(Dunning) might. This was the last time they conversed together; and they parted, he believes, with mutual good will.

room.

Soon after the Circuit Court, Mr. Conkling and Mr. Teed drank tea in his 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 afterwards, 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 if he did this act, as his spit 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. Coc 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 he 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 em ployed 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 Sugar-Loaf 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 he 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 iemainder 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.

TOWNS OF GOSHEN,

HAMPTONBURGH

AND

CHESTER.

PHYSICAL OUTLINE, ETC.

In addition to the reason previously stated for treating of several towns together in this and the article of settlement, we now add that of brevity, for every page becomes an argument for such a course.

The land covered by these three towns is about of the same grade and kind of soil, and if there be any real or apparent difference, it is that the slate formation which underlies the whole, comes nearer the surface in the town of Go shen and crops out more distinctly than in the others. We do not know that this condition of the slate ridges is an absolute detriment, unless they lie too near or above the surface. The annual ploughing turns up small portions of slate, which by the action of the frosts and atmosphere, are dissolved and converted into vergin soil, which to some extent is a fresh manure. In some respects such lands have an advantage over lower, richer and fatter lands, in being warmer, earlier, and their winter crops not so liable to be frozen out. These remarks do not apply with the same force to Hamptonburgh and Chester.

The hills of this district being high and sharp, and in one direction, the meadows are consequently extensive, continuous and productive. The wash from the adjoining elevations is carried down to the meadows, where it is held as in

a basin by the close rock formation below, and enriches the locality, while the whole is kept comparatively moist, perhaps by stagnant water or ponds beneath.

A few years since in the town of Warwick, a Mr. Bradner asked permission of the commissioners of highways to change the direction of the highway near his dwelling, by carrying it in a straight course across a meadow for some two hundred yards, thus shortening the road. The request was granted on condition that he would make the new equally good with the old road, which wound round the head of the meadow, along the hard dry land. Mr. Bradner commenced filling up the new tract, till he had carried it some 30 or 40 yards into the meadow-one morning when he went to inspect it, lo! it had all disappeared beneath the surface, and some water was standing above the sunken tract. Not willing to give it up, he put down stakes, brush and timbers on the southerly side to keep the ground to be deposited in its place, and continued his process of filling up. After this was continued for a short time, again it all went down and disappeared, and on inspecting it a few days afterwards, the boys were baiting their hooks and catching fish in the water pool formed at the spot. We believe the improvement was given up, for we saw it in this condition not ten days since. The meadow in question had been cultivated and drawn over by teams for half a century.

This is not an extraordinary or uncommon fact, for the same has been found in all parts of the world, even to large and rapid rivers; nor is it alone peculiar to low ground, for the like has been experienced on high dry land at deep perforations. The reader may recollect seeing an account within a few years of the building a rail road over a meadow in Ireland, where the filling fell in several times, making in all 70 or 80 feet of perpendicular earth, and the company only succeeded at great expense and labor.

That fish should be found in these locations is not a miraculous fact, for these subterranean waters have all a direct or indirect communication with ponds and rivers. In the marlpit, out of which the Brewster Mastodon was dug, small fish were found at the time. There is no brook, stream or inlet of any kind into this locality, which is a small basin formed by two low slate ridges, and surrounded by highlands. The Big Pond or Orange Lake, is the nearest water of any magnitude, from which they could have come.

In these towns there is an extensive mass of peet formation, equal to any future demand for the article. It begins