Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/382

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��HISTORY OF KICHLAND COUNTY.

��day of March, 1851, I entered his store se- cretly, by the door, while he was asleep, unseen by anj^ human eye, and committed the deed. Knowing he was about starting for New York, to purchase goods, and that he had collected a considerable sum of money, I laid m}^ plans and resolved to take his life, as the only means of possessing myself of the coveted treasure. Before dark, on the previous day, I went to his store, and, in his absence, unfastened the back door, and left it in a condition to be opened easily. At midnight, I left m}^ house, entered by this door and found Hall sleeping soundl3^ I was armed with a heavy iron poker, square and large at one end, and tapering to a rounded point at the other. Having carefully ascer- tained his position, I struck the point through his skull, on the left side, above the ear, and then gave him a violent blow with the heavy end of the poker, on top of the head. He then began to struggle, and I seized his pillow and held it tight over his mouth, to prevent any sound from escaping, and, with the other hand, grasped his windpipe strongly, and held him thus till he ceased to struggle and life was evi- dently extinct. It was a fearful struggle, and I felt a sad relief when it was over. There was no great flow of blood from the wound, and no stain on ray clothes.

" When I was satisfied that he was dead, I dragged the body to the back part of the store and commenced my search for the expected treasure. On going to the money drawer, I found only a little change, and began to think my crime was to be without reward ; but, on searching the hammock where he slept, under the bolster, I discovered his pocket-book, which I found contained over $800 in bank bills. I immediately left the store and buried the pocket-book and contents in the back end of my lot, and the}' remained there, untouched, during the next six months.

'' When the excitement about the murder died away, I dug up the pocket-book, and

��used the money in small quantities, as I needed it.

" Before leaving the store the night of the murder; I locked the back door and left by the front door, which I locked after me, and buried the key, so as to create the impression that the business was done by regular burglars. I was among the foremost to charge the crime on Myers and McGravy.

" I used an old tin lantern, which I covered up with a towel, to prevent the light being seen. With the aid of this light, which I placed at the head of the sleeping man, I ac- complished my purpose."

At the same time, this monster made another confession, as follows :

" While Thomas Grrifflth and I were keeping tavern at Bichland, an event took place which is vivid in my recollection, but which I wish I ■could forget. Griffith was away for the night, and was not expected home for several days. Toward evening, a peddler — I think his name was Lovejoy — arrived, on foot, with two large tin trunks full of goods ; said he wanted his supper, breakfast and bed for the night, if I would take the amount out in trade. I looked over his goods, and, finding he had such arti- cles as I could use in my family, I made a bar- gain with liira, had his boxes taken care of and gave him his supper. After supper, he walked out for awhile, and when he returned, took a seat in the bar-room with me and we talked for a couple of hours. He complained of being very tired and much in need of sleep, as he had been walking all day. When ready to retii'e, I went with him to his room, which was on the second floor, in the corner of the house. At this time, I had no idea of injuring him, and went to bed wholly innocent of an}' intention of disturbing him.

I awoke about midnight, and the thought struck me that the peddler might have money about him, and there was a good opportunity of getting possession of it. I knew there was

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