Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-01-11
DOMESTIC.
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lFrote NsO York Gyeaiag Pou. Jrutqry 81
THE MURDER OF COLyIN

Inc mystery IN which this affair is i'm
volved, has excited great interest i'm H..
public 10 see full history of the Who'll
transaction. A summary of this hislor,
As far as IL has been developed, we are.
now enabled 10 furnish from the pen of a
friend who has read The printed trial.
Hartford Jan. 8, 1920.
THE VERMONT MURDER.
The trrest AMI curiosity OF the public
has been highly excited upon the subject
OF the trial aud convi tti0n ofSicphcn ana
Jesse Boorn. of Manchester, Vermont, Tor
tue supposed murder of Russell Colvin,
who Is alive, anu has returned 10 his fam
lily and home. There has been various
stories IN circulation respecting this mys-
ferrous affair, some Ofwhich have reflected
'i'ile credit upen the judiciary of Yer
mont, or upon The intelligence OF the jury,
The marvellous dream, in particular, has
zen a irult III tO0ic 0fsp collation..
We have few days since, received
from Rutland, Vermont, pamphlet con
tanning an account of the trial of the
HORNS, taken from the minutes of the hon.
Chiet Justice, together with some partlcu.
lars relative Ia the discovery OF the sup.
posed deceased. The testimony, which is
obviously only 6ricf, occupies about %
pages. II Is much confused, ami calcu-
lated 10 throw but little light upon the
mysterious affair.
From this Justification we learn, that
Colvin had married sister of the Boorus:
had several children, aud at times I'M
able TO provide for his family all the ne.
cessariessof lie. He consequently became
somewhat dependant upon the Boorns,
who were not much pleased with the ne
cessl,y OF administering relief. We are
led TO infer also from some parts of The
testimony, lhai Coivin had previously
been partially deranged had several times
lett his home, and on one occasion took
child with him, and was absent nine
months.
From the testimony, ii appears, that Sc
ven years ago, last spring, Russell Calvin,
a son OF his, about 10 years old, aud the
two Boorns, were al work toge Their, heav.
ing up stones ina field. A quarrel ensu.
Ell between Sicphen Boorn and Colvin; the
former struck The lalier several times the
boy gas frightened, aud ran 10 the house;
and Colvin disappeared. Whenever the
'Boorns was questioned upon the subject,
they generally stated llIat he ran off 10
the woods. They had often Threatened
hiuI, previously land some time afterwards
said =" he had gone 10 the Devil" 10
he'll" &c.
IL seems, however, that about 4 wears
ago, The wife OF C1lvin found herself im a
delicate situation, but could not make a
certain oath, unless her husband was alb.
solnteiA dead. Stephen Boorn told lIls sis.
ter that size could swear, for Colvin was
dead and he knew If. Although We are
not told so in the trial, yetwe think il pro-
babie, thai while this affair was in agiia.
Ton, something tell from the brothers,
winch hxed suspicion upon them. The
hat worn by GOWN, had been found i'm the
field, long after his absence, and was sa
tlsiaciOrily identified. A lack knife. said
TO have been his, Was found i'm an old
cellar, an also d button, which his wife
seore he had worn for some time. Vari-
Gus circumstances, IN relation 10 the
quarrel, and The different conversations OF
the BOOrDs, are gwen, but we do mol find
what circumstances caused The arrest Of
the supposed criminals. The son of
Gown, now seventeen years old, testified
10 the particulars about the quarrel. He
had never ifeaTd either Stephen or Jesse
say "hat had become oflIs father, though
lhe former had threatened 10 kill him If
he told of the quarrel
While la prison, Jesse BooTn made
full and particular confession of the muir
der; to a feliOw'prlsOner. He walked the
prisoner up, and pretended 10 make The
confession III consequence OF fright
he supposed something came in al the
window, ami was then behind him, OH ihe
bed. He stated The particulars of the
quarrel, as aforesaid. According TO this
relation, Stephen BooTn gave C0Ivin sew.
eral blows with small club-brought him
To- Tie grouBd-broke lis sculi-.ht blood
gusled out. BY this confession the ia.
tier OF Tie BoorDs was made a patty
Jesse Il. stated that before Coivin twas
dead, he took him by the legs, Stephen
by the shoulders: and Tie old man round
the body, carried him TO AN old cellar !:
Tie old man then cut his throat with a
penknlie, and they buried him in said
cellar, between day light and dark and
one OF Them kept watch.
In about Is months afterwards, he sta
ted that he took up the bones aud buried
them underline floor OF barn. The spring
iOIOwing, Tie barn was burnt, aus the
bones were then again taken up, pounded
10 pieces dud thrown into The river. TIE
iaiber scTaped ny iew pieces and nut
them INTO the hollow Of a stump near the
road. II appears bS ibe testimony ef ano-
tHer witness, That some fragments Of bones
were iOund ~ 1he stump, aud some pie
crs supposed 10 be A,umb, anu finger
nails. Stephen Buorn made written
confession, nOi materially differing from
the fore going. These cont. ssIous were
rejected 10y the court, a. il appeersd some
inducements had beeu offered To the pIl.
soners, 10 confess ; bat Hey doubtless
had a powerful effect on the minds of the
jury. J. apFears bones had been found
~ Tie cellar Iasi spring but they proved
not To lac human bones. There IS one
tang said IN the trial OF The dream, vhich
has been so frequently mentioned IN the