The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1839-10-01
TRIAL For MURDER.


AT the September term OF The Court i'm Rut-
land County, Henry Doman, was found guilty of
murder, and sentenced to he executed on Fri.
day the 2lst day of February next. Judge
Williams pronounced the sentence. The Rut-
land Herald give the folio wing account of the
trial:
The case OF Daman for the murder Of his
wife produced great interest and excitement
The anxiety to sec the criminal, and hear the
trial, brought together large number of people
from this and the neighboring towns, rs is com
mon in such cases.-The Court room, though
crowded almost to suffocation, was not suf1i lent
TO furnish even standing place to many who
anXiously desired to hear. The trial common
ced on Tuesday morning, aud lasted till Wed
neSday noon, when the case was committed to
the Jury, who, gfter short delberation returned
a verdict of Guilty. The testimony against the
respondent did not vary in the material points
from that given before the Court of!n1niry, soon
after the commission of the murder, and was too
clear to admit o(ratIonal doubt Of the prison
cr's guilt. But an effort made on the part of
the defence to prove that Daman was subject to
temporary fits of iusany,und twas inherant in
the family. Although there was some testimo-
ny offered tending to show this fact, yet it did
not appear on trial that the prisoners was under
any such mental arrangement at the time he
committed the horrd deed. 1t did appear, how
ever, that IT the prisoner was lahorng under
any Unusual excitement at the time OF the muir
der: it was mainly if not wholly produced by the
Rum Bottle, short time before he has repea-
tedlv declared The defence however, was con .
Quoted with much ski, and legal ingenuity
rlat some OF the spectators were almost induced
to believe that he would he acquitted. Some
of the facts connected with this most foul muir
der, too revolving to be repeated, we were glad
Were not detailed upon the trial, We have new
or heard of case in all particulars, which more
fully exhibits the deep degradation to which
man may be reduced when he gives himself up
to the guidance of his depravcd and unrestrained
passions.
Messrs Foot and Briggs on the part of the
government and Mr. Tracy and Hodges conduc-
ted the defence.
THE SENTENCE.
Henry Damdn-You have been indicted by
the Grand Jury for the crime OF MURDER. You
have been tried by a petit Jury, md upon evil
dence the most convincing, and which leaves
guilty OF the crime. 1t remains for the Court
IN the discharge Of the duty imposed upon them,
TO pronounce the sentence which the law awards
10 convicted murderes. The offence of which
you have been convicted is numbered among
the highest and most atrocous known TO our
laws, and has been, both by human and Divine
authority considered deserving the severest
and last punishment which can be inflicted by
any earthly tribunal. The first murderer was
doomed to be fugitive and vagabond on !he
o VII" w WANDER, SUBJECT TO the agony Ol a
gulity conscience and fear of vengeance OF every
one he should meet. And from that time it
has been arJudged, that whoever shedteth the
blood OF ms fellow man. in malice, shall forfeit
ms guilty lite. There is nothing, in my opin.
ION, IN the present state of society, Which re-
CURES that tins appropriate punishment should
be changed or altered. But in whatever view
this may he considered by others, tie tribunal
before which you now stand, can ONLY obev The
imperative command Of the law and declare the
sentence which 'consigns you to an ignomin
ious death.
1t is subject of deep regret to me that I am
again called to this unpleasant duty; that, for
the third time since l have have occupied Ju-
dIcinl station, / am required to pronounce the ia
tai sentence which is ito terminate the earthly
existence of fellow immortal, and that the
circumstances of the case are such as 10 leave
no reasonable hope that it will not be carried
INTO execution But however painful and I'M
pleasant may he the duty to doom fellow be-
ing to the ignominy of a public execution tho