The Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1850-1852, 1850-09-19
THE DEATH PENALTY IN THE
CASE OF LITERALLY EDU-
GATED MEN

The question has been several times
asked, in connection with the inaic,ion
Of capital punishment on Professor
Webster, whs ther any other graduate
Of Harvard college has ever been exc
cuted: We believe thai but one other
instance has occurred, and that was the
case Of the Rev, George Burroughs, Of
the class Of 1870, who suffered the pen
atty Of death during the witchcraft de-
lusion in Salem. lie was hung in Sa.
lem on the 18Th Of August, (old style
1892 by adding eleven days, in nc
cortlancc with the new style, the date is
the 3O.h of August, precisely one hun.
dred and ffty.eigh, years TO day, pre-
WON, to the execution Of DR.. Webster.
The late John Farmer, speaking of
Mr.. Borroughs, says that he became n
preacher within few years after he
left college, aud as early as 1915 or
1876 he was the minister at Casco, in
Maine, and was there when that town
suffered the loss Of so many lives by an
attack from the Indians. The war soon
drove Mr.. Burroughs from Maine, and
vember, 1850. lie was employed to
preach at Salem Village, now Salem.
Hc returned 10 Casco in 1858. a
work entitled European Settlements
in America" in speaking Of Mr.. Bur
rou.hs a. victim Of the Salem witch
craft, says, abe was gentleman who
had formerly been minister Of Salem,
but upon some Of the religious disputes
which divided the country he differed
from his flock and left them" Mather
in his "Wonders Of the Invisible world,
countenances this iden, saying, he had
removed from Salem village in i'll terms
some years before
The unhappy circumstances which
terminated the life and usefulness OF
Mr.. Burroughs. has cast a shade upon
many facts relating to him, which would
be interesting TO us to know:
There has nothing, says Mr.. Will
lis in his history of Portland, survived
Mr.. Burrows. either in his living OF
dying. that casts any reproacll upon
his character and, although he died n
victim OF a fana,icism as wicked and
stupid as any which has been coun'en
anced in civilized society, and whicl
for a time prejudiced his memory, ye
his character stands redeemed in more
enlightened age from any blemish.
Mr.. Burroughs was driven from Gas
90 by the Indians in 1890, and went to
Wells, where lie resided when he wa
accnscd Of witchcraft. The indictmen
against him is given in the second vol
umc Of Hutchinson. He was examnc'
in May 9Th, 1902, and committed 4
prison in Boston until his trial, whicl
took place in August following. ii
was condemned on testimony, whicl
nothing but the most highly wrough
inia,uaiion could for a moment hav
endured. His great strength and act'y
iiy. for which lie had been remarkabl
from his youth, were enlisted aga'n'
him, as having been derived from 'h
Prince Of Evil Ii was stated IN e'
idence that be had lifted a barrel {
molas.es by pulling his finger in III
bunghole, and had carried il round hii
that he held gun more than seve
fee! long q. arms length with one han
and performed other surprising seais
bove the power Of humanity
/ lie was executed on ga'iows hill.
Salem. AZ his execution he made
mos, solemn. per.ipsn,, and ahee'ir
PRAYER, which drew the remark fro'
Cotton Maiher, who was present, ti
no man could have made such pray
unless the devil helped him The "
I. tim of this vie delusion conciuded II
T. dying petition with the Lords fray'
!, probably to convince some Of the spt
}. ,a,sn that he Was innocent for II "
:, the recsi,ed opinion that true WI
.e or wizard could not say the I~or'
Prayer wi,hou, blundering. -Four o'
IN er persons, convicted Of the same char
1. were also executed with him.
J., Calcf. in his " More wonders Of
s. Invisible world,' gives the follow
IN account cf this execution .Mr. n
- ross Was carried in . cart. With
n. others, through the streets OF Ssiem