1793 Broadside, The Confession and Dying Words of Samuel Frost,
A scarce illustrated broadside in which Frost recounts his life story and readily admits to killing his father (a crime for which he was acquitted) and later Capt. Allen (the crime for which he was being executed). About his early life he says: My mother is dead; I always regarded her, and ever thought my father had no affection for her, and that he used her ill; this induced me to kill him, which deed I executed on the 23d of September, 1783;...My mother died when I was about fourteen years old, and I always supposed her death was occasioned by the bad treatment she received from my father. Not much changes in two centuries! He moved from place to place after his acquittal until attaining majority, and continued this pattern for a some time longer. One of those with whom he stayed was Capt. Allen. He states that he thought Mr. Allen was treating him like a slave and preventing him from working on his own estate (which would have been his after turning 21). Allen apparently was being paid for Frost's room and board out of that estate, and wanted to keep the stipend and young Samuel's labor as well. So when Frost saw an opportunity to kill Capt. Allen, he did so.
The second part of the broadside relates others' perceptions of Mr. Frost, in not very sympathetic terms. The author notes that his mind was evidently not formed altogether like those of other persons, but then goes on to relate Frost's intelligence, honesty, and apparent religiosity.
Evans notes there are three versions of this sheet, this being 25521; two other versions have a poem following Frost's life story (Evans 46757, 49396). This version offers the broadside for 6d, and the poem separately for 3d at Mr. Thomas' office in Worcester.
Condition:Trimmed, mounted on linen. Minor losses of paper from folds, moderate toning. Not removed from frame for examination.
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