NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE, And Dying Speech, of JOHN RYER.
I JOHN RYER, was born at the Manor of Fordom, in the town and county of Westchester and state of New-York, the 15th day of February, 1759, of sober, honest, and reputable parents, and was put to school in my youth, but was not continued there long; so that my education was hardly tolerable. My father being destitute of any other help, occasioned me to be put to labour on the farm; and continued at the farming business with him, until spring of the year 79 or 80, when I left my father; and went to live with my grand mother, at the said Manor of Fordom; where I continued for the space of 9 or 10 months; was then taken a prisoner by the guides belonging to the continental army, was kept in prison about one week, when eleven others, with myself broke guard made our escape, and then went to New-York, where I tarried but a short time, but went to a place called Morrisena; and imbodied in a militia core under Capt. Cusser; belonging to a regiment commanded by Col. James De-Lancy, where I fell in with such company, as introduced me to many of the vices of the world; such as excess of drinking, card-playing, cock-fighting, cursing, swearing, together with almost every kind of vice, wickedness and debauchery. But those evils with which I was the most delighted▪ was card-playing and cock-fighting; which (together with every other evil) I would advise young people to endeavour to shun; for those evils, have a peculiar tendency, to allure the mind; and are the common sources from whence all evil doth flow; after continuing there a while, and thus mispending my precious time, I went into the country, with a body of troops which reconnoitred around and returned again to Morrisena: where I continued for some considerable time. After a while, my father was taken and confined by Col. De-Lancy: I then returned to live with my mother and family, where I continued until my father was restored to his liberty. I then went with my father and his family to New-York, in the winter of the year 1781; where I was married to a girl of a reputable family, who was possessed of those endowments that are necessary, to make life contented and happy; with whom I lived about ten years, with all the agreeableness that a married life could afford. But still indulged myself in my former vices, such as company-keeping, card-playing, and cock-fighting until my mind got so strongly attached to those practices, that I had but little power over my own will; and it seemed almost beyond my power to refrain from them.
After marrying my wife I lived about 9 or 10 months, in a room hired in Prince-street, (during which time I belonged to the engineer department) where I continued until the close of the War.— Then moved to my father's, at the aforesaid Manor of Fordom; [Page 6] where I lived about one year, from thence moved with my family, to White Plains, in the said county, on a farm, belonging to one of my uncles where I lived near four years; during which time, there was several instances occured, that are too ruinous to society for me to pass by, without speaking something to them; hoping thereby that this may be a warning to others; that they may shun those evils which has (through inattention) plunged me into one of the most deplorable situation that can (in this life) befall a poor unhappy wretch as I am. The first, of which was a wrangle with one of my nighest neighbours, to wit, Benjamin Lyon: I, by being urged on by others reviled him with unbecoming language and vain reproaches, but did not carry the matter to such an extreme as to lay myself open to the law: This controversy broke up a communication between us as neighbours: which introduced many inconveniences that commonly attend disputes of this kind, and prove distructive to society.—I shall now speak of a very disagreeable wrangle that took place between Daniel Mertine and myself; who (by marriage) was my uncle: he lived in the same house and occupied a [...]rt of the same farm, which I did: One day while at work in [...]e garden, he came out in a great rage and immediately began a wrangle with me; which continued but a short, time, before he layed hands upon me in order to appease his anger; we were then parted by some of the bystanders and I readily gave up that method of seeking revenge and told him I would make application to the authority in order to get redress: He made use of some threats, in order to deter me from putting my design into execution; I however, went to a magistrate, complained of his treatment and had a warrant issued against him: 'Twas not long before the dispute broke forth again and his wife engaging in the wrangle, attacked me with a fire-shovel, and I retreating from her being armed with a weapon of the same kind, by parrying off the blows the shovel glanced, struck her forhead and wounded her so that the blood gushed forth: She (together with her husband) went on with threats in an extreme degree of revengeful language; and I scarcely knew what method to take in order to make myself secure; they immediately went to a justice of the peace, in order to get a warrant against me: I then to secure myself from their fury, armed myself with pistols; and within a short time after, was before the magistrate with them and had my pistols with me.—Mertine informed the justice that I carried arms against him; the justice inquired of me if it was true? I told him yes; whereupon he took them from me; and kept them for five or six weeks and then returned them to me again. After the dispute between, Mertine and I was ended, I moved again to the Manor of Fordom, where I lived until the year 1789. when I began to buy beaves, kill and sell out to my neighbours, which continued for three years together; for some of the cattle I was credited, and some of the meat I sold upon credit, and could not collect the money; which was due for the same; by which means, I found myself unable to make remitance to my [Page 7] creditors; who were continually calling on me for money.— A report was raised and circulated abroad, that the place I was in possession of, was to be taken from me and sold; which lessened my credit among people and which circumstance so instantly alarmed my creditors that they thought proper (most generally) to press me for the collection of the debts due from me to them, and for that purpose had recourse to compulsive means by instituting law suits against me. At a particular time one of my creditors threatened me with imprisonment unless I made him payment, and said many things against me, speaking in a reproachful language, which had such undue influence on my mind and enraged me in such a manner as to raise those passions to which human frailty is liable, that I was induced to carry Pistols in order to keep off the public officers until after the court of common pleas which was in a few days to set at Bedford. At the same time there was a law-suit pending against me before a certain justice of the peace who was then holding a court at a house occupied by Levi Hunt, at Westchester; I approached within a small distance of the house, was met there by the said justice when he discovered me with a pistol and drawn sword, and accosted me with these words—Ryer, you appear like a very dangerous person — and passed it off with a smile. I afterwards being much irritated as aforesaid, and still receiving the threats from the person aforesaid, requested him to arm himself, and put himself in the same situation I was in, to meet me and decide the quarrel aforementioned. This unfortunate dispute being countenanced by a person in authority impressed on my mind an idea that there was some degree of justice in my conduct, and by degrees I became more and more averse to the laws of my country. —I was chosen constable and collector in the town of Westchester in the year 1791, and executed that office for that year: During the execution and continuance of the same, I had a warrant delivered to me to serve by a certain magistrate, who at the time he handed me the same, he asked me if I knew the duty of a constable, I answered that for want of longer experience I had not a perfect knowledge of my duty; he then told me that if I had a warrant against any person I was not obliged to croud upon him or run the risque of my life, for if I did, and got killed in the attempt, there was no satisfaction to be obtained for it. I was induced from the situation of my property and the conduct of my creditors (one of whom in particular appeard very pressing) still to continue carrying arms. On the seventeenth of May, 1792, I went from my house at the said Manor of Fordom, to Mr. De-Lancy's Mill, to get some grain ground, and on my return home, I called at Levi Hunt's Inn, to enquire for some persons I wanted to see; when I came there I discovered several people in the house playing at cards; I was invited to dismount my horse come in and join them to play for some liquor, which I very readily assented to, being very fond of that exercise: I had not been there long before Williams Hunt, then a constable of [...] Westchester, came into the house and went [...] any, [Page 8] discourse taking place except my biding him to stand off, he answered he was coming no nigher, (some few words more were spoken which I cannot particularly recollect) when said Hunt left the house. I went to the door holding a glass of liquor in one hand, and a pistol in the other, and invited him to drink with me, when (after drinking with me) I returned to the table where the company were still playing cards, and seated myself between the table and the door leading into the bedroom, opposite the front door, being in that situation, discovered a person by the name of Isaac Smith, a deputy sheriff, who I did not know upon first sight coming into the house and making his way with great speed towards the place where I was seated in order (I supposed) to make me his prisoner; I being put in great confusion immediately snaped at him one of the pistols, with which I was armed, having previously bidden him to stand off, he then said I was his prisoner, and demanded assistance, there being in the room at the same time several persons who composed the company with whom I had been spending a part of the afternoon at cards, a young man by the name of John Palmer, who was sitting by my side, said he had not touched me, and Levi Hunt, junr. who was sitting on the other side of me, also said, he had only touched his, and Levi Hunt's [...]. Amidst the confusion which took place upon this occasion, the company all lest the room except Mr. Smith and myself, I then retreated into one corner of the room and Mr. Smith made his way towards the oposite side of the room, he still insisted I was his prisoner, and called for assistance, whereupon I immediately with a pistol in my left hand, shot him through the body, whilst in confusion: Smith told me immediately after the discharge of the pistol, that I had done very wrong, for he was a dead man: I answered I hoped not, that I was very sorry, and after this conversation between Smith and I, Williams Hunt came in and said to me, Ryer you have killed Smith, I told him to stand off, or I would serve him the same; one of the company then came in and asked me why I did not go off? and said that Oliver De-Lancy was coming and would take me, I then mounted my horse and rode off towards home, on my way thither met Oliver De-Lancy, who charged me with killing Smith, I told him to stand off and still continued on my way home, after I got home, went to bed as usual; some time in the night▪ Martin MacEvoy, called at my house, and enquired for me, whereupon I got up and went to the door; MacEvoy informed me that Smith was dead, and a party of men were collecting together in order to take me, and if I stayed there, would certainly be taken, for he expected that in ten minutes the house would be surrounded, and hurried me away with him; I stayed in his barn until the dawn of day, and then betook myself to the bushes where I stayed until the following evening when I crossed Harlem-river, and went to New-York, in order to embark on board of some vessel bound to sea, but fearful of being discovered betook myself to a house near the ship [...] of the upper rooms for two days; while I [...] some persons talking about me under my [Page 9] window, that they saw a boat from the Manor of Fordom, bound to New-York, and when she came opposite the New Slip lowered her sails, supposing from that circumstance I was not far from that place; finding that I was like to be discovered▪ I left New-York and went towards Kings-bridge, lay there in the bushes on York-island, all the next day, and at night crossed Kings bridge, and went home; and stayed in the neighbourhood about home, (the greater part of the time in the bushes) until the 12th day of July ensuing; then returned to New-York-island by the way of Kingsbridge, where I remained until the night following,—then crossed the North-river, about a mile below Fort-Washington, to the Jersey shore in a came which I tied fast, and immediately made my way into the country as far as the town of Goshen, in Orange county; from thence took my rout to a place called New-Windsor, at the North-river's side where I tarried about three days, at which time a vessel came to an anchor in the river, I hailed her and asked the Captain if he was bound to Albany, he answered he was, I then asked him if he would take me a passenger on board and carry me there, he answered he would; whereupon I went on board, and the vessel carried me to Albany; I then disembarked and went into the city to take directions which was the rightest way to Canada; after receiving the same, I pursued my rout to Canada by way of Skeensburgh, from thence crossed Lake Champlain, to St. Johns, from there to Montreal, and from Montreal to Quebec, where I arrived the 8th day of August, and was employed by the surveyors (who were going to survey the new lands in the said province) to go with them as a chain-bearer and then returned again to St. Johns; I went from thence into the woods again in the same employ, and remained there a part of the winter; after the winter broke up I returned again to St. Johns, where I remained until the 5th day of April, 1793, when a certain man by the name of John Hutchens, (an acquaintance of mine from the county of Westchester, being at St. Johns came into the house where I boarded. After I discovered him▪ I took him aside and asked him what was said of me in the county of Westchester, he replied the people's wills were good to take me if they could find me, after this I saw him passing and repassing and going from place to place, suspecting from this he had some design against me, I concealed myself under the floor of the house in which I boarded.—A party then convened together in order to apprehend me, and a search was made for me almost all the afternoon, but to no purpose. About sunset (after they had given over searching for me) my landlord betrayed me, and for twelve dollars disclosed to them the place in which I was concealed. The constable who was one of the pursuers, being armed with a spear went under the floor in order to make me his prisoner; after he had discovered me, he advanced towards me with the spear in his hand which I immediately wrested from him, he then [...] and I pursued after him, as I came out of the [...] [Page 10] the floor received a stroke on my head with a club from one of the company which settled me almost to the ground. After recovering, I attempted to make my escape, but being overpowered readily submitted, casting the spear into Lake Champlain; I was then taken prisoner and carried before two magistrates who examined me and after taking my examination committed me to Montreal Goal, where I remained until some time in the month of May, was then released and delivered over to John Hutchens, and two other persons who came from the county of Westchester, in the state of New-York, with a warrant from Chief Justice Yates; which was countenanced by, and received a support from the Chief Justice of Canada, by delivering me to the persons aforesaid; who were assisted by a serjeant, and guard of twelve men, in escorting me safe within the state of New-York: The guard then returned, and I was brought on (by the said Hutchens and the other two persons) to the city of Albany, by way of Skeensburgh; after arriving there, was committed to Albany goal; where I remained near three days, was then taken out, and put on board a vessel bound to New-York, in order to be brought to the said county of Westchester. —Was landed at a place called Sing-sing, a small village, in the said county, contiguous to the North-river, and was put under the care of several keepers, the keepers falling asleep in the course of the night, I took advantage of that circumstance, left them and got on board of a small skiff, belonging to one of the sloops, which lay in the harbour: then took a northern course, up the said river, and after going near a mile, got out of the skiff, went on shore, collected together some stones, and returned again to the skiff, which lay floating in the river, some distance from the shore; and after putting the stones in her, sunk her under water, then returned again to the shore and after walking thirty or forty yards into the woods, concealed myself in a hole under the side of a rock; after laying there about two or three hours, was discovered and retaken by a party of men who were in pursuit of me, and was then carried back to the same place from whence I had escaped, and from thence was brought on to the goal at White Plains, in the said county of Westchester. Being the eleventh day of June, 1793. I was then confined to the dungeon, where I remained until the third day of September ensuing, when a court of oyer and terminer, was opened at the White Plains, in and for the county of Westchester. The next day during the sitting of the court, I was brought forward and arraigned at the bar, the charge of the grand jury, for the body of the said county was read to me, to which I pleaded not guilty and put myself upon God and my country for trial, agreeing that my trial should come on the next day;—was then returned to the dungeon where I remained that night, and the next day (it being on Thursday the 5th of September) my trial accordingly came [...] and was found guilty of the charges contained in the indictment [...] verdict of the following jurors, Peter Lyon, Gilbert Thorn, [...] Fowler, Timothy Vanscoyt, Gilbert Forman, [Page 11] Thomas Boice, Peter Post, Micajah Fuller, ( [...] ) Joshua Ferris, and John Woolsey, Junr. and the next day in the afternoon the sentence of death was pronounced against me by justice Lansing, and the second day of October assigned for carrying the solemn sentence into execution.
I wish to subjoin this remark in particular, that I had no malice or ill will existing in my mind, against Dr. Isaac Smith; that from the moment the fatal event took place, but lamented sincerely that a man of his temper of mind and goodness, should have fallen a victim to my imprudence.—I also wish to add, that some of the witnesses who bore testimony against me at my trial, carried their evidence further than is within my recollection, but I freely forgive them, and declare that I bear in my mind no envy, malice, or hatred against any person living.
Three days before I was to be executed, my father, three of my children, and other friends visited me, and took their last farewell of me in this world; the tears and heart breaking sorrows I cannot express; it being proposed that my wife and friends should make application to the sheriff and beg my body to be delivered to them for burial, which they did, and the sheriff being a man endowed with much humanity, readily complied: it so exceedingly gladened them, that I participated with them in their great joy; Early in the morning of the last day, that I was doomed to view the dawn thereof; I was visited by several preachers, (and other friends) who had frequently visited me during my confinement; and conversed with me, about the dealings of God with my soul. I told them it had been my grief that formerly I had it not in my power to give them any satisfaction, by reason of my stupidity and hardness of heart; but at present I had great cause for thankfulness, that God had visited my soul and pardoned my sins; had blest me with a manifestation of redeeming love, and replenished my heart with his grace. I was also visited by Mrs. Deborah Smith. I implored her pardon, because I had been the instrument of her husband's death, and had made her a disconsolate widow; to which she answered, I hope God will forgive you, &c.—My wife then took her last farewell of me, but Oh, the tears, sorrows▪ and pangs of parting; both overwhelmed with grief, and bowed down with sorrow beyond expression.
An Address to his Wife.
Oh, my dear and loving wife, may I now part with you in those words that may case your bitter sighs; dry up your flood of tears, and cause your heart breaking situation, to which you are reduced to be sanctified, and prove a blessing to your precious soul: I am not able to express to you the feelings I have on account of the trouble [...] I have brought upon you. When I take a retrospective [...] the happiness we enjoyed together, and the [...] afforded each other, and then view my present [...] most melts my heart. But I am now call [...] [Page 12] which I justly owe to the laws of my country, and what shall I say, can I revoke the sentence which has been passed upon me? No—I must therefore now fall a victim to justice, and soon experience a separation between soul and body. I must therefore bid you adieu; wishing you not to mourn for me for I have experienced what the world can neither give nor take away, [to wit] the pardon of my sins, therefore I say weep not for me, but make speedy preparation to follow me; for I expect this day to be in glory. My dear, it will not be long before you will have to appear in the eternal world; O, strive to make your calling sure that you may be entitled to a seat among the spirits of the just and not be punished with an expulsion from the presence of God. I wish you to give due attention to the precious souls of our tender offspring, which are now left under your care, strive to bring them up in the instruction and discipline of the Lord, set them good examples, and make earnest supplication to God, that he would fill their tender hearts, with his saving grace, and make their minds susceptible of good impressions.
An Address to his Children,
And as for you, my dear children, I wish you to listen to the advice of a dying father. I am now about to take my flight into an invisible world; and appear before God. I would therefore wish to exercise great care in speaking these my dying words, and advise you to nothing but that which, by being duly attended unto, would have a tendency to promote your present, and everlasting peace. My advice therefore to you is this follow on to know the Lord, and you will then experience the blessing of God, both here and here after. You are now travelling in the slippery paths of youth, amidst many snares and allurements, but remember if you give way to sin, you are inexcusible; for God suffers none to be tempted beyond what they are able to bear. Follow not the example of your unhappy father whose youthful days were spent in sin, who lived neglectful of his duty towards God and man; and thereby has brought himself to this untimely and disgraceful end, but remember your creator in the days of your youth, and give your hearts to God. Be not forgetful to discharge your duty towards your disconsolate mother; but use her with tenderness, that thereby you may be entitled to those blessings which are promised to the children which are obedient to their parents.
An Address to his Parents.
Now with what language shall I address myself to you, my dear Parents; I confess myself at a loss for words.—O, my dear mother may I not adopt the language of our blessed Saviour, and say woman behold thy son.—I trust, through the assistance of God I have [...] the advice contained in your kind and affectionate letter [...] [...]th of September.—But I have filled both your hearts with [...] you are ready to speak in the language of [...] mischief befall our son it will bring down our [...] to the grave.—Ah, my dear parents, [Page 13] mischief, great mischief has already befallen me; for I can now look back and see that I have sinned against God with a high hand; and have been indeed an unprofitable servant; that I have neglected my duty towards the King of Kings, and indulged myself in many practices, which justly merited (not only the punishment which is about to be inflicted on my poor body) but also the frowns of an angry God, and an everlasting banishment from the presence of the Most High.—But blessed be God, my mourning is just now turned into joy;— my conscience has been filled with remorse, because I saw myself a violater of God's law; but I have been blest with a removal of guilt—have experienced a deliverance from condemnation—am now blest with the comforts of religion, and am now able to rejoice in God my saviour; being confident that I shall soon be with him in glory.—And now my dear parents (as I trust my dying words must leave a lasting impression on your minds) I beseech you not to weep for me.— One would suppose that if immoderate mourning was allowable in any case whatever, that you might be excuseable for running into an extreme on such a melancholy occasion as this in order to give vent to your grief; but I say weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, if upon a strict examination you should find in you a root of bitterness or any thing contrary to the will of God.
An Address to his Affinity.
And as for you unto whom I am related by way of marriage, you have here an opportunity of beholding the consequences of sin; it was sin cast Adam out of paradise, and Angels out of Heaven; it is sin that has confined me to this dark dungeon and loaded me with irons; and as a consequence of sin, the separation is now about to take place between me and one of your family. I am now bound by the ties of nature and gratitude to drop a word of advice to you, that you may no longer seek happiness where it is not to be found, but that your lives may be hid with Christ in God—that you may be happy hereafter. You see now the doleful situation into which I have brought myself; and it is nothing but the wages of sin—O, do not spend one hour in the devil's service; for his service is drudgery and his wages is death.
An Address to Dr. Smith's widow.
Madam, I have reduced myself to the lowest ebb of wretchedness, and am now about to leave this world, and bid adieu to the things of time: I believe it to be my duty, and find it to be my inclination to address myself unto you by acknowledging my fault, and publicly asking your forgiveness for what I have done; I have not only deprived the public of a very useful man, one who was greatly esteemed for his humanity, but I have also deprived you of your kind companion, and have made [...] [...]consolate widow: It is a loss on your part for which I [...] make compensation.—I am just now going to pay the [...] I justly owe to the laws of my [...] debt which I owe unto you? Alas [...] [Page 14] have nothing to pay you, except it be my humble acknowledgment, be pleased therefore to accept of this my last offering; for I humbly acknowledge, that I have been guilty of a breach of that law that says thou shalt not kill; and have gone counter to that command which says, that which God hath joined together let not man put assunder;—I am therefore not able to furnish myself with any justifying excuse, but wish to conclude my address, with referring you to that portion of God's word, which we read in the sixth chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel, 14th, and 15th verses, wherein we find that God will exercise the same degree of mercy and compassion towards us, as we exercise towards our offenders.
An Address to the Doctor's Relatives.
And may I not address you in the same language, and (after imploring your forgiveness) quote that passage which pronounces a blessing to the merciful, promissing them that they shall obtain mercy, wishing you no longer to harbour a spirit of enmity, which perhaps has hitherto justly subsisted in your breasts; but let a reconciliation now take place, and all anger intirely subside.
[...] morning previous to his execution, he was taken from [...] and [...] the chamber, Where he sat and [...] the Rev. PETER MORIARTY, from [Page 15] Luke 15th chap. and 2d verse—This man receiveth sinners.—After preaching, the sacrament of the Lord's Supper was administered to him—He was then taken to the place of execution, attended by several worthy divines, who assisted him in his last exercised of devotion. He was then asked whether he had any thing to offer to the public, he then desired the People all to behold him, and see what he had brought himself to, ardently wishing them all to take warning by him—seek the salvation of their souls, and try to serve God the remnant of their days, that they might meet him in glory: And said whereas he had left a speech for the perusal of the public, he had nothing more to add. The Sheriff then told him he had but fifteen minutes longer to live: he then continued upon his knees by the side of his coffin, till again interrupted by the Sheriff, who told him the time was expired. Further preparations were then made for the execution, and after the halter was put around his neck the handkerchief tied over his face he desired the Sheriff to spare him a few minutes longer, which favor being granted: he then appeared to be offering up his petitions to Heaven for a short time, and then told the Sheriff he was at his command: returning his unfeigned thanks to Robert Graham the deputy-sheriff, for the favors which he had shewn to him and his family during his imprisonment: He was then launched into eternity! And his remains delivered to his friends for burial.