New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-07-07
ANOTHER SCENE IN THE CAREER OF
BRISTOL BILL.
The v. Y. Tribune.


y Davis. the State Attorney, was stabbed in open
Court while in the performance OF his duty, by a
nan generally known by the soubrquet OF Bus-
tol Bill - sometimes called William Narburton,
with many other aliases. AS this individual has
acquired some celebrity from his connection with
the counterfeiters and burglars OF Boston aud
New-York some account OF the facts and clrcum-
stances connected with the case may prove inter
esting 20 your readers 800
Sometime in the Fall of 1919 & stranger and his
wife, apparently in humble circumstances, entered
upon the occupation OF small farm in remote
part OF the town of GrOtOn, in the County OF Cae-
doI ia. This man called himself William Narour-
ton, and the woman understood 10 be bis wife
The farm which they occupied was a secluded spot
Oh vi at would seem to be the borders OF ciylza-
ton, under the eastern range of the Green Noun
tsins with but one or two lOg-cablns in the neigh
bOrhOOd he land was the property Of one
Ephraim Law, a merchant of GrOton, who had
been for some time suspected of dealing in cOun-
terfeit coin and from the time that the stranger
took possession of his farm, il was observed that
his store was continually visited by unknown per-
sons and that strange intimacy existed between
himself and bis tenants. Finally, the number OF
suspicious strangers who appeared to follow the
WaIburtons alarmed the respectable residents OF
the 10 q, and they adopted such means as they
thought necessary 70 sitt the mystery. The result
of this was confirmation of their suspicious, and
the arrest OF Warburton and his wife, Ephralm
Law Christian Meadows, Marshall, and man
named Paul, with others Of less consequence. The
police found large assortment OF dies stolen from
one Wilson, bank-nOte engraver OF Boston a
collection Of copper-pates with large power
press for transferring the impression, beside a
supply of counterfeit bills, bill paper, burglars
tools &c The humble individuals called War
burton and his wife proved ON examination u De
the notorious Bristol Bill and his mistress Marga-
ret OCOnnOr, known through her connection with
the trial of One eyed Thompson iuyOur CITY lhey
were all committed TO jail in this village, with the
exception of Margaret O'ConnOr. Law died sud
denly few days after bis commitment and Mar
shall AID Paul turning States evidence, were dis
charged on bail After an impartial trial Bill was
convicted. and sentenced to hard labor IN the
State Prison for ten years And II was the mo-
mtnt after his sentence had been pronounced that,
preferring death TO hard labor, the rufian Induced
the stiict-AttOrney to approach him, and then
stabbed him in the neck lt was evidently his IN
tebton to sever the jugular vein, but fortunately
be failed in bis murderous purpose. The wound,
although frightfully severe did not prove mortal
such are the particulars OF the case which was
continued from 1850 to the last June Term OF this
Court when Bill was brought in by the sheriff
to answer to an Indictment found against him by
the Grand Jury OF the June Term OF 1851.
Recently there has been an attempt made 10
which he has been confined in prison, on the plea
OF his reformation and conversion TO Christianity
and it is at the suggestion of the Executive that he
has now been brought forward 20 trial for his last
of,nse. Tie petition for his pardon was, AS
am informed signed by a great number OF the citl-
zens of Windsor. He was brought u this place
for trial on the 18th June, and when 1t was I'M
der.tood that Bristol Bill was in town the
news caused quite an excitement During the
IN tb
nook OF that building was occupied by those des-
rous of obtaining glance at this notorious convict
Bristol Bid must now be upward Of sixty years
of age although his confinement during the last
five years has produced change OF twenty years IN
his appearance His hair is somewhat white aud
he las become partially bald His eyes are yet
unusually bright and piercing and beam out from
beneath a furrowed temple, and coarse shaggy
brOws. He is OF medium hight, well built, though
slightly inclined 10 cOIpulency.
The prisoner listened with intense interest while
the clerk was reading the indictments, and when
asked to plead guilty not guilty replied that he
did not then wish TO plead he wanted TO be tried
in some other country, as he thought III would be
impossible for him to have an impartial trial in
Caledonia County. He said that five years before
be went through the form OF trial in that same
house, and before the same Judge. lie believed
that then he had been unfairly convicted; the
Court the Clerk and the State Attorney had used
Unfair means TO convict him. tie thought the tide
OF public opinion which then set so powerfully
against him had, by the exertiOns of his enemies
increased during his confinement, and that however
impartial the Jury might intend to be it would
prove impossible for them to act without preju-
dice
The Court intimated that they would cheerfully
comply with his request if they had the power,
but that they did not possess the power The law
is imperative in this State that the offender must
be tiled in the county wherein the Ofense was
committed The Court then, at the request OF the
respondent assigned him for counsel ;. b. Colby,
Esq and : w. Slade of ~. JObnsbury.
On the 2Oth OF June the prisoner was again
brought into Court, the crowd being this time
much greater than before. After the argument oil
his counsel very similar to his own on previous
OCCASION the Court refused to change the place OF
trial for want of power to do SO. The prisoner
then asked for a continuance to the December
Term 20 prepare for trial and also 10 apply 10 the
Legislature tor the passage OF a law which would
confer On him the right Of trial In another county.
During the argument be produced the copy OF q
letter fir, the Governor OF the state, stating that
if be (WarburtOn) took his trial for the assault
during this Term, be should receive an uncondi-
\ ti0nal pardon for the Ofense on which he Is now
confined: and that if he vas not sent for to under
90 such a trial, the Executive would grant con
/ ditional pardon % take effect this month.
The Court with some hesitation granted the
/ continuance The prisoner shook hands very al
feetionately with Davis in Court, cOnyersed with
HIN for long time in whisper, and hnaly ap-
peared affected to tears While in Court he made
a present to the youngest son Of Mr. Davis and re-
quested OF that gentleman the privilege Of address
ing a letter TO his wife. Rep,rt says that he re-
ctiyed permission, that the letter was extremely
Affecting. and that the enyelop contained ring
valued az about fifty dollars as a token Of remem-