a severe wound in his groin, immediately below
the belly, the bullet penetrating the left side and discending [sic], had
come out at the outside of the right thigh.
   Having dressed our wounds with all the skill and care they were capable
of, the party who took us purchased a canoe, and proposed to move us down the
river, and on Sunday, the 3rd of July, landed near the Big Island, in Lycoming
county.  We were then taken to Carskadden's tavern, and attended by three
physicians and a minister of the gospel.  My unhappy companion, receiving no
assistance from medical aid, and no comfort from the ministerial offices of
religion, died that night in gloomy sullenness.  Peace to his ashes; though
the period allowed for repentance was short, may the mercy of God be greater
than his repentance. [sic] and forgive all his sins and all his crimes.
   I was removed to this place as soon as my wound permitted, and with as
much tenderness and humanity as the nature of the case allowed of.
   I have now brought the history of my adventures to a close, having given
as faithful a relation of the more important incidents of my life as my
memory enabled me to recollect, in my present distracted state of mind and
suffering condition of bodily pain.  I have been thus particular, to gratify
the wishes of a near and dear friend, who has always taken the greatest
interest in my fate, and attended me frequently in my illness, and who has
promised to remain the friend of my wife, whom a few days more will make a
widow, and the father of my beloved children, soon to become the orphans of
charity, without his protecting care.  In addition to my anexiety [sic] to
oblige one who has [been] my friend in adversity, I have been induced to
undergo the painful task of making this confession, with the hope and belief
that the publication of my unhappy case may be useful not only to my
surviving companions, and to society in general, but more especially to the
youth of the rising generation, operating as a solemn warning to old and
young against indulging in the same wicked practices which have distinguished
my unhappy life, and brought ruin on myself and disgrace upon my family and
connection.
   The ways of sin can have no pleasure in them.  If every robber and
criminal found as little satisfaction in following the pursuits of vice as I
have done, he must confess their insufficiency to obtain happiness, or even a
common share of tranquility.  During the day I felt as if the eyes of all men
were upon me, and at night was under constant dread of secret apprehension.
   Alas! the only little happiness I ever tasted was in the bosom of my
family, and in the society of my wife.  When, after a guilty round of
dissipation and crime, I have returned to the little room that contained my
beloved Melinda, the calm abode of humble virtue, and found her engaged in
the concerns of domestic industry; when I have entered by surprise and
perceived her, unseen, sitting at the wheel, and heard her sing the old song
of "Bess and her Spinning Wheel," I have been overpowered with feelings of
delight, and shed tears of joy.
   Although I deeply lament my second marriage, and blame myself for
involving an amiable stranger in distress and misfortune, I pray for her
forgiveness, and hope she will continue the mother and guardian of my little
girls, whose tender years will require all her care and all her instruction,
to raise them up in virtue and industry.  When I last saw them, they promised
to be as beautiful as the daughters of Job, should they be as virtuous as
their lovely namesake, I shall not have lived altogether in vain, but may be
honored after my death, in the honors paid them, and have the disgraceful end
of an ignominious life washed away by the virtuous offspring of my Jemima and
Heziah [Kesiah].
   Philadelphia, in my opinion, is by no means a good place to bring up a
family.  There are fewer snares and less temptations in the country than in
the city; -- under this impression, I recommended it to my wife to return to
Fayette, as soon as she can make the necessary arrangements for a removal of
herself and children.
   While I have been in jail, I have received every attention due to one in
my situation, not only from the physicians of the town, but the ladies and
gentlemen generally; and to Sheriff Mitchell, and his excellent lady I should
be most ungrateful indeed if I did not express my thanks for the many kind
offices of humanity and benevolence they continued to bestow on me from the
first day of my lodgment in jail.  The jailor and his family have been
equally kind and good; and I die at peace with all men.
   I sincerely forgive my captors, for being the instruments of my death. 
Acting under the authority of the law, they performed only their duty as good
citizens, and have set an example worthy of imitation, in risking their own
lives to save society, and liberate the country from the depredations and
terrors of a desperate band of robbers, counterfeiters and outlaws.
   To the amiable minister who visited me in jail, and prayed for me and with
me, when I lay on my miserable pallet, looking with fear and trembling in
awful suspense, for the approach of death, I return the unfeigned thanks of
an oppressed sinner, for his frequent intercessions at the "Throne of Grace"
in my behalf.  And you my kind friend, who have promised to remain with me,
and close my eyes, accept my grateful acknowledgement for all you have done
for me, and when you have seen me laid with decency in the grave, bear to my
mother, the last token of remembrance, she will ever receive from her dying
son, a small lock of her [sic] hair, cut with his own hand from the head of
the unfortunate but repentant,

DAVID LEWIS
Bellefonte Jail, 12th July, 1820.