The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1843-09-19
Vol. I. No. 5. Whole No. 800. 5


atrOcious from motives apparently inadequate
That mother could far all the instincts
Of nature as to sanction the assassination of her
merely TO acquesce in the stern decree Of her hus
band but with her own hands to manufacture the
instruments of destruction and this under the pretext
of promoting the comfort and happiness Of The unsus
pectng victim this repugnant TO the feel
inss and experience of mankind that any less testi.
nony would not suffice to produce conviction. Yet
there is a circumstance extraordinary, if posi-
bIe than even this and that is that instead Of insp
ring horror among the people of this district the deed
had their entire appreciation.
The part of the lake selected for this deed of hor-
ror was one which seemed 10 offer the most perfect
security from detection the great depth Of the water
the lead and iron which secured to the person
of the victim, and the texture and material OF which
his clothes were composed seemed TO afford
rance that the body would remain to the bottom till
long after decomposition should be complete, and all
probability of recognition impossble-the process
would be aided by the fishes which aboundcd there.
There was only point at which the lake
cessibc and this was several miles from the spot
where tho murder had taken place-memorable from
having been the Of the destruction of the army
! Of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, husband
! of Margaret Of York, siser TO Edward w. Of Eng
! and) which was entirely defeated by the Swiss atthe
battle Of Morat, and driven into the lake. tree
planted u few days afterwards in the centre of the
village to commemorate the event, is now one OF the
remarkable objects of the district l saw II still
growing luxureny after lapse OF four hundred
years, of great magnitude, and likely to live haf
dozen centuries more.
! The hurricane which had gone TO destroy
the murderers, had produced violent disturbance
| on the lake 10 throw the body shore at this
place; il recognized, and rigid searchwas
| instituted for the assassns The loaded pockets so
securely fastened, and the dreadful chasm in she
skull, put Of the question the first suggestion of
suicde-the boatmen and the victims brother who
had been seen landing the morning after the storm
were arrested and nterrogated-the explanation they
had given OF the purport Of their mdnig voyage
was found to be false-they confessed their guilt;
the whole discovered, and the officers of justice
proceeded to arrest father mother, and sisters; all
were committed TO prison take their trial for this
most unnatural and uncomfortable crime.
On the trial. the father undertook his own,defence,
and in an eloquent and imprisoned GRAFTON boldly
claimed for himself the palriarchal right OF life and
death; repudinted every form Of government which
had existed in his country for thousand years;
and declared that the original rights Of his to
! govern themselves in their way, though long in
obeyance, had never been abandoned. That he
knew he must submit punishment, but that his
conscience acquitted him Of guilt; and the
circumstances TO come over again, he should act in
the same manner; that he had inflicted bis
| such punishment the crime deserved; and that it
had only been inflicted secretly because his race
was for the present coertion, subjected TO govern
ment which they therefore, outwardly obeyed, but
under permanent protest; that had it been practical
BILE he would have preferred that the decd should
have been done openly, in the presence Of his clan,
but that this would have betrayed the crime, and
consummated the disgrace ofhs family; and that he
clored in the self-command which enabled him 10
subject his feelings father to HIS duties pa
trarch but his family being now irrcrievab'y dis
graced he threfore quite indifferent to bis fate
| He was condemned TO twenty years solitary
fnement, which at his age, was confinement for life.
His wife and family to periods varying from eight to
twelve, according to the degree in which they WE'RE
supposed be under the influence of the father and,
think, the boutmen were subjected to the snme pun
shment was the chief aH...
The most extraordinary part the story remains
to be lod; criminals in that country, as in many 9TH
ers before they finally ncarcarated to undergo
the penalty of the law in long imprisonment, are ex
posed to the pubic gaze on p'auoi, Va hiho VI Ph-
lory) for the space ofono hour, with record
of their crime placed conspicuorsy over their heads
Such was the process III the present case; when
the culprits were placed the scafiod, unversa,
shout of execration arose from the mob of several
thousand persons who surrounded it. 1t appeared
that these people were from the diotrct where the
cu!prils resided, and had walked all the distance
to testify their disapprobaton at the punishment in
hicted for which they did not acknowledge to
| be a crime. a... ..s Bus
Water- proof Boots and Shoes.--Take One pint Of
drying lnseed oil, two ounces Of yellow bees wax,
two ounces of spirits Of turpentine, and half
of Burgundy pitch: melt them over slow fire, and
thoroughly incorporate them by stirring. Lay this
mixture on new shoes boots, ethe' in the at
moderate distance from the FIRE and repeat this OPP
Grafton as often they become dry, until they are
fully saturated nc shoes should not be till the