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TWIN SISTERS.
THE EVENTFUL LIVES OF HELEN AND CHARLOTTE LENOXA, THE TWIN SISTERS OF PHILADELPHIA. WITH ELABORATE AND MINUTE DETAILS OF THE ADVENTURES, INTRIGUES, AND DARK CRIMES, OF THESE BEAUTIFUL, BUT SINFUL WOMEN; THE FORMER OF WHOM WAS HUNG AT KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, AUGUST 20TH, 1852. FOR THE DOUBLE MURDER OF CAPTAIN GERALD VERNON, AND HIS YOUNG WIFE WHILE THE LATTER, WHO WAS ALSO CONVICTED AND SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE SAME FOUL MURDER, COMMITTED SUICIDE IN THE JAIL, THE DAY PREVIOUS TO HER SISTER'S EXECUTION.
MEMPHIS, RICHMOND, BALTIMORE, AND PHILADELPHIA: PUBLISHED BY A. R. ORTON
1853.Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1852, by A. R. ORTON, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Northern District of New York.
PROLOGUE.
- "I mean to show things as they really are,
- Not as they ought to be; for I avow
- That till we see what's what in fact, we re far
- From much improvement."
The above truthful lines, from Byron, exhibit the purpose of this work. It is to aim at reform, by relying upon truth for our examples. Fiction may be powerful, but we verily believe that one grain of truth is more fruitful of good effects, than bushels of romance. A career of good, penned upon paper, may sound well to the youthful aspirant; but when he tries to pursue the course thus pointed out for him by the novelist, he finds himself pursuing a will-o'-the-wisp, chimera or bugbear. And very often the youth, ardent and sanguine, and unused to defeat and discomfiture, turns away with a sick heart, having in vain sought after good, upon the romancist's model; and then he may fall into vice after vice, saying that there is no good, nor road to good, in this sinful world. But take A. B., or C. D., for example, who are living in the next street, and have accumulated wealth by industry, and established a good name by their own honest efforts; and such a picture will establish more solidity and purpose in the mind of a youth, than all the fanciful paintings of the romancist's brain. Having faith in these views, we have selected two characters—twin sisters; one of whom, it will be painfully remembered, was very recently executed for the dreadful crime of murder; the other prematurely finished a career of sin. And we shall show, in as graphic a manner as we are competent of, consistent with the facts in the case, how, step by step, these young and beautiful girls fell into the depths of wickedness and shame; so that their lives, if of no use to themselves, may be productive of that result which our great Maker designed, a warning, a reproof, and a lesson abounding in wholesome, honest truths. In the course of these pages, we shall give some scenes repulsive to the reader, as well as to our self; but we are pledged strictly to follow our text. We shall avoid every thing which might sound harshly upon the most fastidious ear. We shall not imitate the romancist, who panders oftentimes to the passions and vitiated tastes of his page: 16-17[View Page 16-17] readers. No, our little work shall contain nothing which may be construed into licentiousness; but rather, all that may be considered moral. We aspire to making our simple narration of these two young girls, a class-book of truth, a companion book for young men, and a reference of consequences for young women. We hope that it may be admitted to, the domestic fireside, and that the rich tones of the father may read it aloud to his family; and that its fruits may be told in the righteousness of future generations.
- "First, I would have thee cherish truth,
- As leading star in virtue's train;
- Folly may pass, nor tarnish youth,
- But falsehood leaves a poison stain."
And now, commending our humble efforts to pen the lives of two notorious characters, teeming as they do with incident, to your lenient consideration; hoping that our errors will be overlooked, in your appreciation of the aim we have in view, to establish our literature upon a foundation of facts; to teach morals from serious truths, and not from fiction;
THE AUTHOR
