Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1859-05-27

The evidence before the Jury of Inquest was
closed about halfpast eight o'clock, Monday
cvening--and the verdict of the Jury was
rendered soon after. The evidence, rs to all
essential points, is SO clearly given as to
make any comments respecting it unnecessa-
nv. The examination seemed to us to he
made with the greatest fairness and proprie-
ty, and though under the great and natural
excitement of the occasion, we heard
among the people about, occasional re-
marks savoring of impotence of the careful
and deliberate action of the legal tribunals,
the throng in the Court House Monday was
attentive and quiet to the end. We presume
the verdict agreed with the prevailing state
of feeling in the assembly.
McKcen was a native of Nova Scotia. aged
81 years; had been here about three years,
and was liked by all who knew him. lie was
wel-built man, much stronger and larger
than McDonnell-who is rather small and
slender, and of precarious health. 1t does
not appear from the evidence, that there was
any previous quarrel or grudge between
them, whatever. The distress which the
untimcly and violent death of McKecn must
bring upon his family can be easier imagined
| than described.
Mcdonnell served about three years as an
apprentice in our Office, and his conduct was
generally good so that when his time was
out. we did not hesitate to hire him as Il
iournevman. We have learned lately that
he was getting int the rowdyish way Of
spending his evenings which, as it appears,
brought him to his present sad condition. lie
is nearly 81 years of age, and has always
lived with his parents. The family has been
very sickly.-three of its members having
died from consumption. We feel for the
deep sorrow which has in this way fallen
upon his parents, and upon the parents OF
the other two who are embraced with him
in the verdict of the inquest.
So far as the young men imprisoned ON the
charge Of numbering fellow man are con-
c,rncd, they need no lesson beyond what the
awful position in which they now stand gives
| them but have not the rest of our commu-
! nifty something to learn from this affair?
Do not parents who allow their children to
roam at large about the village, evenings, to
hang about the street corners and to frequent
places where no good but much evil is to be
learned, hear what it says To them? Do
not the lads. and those who consider them
selves young men, whether laboring in the
workshop, behind the counter or in school or
college. it matters noD, who think it small
harm to seek enjoyment in wandering about
at late hours, away from their proper homes,
frcquenting beer saloons and other places
where the whole tendency Of things is to
promote disorderly and reckless habits
where the game of chance or skill, often play
cd for the gage of something to drink, leads
the way towards deeper and guilter gambling
in the future. where the profane speech
and the foul Jest debauch the mind worse
than the drink debauches the body, and
puts the whole man in the way to fall before
any sudden temptation to disorder or sin
| 10 not tllty near tHc "diuluS ~ HOl ouI
citizens generally--those whose influence for
the preservation of or Ter and sobriety needs
but to be openly and steadily put forth, to
be felt for the public good and for the pre-
servation of the young,-think that this ira
gedy has meaning for them? Do not our
civil oficers-our justices of the peace (the
largeness of whose number does SO much to
weaken the sense of responsibility which
ought to be felt by each one), think that
they have something to answer for, if they
do not use what authority the State entrusts
them with, in positive way, to preserve or
der in the community both by day and by
night, and to Suppress every improper place
of resort?
We have no time to enlarge on these ques-
tons and others like them, though there is
abundant occasion to do SO. We ask each
one to find for himself the answer which he
ought to give to his own conscience and to
God.