The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1844-10-14
From the Hnvsrhill N. II. Republican.
SENTENCE OF COuJNGs

On Friday, Sept 20, WIN. Comings was taken il,
TO Court to receive sentence for the murder Of ri,
wife.-Upon being asked by the Court what he had
to say why sentence Of deah should not be p,onopr
ed upon him, Comings arose and replied 10 tn, Cont
as follows:
Nay IL please The Honorable Court: am ayt.N
have anything to shy why sentence Of death sbOtA
not be passed on me. have but little and the less
being pursuaded that whatever I might say would
not, could not stay the arm Of the lOw w, stand
ing as do on the very verge of my srove--abOOi 10
no launched by an gnominious death into the ,,,u,
world, and 10 appear in the presence of my judge,
and your judge, and the judge Of ALL, VII, have
aught to do with my trial the witnesses, the nuhc
COUNSEL the Cour., and the numerous spectator VII,
are gathered around. in view OF the death which
before me-and in tho presence of my etern, judge
my earthly judge and all those who are present.
make my last appeal am INNOCENT oflhe mar.
der OF my wiCe-l know no more of II than you all
know.
know nothing of my wife's intentions Of going 10
Mr.. A5botts, wus stated in testimony, the NON.
ing on which she was found dead.
The evening before her DEATH being very mra
in The testimony, laid myself upon the bed mme
dately AFTER ! finished the usual work about The
house, without undressing. I soon went to sleep,
and did not awake until my wife came to the bed
and shook me and said "come; il is time to 20 10
bed.'' I rose up, and Lucinda Burbank stand.
ing, IL recollect right, the north entry door,
As soon as got up TO undress me, Lucind, Burbank
war init tina huffarv nd 4 tyap in he'd with
wife. Lucinda returned, and either blew out theTsh,
carried it out with her, know not which,
When Lucinda left the room, myself and wife and
babe were in bed. Whether there was any CONVEX.
sation between after we went TO bed do not re-
member. always slept on the front side the Oed'
as lay when Lucinda LETT the room, and where
was when awoke the next morning l was tired
and went Immediately to sleep.
am not surprised that did no, awake when ny
wife arose and did the fatal deed. She was in tho
habit frequently of getting up many times the ns'
for tho babe, and sometimes awoke and sometimes
did not. and knew nothing Of it until she wOu0 ""
me in the morning and laughingly chdo me- '0' wv
paying more attention to the babe
When awoke in the morning was laying O." "'
front side Of the bed turned little, and my e'O'"
touched the babe. Ispokc to my vile, and sa' ava,
line, hearing no answer spoke again, raising "!''.
so as to look over the babe, not knowing WI"
meant, as she was usually awake before was
morning, and always awoke very early hsa'"s s.,~
answer, and finding that she was not IN oea' :,
my feet off the bed intending to get up 'h'"S,"s
had gone out Of the room-but in looking aO'''
saw her head at the foot Of the bed. sprans H..
ly up aud ran round to the foot Of the bed a"'
covered her hanging to the bed post by "1''
chief A.
My feelings at the time will not a''emP' =.
scrbe-my thoughts, as observed to some .,,,a
the time, flew like lightning neither ie "O' ,,,,
probably as other men, under other c'rcu"'' Al.
might have acted felt that in her agony '"I h
tress she had destroyed herself, and Tell '00 ~.
was on account Of tho circumstances bet"e'" ,
self and Sarah Ann Abbott, those stories .,,h.
were abroad, and feared suspicion woulp 10
ed 10 me, Of having hung her-bpt one ~D"''