Page 7
History of Orange County
Town of Warwick
Page 7
CONFESSION OF DAVID DUNNING; made April 15, 1819, in the presence of Mrs. Dunning and John Dunning, Richard F. Cadle.
Previously to the making the following confession, Mr. Dunning was addressed in these words:- A sense of duty and a regard to your interest compel me now to entreat you to think of your awful situation, and, in the confession you are about to make, to adhere to the truth. You are a dying man; in a few minutes you will be in the eternal world; you will stand before the judgment seat of God, and if you now wilfully misstate or utter any falsehood, I verily believe there is no mercy in store for you. All liars will have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone-the smoke of their torments will ascend up forever-they will suffer the pains of the worm that never dies, and of the fire which never is quenched. God is now present with us; he sees your heart; be knows and will hear what you are about to utter; and if you deceive us you cannot deceive him, but he will swear in his wrath that you shall not enter into his rest. If you are guilty of the murder of Mr. Jennings, you must, as you hope for salvation, confess it: nothing else will answer; private and secret sorrow is not sufficient; God requires you to disclose your guilt. It is no matter what the world thinks; your soul is of more value than ten thousand worlds; you will shortly be removed from the earth, and you will find it to have been your true wisdom to have se cured the favor of God.
David Dunning states that he went to live at Mr. Teed's in the month of April. 1818. He says there never was any dispute between him and Richard Jennings. He had a conversation with Mr. Jennings last fall, who was going to serve a notice on David Conkling to attend the Circuit Court, when he gave him encouragement that he should not lose his labor, when possession should be obtained of the property that had been so long in dispute. Mr. Jennings asked him if Mr. Conkling had promised to indemnify him, and if he had security? He answered that he had a promise but no security for its fulfilment. Mr. Jennings further told him that he did not wish to do to him (Dunning) as Mr. Conkling had done to him-shut him up in prison and reaped his grain.
The next time Mr. Jennings and he met, was at Mr. Coe Teed's, soon after the Circuit Court, and they were friendly to each other. He asked Mr. Jennings if he expected to regain the land: who replied that he did. He then asked if, when he came in possession of it, he would refrain from prosecuting Mr. Conkling, and live on friendly terms Mr. Jennings answered he would not, for Mr. Conkling had locked him up in jail, and kept him twenty-four hours without meat or drink. Returning Mr. Jennings mentioned that he would not allow Mr. Teed to remain in the house, but that he (Dunning) might. This was the last time they conversed together; and they parted, he believes, with mutual good will.
Soon after the Circuit Court, Mr. Conkling and Mr. Teed drank tea in his room. The conversation turning, while they were in Mr. Teed's room, on Mr. Jennings, Dunning said in a jocose manner, they had better get Hubbard and put him out of the way. Mr. Conkling observed that Hubbard would not do, as he belonged to the same church that his mother did; adding, Mr. Dunning thinks, that there could be dependence placed in Jack. After tea, Mr. Conkling and Mr. Teed went out of doors, and he heard them conversing by the side of the house next to the road. Mr. Conkling did not come into the house again, nor, as far as he recollects, did he see him before Mr. Jennings' body was found. He does not remember hearing Mr. Jennings name mentioned after wards, until Jack Hodges came to Sugarloaf, the Saturday night before the murder. His son Lewis came out from Mr. Teed's room into his, and said Jack had the old musket: he asked what he was going to do with it; his son replied that Charles Teed had said he was going to kill old Dick. Jack came then into his room, where were Hila Conkling and Mrs. Dunning: Jack asked him to go out, and told him that he intended to take the life of Mr. Jennings; he thought him in earnest, but did not dissuade him from his purpose, not supposing it his business or his duty, and Jack at the same time being considerably intoxicated. He did not ask Jack if he was come to assist him, nor tell him that he himself was ready.
On Sunday, while they were at the haystack, Jack said he would like to see Mr. Jennings: Mr. Dunning asked him if he had been hired by Mr. Conkling to kill Mr. Jennings! to which he replied, No' he did not want any pay-Conkling is too good a man to be used as Mr. Jennings had used him. Mr. Dunning told him he would never have any peace it he did this act, as his spirit would appear to him; Jack said he had killed, as far as he can recollect his expressions, many a better man; and told him the particulars of his murdering a white man in New York. Jack stated that there was a mulatto girl in New York to whom he was much attached, and that while he was gone to sea she was kept by a white man. Being informed of this after his return, and having become acquainted with his rival and drank with him on a Sabbath day, they went at evening on board some vessel where he shot him with a pistol belonging to the mate, and threw him overboard. Mr. Dunning told Jack he had better not commit the murder, and Jack then concluded to drive Mr. Teed's cow to Mr. Wheadon's the next day, and as Mr. Teed was not at home as he had promised, he would go home and return another day. On Monday morning Mr. Dunning was told either by Jack or Teed's children that Mr. Jennings was passing; and Jack then went into Mr. Teed's room, brought out the gun, and as he went through his room, said he was going to shoot a partridge. Mr. Dunning acknowledges he thought the intention of Jack was to destroy Mr. Jennings, but most foolishly and wickedly, as he now laments, did not interfere to prevent the murder, supposing it was not his business; also thinking that Mr. Jennings would be in sight of Mr. Coe Teed's house before Jack could come up with him, and that he would not probably commit the murder in so public a place; and further that Mr. Conklin and Mr. Teed and Mrs. Teed were so anxious for the death of Mr. Jennings, that he did not exert himself to oppose their wishes. He states he was chopping wood at the door, when he heard a gun fired, and believes he said, “I guess he is dead.” Mrs. Teed, he thinks, then observed, she feared there was no such good news. He was at the stable when Jack returned, who told him he had killed Mr. Jennings, and then took the broken pieces of the gun into the house through the door commonly used by the family of Mr. Teed. Jack soon came into Mr. Dunning's room, who thinks he told him be ought to inform him of what was done, fearing lest he himself should be blamed, when Jack said, “Oh, no' Dunning, you would not want to have me hung, and earnestly begged him not to reveal the murder, and also threatened his life and his family's if he did. He told Mr. Dunning he found Mr. Jennings in the woods, who made some inquiries respecting the timber, and asked him if the gun was loaded: he answered it was not. He then fired, but Mr. Jennings not being killed, he struck him violently on the head, and at every stroke he groaned. Soon after this account was given, Mr. Dunning promised Jack he would not disclose his crime unless examined under oath. Mr. Dunning states he was not employed to decoy Mr. Jennings into the woods, that he might be murdered by Jack. He further states that on the night after the murder he asked Mrs. Dunning if he had not better go to Sugarloaf to inform against Jack, and that he did not go, as she was afraid to be left in the house with him; and that not sufficiently considering that this was his duty, nor aware of the consequences of its neglect, he afterwards concealed his knowledge of the murder.
He confesses he was not at East Division on the day Mr. Jennings was missing, and that he was guilty of falsehood in his declaration to Mr. Vanduzer.
He states that on the day Mr. Jennings' body was found he was loading wood at a short distance from it, that he saw what appeared like a hat, but not the body; that he however thought it probable the body was near there. He believes he did mention Mr. Jennings was gone to Delaware to procure shingles for a barn. He further states that when he and Mrs. Teed and Mrs. Dunning were at Sugarloaf about to appear before the coroner's jury, he begged of them to tell the truth as Jack had stated.
He wishes to warn all not to become interested in any property which is the subject of dispute, from the awful condition to which he is reduced.- He believes he is punished for his general sins and more especially for an impious wish expressed by him last summer after the loss of a horse he much valued, when “he hoped God would take him away next, as he met with nothing but misfortunes on earth.” He acknowledges that he is guilty of the crime of concealing the murder, but not of actual agency in it. He looks back with sorrow on his past life, and hopes his miserable death will prove a useful lesson to all who live carelessly. He confesses the justice of God in his sufferings, and if he exchanges this for a happier world, does not much lament that he is to be cut off by an ignomimious and sudden death.- He professes his forgiveness of all mankind, and particularly of him on whose testimony he was convicted, and begs of God to forgive him all his trespasses, before lie goes hence and is no more seen.
Republican, April 19, 1819.
The Legislature commuted the sentences of Conkling and Jack to imprisonment for life in the State prison.
Jack became a converted man, and as was supposed a sincere christian. Conkling behaved well in prison, and being sick and afflicted with rheumatism was pardoned, and now both are dead,
DISTRESSING ACCIDENT. -An only child of Mr. Stephen Foster, of Chester, was drowned a few days since in a very singular manner. The mother just stepped out for a few minutes and left the child alone in the room-when she returned, the poor little innocent was found in a kettle containing about a pail of water.--Republican, June 15, 1818.
1820, October. Some of the inhabitants in the vicinity of Postville went out in pursuit of four bears, and on the first day killed one. Next day they renewed the pursuit and killed another-the remainder escaped.
1825, December term of Common Pleas. A case of seduction and breach of promise of an aggravated nature was tried at Goshen. The defendant was William Ellis of Warwick, and the injured and unfortunate female resided with her father, a very respectable citizen in Vernon, Sussex county, N. J. The Jury gave a verdict of $2,000.
1828, May. Fatal Curiosity.--A colored man belonging to Mr. Nehemiah Finn, put an end to his life on the 10th inst., by hanging himself with a leather strap. He had been frequently heard to say that he wondered how it felt for a person to hang himself: and it was supposed it was rather to gratify his curiosity than to put an end to himself, that he made the attempt, as he had been remarkably cheerful and in good spirits during the former part of the day.
Married at Amity, on the 10th of Dec. 1804, by Joshua Wells, Esq., Mr. Garret Decker, of Bremstone Hill, to the delicate Miss Keziah Gardenhouse of Mare's Point, both near Skunk's Misery, in the village of Mount Eve.
Orange Eagle.
The names of the individuals who signed the Revolutionary Pledge in 1775 in this town will be found among those who signed in Goshen, as this town was then a part of Goshen.