The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1850-07-27
3, from fhe np-t1a Aila- of July zo.
PROFESSOR WEHsTER's CASE No
MUTATION or SENTENCE
DAY OF EXECUTION FIXED UPON.


DAY or EXECUTION FIXED UPON,
The Committee or rafdsna, romp0scd of
Lieuispaht Governor John Hccd, Chairman,
oi Yarmouth; IN Luther v Bell; Ilon sam
uel Wecd, Of Granon' Hon Johu 1cmc,, Of
AIrthuen aud Hon. Charles NJ Owen, of
slorkbridgc, Submitted ,hclr Gnal report ~
tic ease ofJohu W Webster, 10 the Govern
or and Council, yesterday morning, The
Council met IN thcir chamber with rlosod
doors, Afler assembling, aud bcing called 10
order the following Report vas presented by
/ Lieutenant Governor Reed, Chairman OF the
| Committee on Parlou.
REEORT,
! The tOmnnmittcC on fIriun- ~ " hmm ', a.
referred the petition 0f John w Webster, q
convict under sentence of Death, PRAYING, in
ttaiAir Of himsclfaud hi WiG aud ciitdrrn,
Ihe GnAcnilr aud Council 30 eAtcnd a. the
prtitiourra communication of the punishment
awarded to him; nl-o, a copy ofihc rcoorl. Of
! tlr Court, containing the trial and .cntruov
Of said Webster, aud also .uudry other p,ti-
! tons aud arguments referring TO- ur ia sup
port Of the prtiiiou of said Wcb-tcr-uow re
port,
That, by said record IL appears that said
Dr. W, was regularly Indicted iorthc crime Of
the murder OF DR.. Gcorg, larkman, and srt
Ia the bar at the Supreme Court M the March
Term thereof A, -, 1900 aud there having
been cnquired of how hc would a"qut him
self concerning the prcmas, for answer, said
he was not guilty, and thereof put hm-clfup-
on the country,
Counsel was thcrcupop assigned for The
prisoner On the nineteenth day of March
following, flid Webster was again set lo the
laf to be- tried iuu WHs rmpanuclcd and
sworn, and after n iull hoaringou their olth-
declared that the .aid John " Webster va,
guilty, Aud thrrca0rrvarl-, viE., ON the tt
day ui April, ia said Court, aid Webster be-.
ing placed at the lar Tor sentence, it was de-
uandcd of him, by said Court, ifhc had any
thing to say wherefore sentence should not
h. declared upon the premises aud verdict ..
lorrsaid To which said Webster nothing
further answered.
IhcWupon II was considered ly the Court
that the said John WWeh-tcr be- taken The
. .liil whence be- came and thence 90 the place
ui cNcuton.and thcrr IT, hanged LN thr no, Is
until he bc dead.
h since the passing siid sentence by said
CpurLuumcruus pcttinu~and argument. ha,,
bvcn presented 10 the executive for the hill
ptplul of said Webster, founded upon the L,'-
livt aud presumption thpt be- never commit
ted even u homicide. Recent vents, huwcy.
.vr, r'licNc the Committee ia . great measure
from the consideration Of all such argument.
aud petitions.
On the 2d ofJuly,--A H., 1850, the Rev
Dr Putuam,hy appointment, appeared ~ be-
half of said Webster. before the Committc,
on paulons. anl read confession msilo hy
said Webster acknowledging that hu commit
cd the homicide, aud declaring the manner
aud circumstance th"ror-aud at th, same
time presented .aid Wrh,tcrs petition Tor q
communication ui the sentence aforesaid. The
petition aud confession we're supported l., au
able argument hy DIR Putnam.
TO thi. cuut' sion and argument, and al
! arpumcnt. and evidence supyortiurit,wc gaN,
our most scriou. and auNiuu, astrptiou, auo
We have proceeded to consider the same viii
heart, aud mind. drsirous to know lie truth
and our duty, and With trm purpose TO dc
what both shall require.
II seem, to Your Committee that the sen
trnrc IN the case of said Nch,tcr,hayiur been
passed 10y the Courtaltcr a full and fair uii
y ia thc.coursc of which, all the facts and cir
cumstaucv- which could then b. brought Z,
light, were patiently aud thoroughly iuvcsu
tied aud weighed b, the jury aud hay
/ ing been fully affirmed, altar careful rc,is
ION Of the law upon trial since had hy the ful
, Court on solemn argument oi bath sides, ,thcr,
appear, to be- no ground Tor Executive inter
position, except IT may be ionnd in the subsc
uurnt confession ot the prisoner
In this view. the only questions, a. II -ccm
to us,ar", whether tlo statements which sal,
I. Mebstcruuw makes ia his confession, OF th
manner and circumstances OF the homicide
, are 80 confirmed by other cvidoncc, or so IN
. triusirally probable, that they ought to br rc
, ccivcd as true, and il true. whether they just
iy the Executive in communication ol th
punishment.
L To these questions the mind. of the Com
mit{CC hayC boon most rarrEutty diTrTTUtt, nm
N they trust, with no mwillingncss an thci
part Ia come to an affirmative cpnclusiOuy II
c they could do so consistently with's supr,m
n regard to truth and Justice. But after all tn
consideration which they have been able L
bestew upon this eouit.~isI,, and under IL
- light OF all the evidence and comments wit
L which it has been accompanied aud supportc
I they feel constrained to say the effect ha
not been such~ns TO satisfy their minds, thu
: the position of the case is materially change,
y In otlcr words the palliating facts and Circun
"A stances set forth in the confession. have NJ
Z been so confirmed by other evidence an
. circumstances, as to form proper and suil
- eieHt hasis tor Executive intrrfcrlncn---
To this painful conclusion the committc
l. have unanimously come
II The committee, therefore, respectfully r,
Il port, tUdt tuVN cannot rtttf-~ttttt N+tltAl1@
they conceive to be their duty rec ommcnd
- commutation OF the sentence, in the case o
IS John w. Webster, as prayed for in, his pet
n ton
- Nothing now remains for the committee, /
= the discharge of this painful duty, put to a,
y wise your ENcellency ia determining upon
y time for the execution, and they name FIR
l. DAY. TIE TIlIRT IETU DAY OF AT
Is GUST NENT as the day; and rccomnen
y TO your eNccllcncy TO decide upon that da
as the time for the execution of John "
y Webster
c - John REED. Chairman.
o. Council Chamber, July 10, 1890,
y After the conclusion of the reading of til
!, Report, His ENcellcn,y, Governor Brirv
u read to the Council the following.
ADDRESS.
10 thc honorable CoHHeA 900
Z TFh, Counpii hn,.inu -rnnSitlrtcd r,,.l ,,..,,