The Rhode Island American, And General Advertiser

Various Articles.
ST. LAWRENCE, (N. Y.) September 7.
At the Circuit Court held in this village last week, came on the trial of William Kirby, for the murder of his own child, and a child of his wife. He had voluntarily confessed before a magistrate that he took the children to a bridge which crosses the Oswegatchie, and deliberately threw them into the water by which they were drowned:—That the children had given him no offence; and that he was actuated to the deed because he believed it was better for the children to go into eternity than to stop in this world: That he was educated a Christian, and believes in the Gospel; but that he was not of any particular faith though his children had been baptized by a Catholic Priest about two years since; that he intended to have destroyed himself with his children, but was fearful lest suspicion might rest on his innocent wife:— That he was born in Ireland, and had been in the United States about five years—That he had for the last six months intended to destroy himself; and that his object in destroying the children was not to rid himself of an incumbrance, as he found no difficulty in supporting them, and believes that he should have been happy if he had drowned himself with the children.
These facts were admitted, and the plea of his Counsel was, that they afforded indubitable evidence of his insanity. This plea was rebutted by the Attorney for the State, and the Jury, after being absent a short time returned a verdict of Guilty; and he was sentenced to be executed on the 6th of November.