The narrative and confession of Thomas Powers, a Negro, formerly of Norwich in Connecticut, who was in the 20th year of his age. He was executed at Haverhill, in the state of New Hampshire, on the 28th July, 1796, for committing a rape. : Price single, 4 1/2.

THE NARRATIVE AND CONFESSION OF THOMAS POWERS, A NEGRO.

I THOMAS POWERS, was born in Wallingford, in Connecticut, Septem|ber 15th, 1796. My father's name is Tho|mas Powers; and my mother before marri|age was Prudy Waterman. I was the se|cond and youngest Son of my father, with whom I lived, till I was two years old. He then put me out to live with Mr. Moses Tharp, of Norwich, (Conn.) where I resi|ded one year, and then returned to my fath|er, who, being a very pious man, endeavor|ed to instruct me in my several duties, to God, to my parents, and to all mankind;

as far as my young and tender mind was ca|pable of receiving any virtuous impressions. But I was naturally too much inclined to vice, to profit by his precepts or example; for I was very apt to pilser and tell lies, if I thought there was any occasion.

When I was nine years old, I was put out to live with Isaac Johnson, of Lebanon, (Conn) where I lived two years, and very early began the practice of villainy and de|bauchery. It was here I began my career in the gratification of that corrupt and law|less passion, which has now brought me to the threshold of eternity, before my years were half numbered.

Being one Sunday at home from meeting, with nobody but a young Negro woman, who lived in the house, she, enticing me to her bed, where she was sitting, soon taught me the practice of that awful sin, which now costs me my life; for which together with disobedience to my master, and many other villaneous tricks which I used to play upon him, he often corrected me, but to so little purpose that he dismissed me from his ser|vice.

Then I returned once more to my father, where I lived a few months, till he, not lik|ing my behaviour, bound me out to Mr. Oliver Hyde, of Norwich, (Conn.) D••t|ing my residen•••• with him, who was a pret|ty,

kind master, I was taught to read and write a tolerable good hand; but being nat|urally vicious I improved my talents, (or rather misimproved them) to very bad pur|poses. I used to make a point of pilfering whenever I could; for when I saw an op|portunity, the devil, or some other evil spirit, always gave me a strong inclination. I sup|pose it was because I was naturally inclined to be light-fingered; for I never hesitated to touch any thing that came in my way. Here too I played my pranks, with the young black girls about the streets; and indulged myself as freely as I could without discovery.

In the year 1789, I broke open a store in Norwich, (Conn.) owned by Mr.— took a few articles of goods and fifteen dol|lars in Cash. In the next place, knowing my present master, Oliver Lathrop, to have on hand a large sum of money, I supposed that I might take about twenty dollars and neither of us fare the worse. I, however, soon repented of this bargain; for being dis|covered, I was forced to return the money, and take a few stripes on my back; but i•• I had received my just deserts I might possibly have escaped the fate, which now awaits me.

In the year 1793 I moved with my master from Norwich, in Connecticut, to Lebanon, in New Hampshire, where I soon run the length of my chain, and compleated my vil|lany,

committing a number of crimes, which black as I am, I should blush to repeat.

Before I removed from Norwich, (Conn.) I attempted to ravish a young girl, who was visiting in the neighborhood. For this pur|pose, I took an old sword, and went into the woods where I supposed she would return in the evening, and concealed myself in the bushes, where I waited till 12 o'clock; but as providence ordered it, she did not go home that night, and so escaped the snare I had laid for her.

On the 7th day of Dec. 1795, being at work with Mr. Gordon Lathrop, I agreed to meet him in the evening, at Thomas Rowels, to wrestle. Accordingly a little af|ter sun down I sat out, without any evil in|tentions. I overtook a young woman, whom I knew to be — I passed on by her, a pretty good jog, till after a little querying with myself, and finding nothing to oppose, but rather the devil to assist me, I determi|ned to make an attempt on her virgin chas|tity.—So I way Laid her, and as she came up, seized her with one hand, and her horse's bridle with t'other, she ask'd me what I want|ed?—I told her to dismount and I would tell her. At the same time taking her from her horse, I threw her on the ground, and in spite of her cries and entreaties, succeeded in my hellish design. Then left her, and

went to the place proposed, where I found my antagonist; but the evening being far spent, I returned to my master's house and sat down, as usual, to play chequers with the children.

It was not long before I heard people round the house, and was afterwards infor|med they were after me; but seeing me so lively at play, says the Esq. "It can't be Tom"—so they went away. I soon went to bed; but in about two hours, I was a|waked from sleep by a number of people who entered my room, and called me their "pri|soner."

I was confined, till next day, when I had my trial before Esq. Hough, who sentenced me to prison; accordingly I was immedi|ately secured in Haverhill jail, on the 10th day of Dec. As we were passing by the place, where the crime was committed, I was questioned concerning the fact; but, I, like a hardened villain, as I was, denied ev|ery syllable of the truth, and had but little sense of my situation, till the key of the pri|son was turned upon me, when my feelings were such as no pen or tongue, can describe. On the fifth of April, after 4 months con|finement, with the help of two of my com|panions we broke goal after three hours hard work. We went to the river, stole a boat, ran three miles down, and sent her adrift.

One of my com••ads, by the name of Bayley, went to his father's, where he procured some refreshment for u••.—

From thence, we went to Capt. Frye Bailey's in Newbury, where we stole a horse, and went fifteen miles to Ryegate. On Sun|day evening we arrived at St. Johnsbury, & took up lodgings in a barn. At twelve we took up our line of march, and returned to B••••n••t, where I parted with my compani|ons; It being my object to go to Portland, and ship myself aboard o•• a vessel. I, how|ever, missed my road and came back to Lit|tleton where I enquired for▪ Lake Champ|lain, and as I was going quite the other way, I was suspected of being a rogue, and I confess they had some grounds for their suspicion, as one of them was acquainted with me. I was, of consequence, imme|diately returned to my old lodgings in Hav|erhill. Here I was now hand-cuffed, and my arms pinioned; and put into the upper loft of the Prison: but on Sunday, the 4th day after my last commitment, I sawed of my pinions across the grates of the prison; and with the help of a knife, got a piece of board, with which I pryed off the grate. I then went to work to cut up my blanket, in|to strips, and tying them together from the grate, I descended from the upper loft. As I passed by the grate of the lower room, I

called to the prisoners below telling them, of my liberty but desired them to say nothing till I had got off; but Holmes swore he would stop me, if in his power, and imme|diately raised the Jailor.—I ran as fast as I could, after being almost spent with fatigue, in getting my liberty, and descending from the upper loft, with hand-cuffs on; and while they were looking for me in the most obscure places, near the Goal, supposing me to be there concealed; but I made my escape into the river road, and at break of day, I found myself at Capt. John Mann's in Or-ford. I then thought it prudent, to avoid discovery, to go back into the woods, where I lay till night.

I then proceeded on to Lyme, and broke into a blacksmith shop, to rid myself of my Hand cuff's which in my travels, I found rather uncomfortable companions, and I suspected, in case of being seen and noticed, they would prove but a poor recommenda|tion. However I could not succeed; so I went on to Gould's Tavern, and took a horse, which I rode about three miles; but not be|ing able to get him any farther, I attempted to drown him to get my revenge; but could not easily succeed, and I left him to shirk. I then proceeded on to a smith's shop on College Plain, where I made another fruit|less attempt to get my hands at liberty.

When I got into the edge of Lebanon, it was day light; so I wandered about in the woods till evening, when I went to Mr. Quimbe's shop in Lebanon and sawed, and twisted my hand-cuffs about two hours, and gave out being quite overcome for want of food. I then went to my master's house, looked in at the window, but guilt being my companion, I dared not enter. I then retired some dis|tance from the house and sawed my cuffs across a rock, till by the help of a file, I liberated my hands, and went to Mr. T. Rowel's, whom I supposed to be a friend; But he, like most friends, in adversity, for|sook me, and turned my enemy. For upon seeing how cold and hungry I was, he seem|ed to pity me, and told me to go to a cer|tain barn, and he would bring me some re|freshment; but instead of victuals, he mus|tered all the force he could to take me. Be|ing however, aware of his treachery, when day light appeared, I fled to the woods, and lay there, where I suffered extremely with the cold. Upon seeing them come into the woods I lay down under a log, and as they passed along one of them trod on me, but did not perceive me. I then thought best to shift my course, and taking a cross lot, one of them saw me, as I ascended a little rise of ground, and nailed me. I pointed to a barn at some distance, and said, "he has just

gone by the barn.—" which turned the at|tention of the whole that way; he then sup|posed me to be one of their party, as it was between day light and dark.

This gave me a little breath again, and I thought of trying to get some refreshment by milk, from a cow of my master's, as I had not eat or drank for nigh 4 days, but could not find her, where I expected. I however found some raw potatoes and eat of them freely. At last I took up a resolution to use my hand-cuff bolt, for my defence, and to go into the house; which I did, but sound none but children round the tea-table, who where exceedingly frightened, and run away, all but a boy, who told me to take what I wanted, if I was hungry. I seized half a cheese, and half a loaf of bread, which was on the table, and ran off. I soon met a Mr. Colburn, who knew me, and told me to go with him, and nobody should hurt me adding that I should have any refreshment I wanted. I followed him home, and no sooner had we got there, than he sent to inform my pursuers. I stept to the door, and saw them coming over the hill—I started to run and Colburn struck at me, but I escaped and ran till I fainted and fell. His dog followed me, however, and barked till they came up and took me, as their prisoner.

The time of my trial was now come on, and and instead of carrying me to Haverhill, I was carried to Plymouth, where I immediately had my trial before the Hon. Superior Court, and was sentenced, very justly, to death. At first, upon hearing my sentance, it had no impression on my mind—for my heart was hardened beyond

description. After a little reflection, however, I fainted, and could not speak for some time.—At length I came to myself, and desired to see the young Lady, whom I had injured. This she refused, but said she, would receive any message I wished to send to her. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 set do•••• and wrote a confession of my crime, and of the just|ness of my punishment. I begged pardon, most sincerely for the injury, I had done her. She sent me for answer, that she could forgive me, and hoped that God would do the same. I was then conducted to prison and bound with irons. During my residence here under sent|ence of death, I have not been wholly insensible of my pitiable situation; as my master as well as the divines who have attended me, have ever endeavored to impress me with a sense of a state of future happiness or misery to which I was destined; but the secret hope of making my escape, and, the jollity of countenance that ap|peared in most of my spectators; did in some measure banish the idea of death from my mind. The ninth of June, a number of Doctors made application to me for my BODY, for DISSECTION, after my execution; to which I readily consent|ed for the small sum of ten dollars, thinking it might afford me a comfortable subsistance while here, and my BONES be of service to mankind after the seperation of soul and body, which must shortly take place, and at which time may I re|ceive forgiveness of all mankind, and of my God, before whom I must appear through the merits of a Redeemer.

FINIS.