Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1860-08-11

were aiterward confined in one room, Stcuhr
denied the evidence brought against him h
JESSE and treated him with severity. Both tn
prisoners were repeatedly admonishcd to pa
the strictcst regard to truth. Many days wer
taken up in public examinations of the repute,
criminals. CircumStantial evidence was brough
forward which was much against them, and the,
were bound over to await their trial at the sit
ting OF the Supreme Court, to be held at Man
chester on the third Tuesday of September
1919.
Jesse Boorn, after an interview with his broth
er, denied that Stephen ever told him that h,
Killed Colyin, and that what he reported abou
nm was false. For some time they both con
tnucd to assert their innocence; but being told
that they would undoubtedly be convicted upon
the testimony already against them, and hone,
OF pardon being held out if they would confes.
the crime, at last Stephen wrote a statement oI
what he said ware facts, in which he ackuowl.
edged he killed Colym, deposited him in The
place where the knife and button were found
that he took the bones from that place and put
them under his fathers barn, which was soon
after burned, and the body principally CON
sumed
a person in Jail with them, for perjury, testi-
he'd to full confession Of the murder, made to
him by Stephen and Jesse, and it was so art
1aGtS,
that it had great weight with the court and
jury though it was wholly false. But he had
his end answered-hc got bail by this means,
and went off.
During the interval, the prisoners were fire.
qnently visited by the Rev. Mr.. HAYNES, in his
official capacity; but they did not discover any
symptoms OF compunction, persisting in declar-
ing their innocence, with appeals to Heaven
Stephen, particularly. at times, appeared alb
sorbed in passion and impatience. One dav Mr.
Haynes introduced the example of Christ under
sutferings as pattern worthy of imitation he
exclaimed, 81 am as innocent as Jesus Christ ~
for which extravagant expression he was re-
proved; he replied, 81 don't mean that am
gulltless as he was / know am great sin
ner; but | am as innocent of killing Coivin as
he was The court sat in September, and a
Judicous and impressive charge was given to
the grand jury by his honor Judge Doolittle.
and bill of indictment was presented against
Stephen and Jesse Boorn; but as il was not a
tuil court, the trial could not commence.
lhe court was accordingly adjourned to the
10Th of October, 1919. 1t was with much diff
iiculty that n jury was obtained But few could
be found who had not expressed their opinion
against the prisoners. The Hon. Judge Skin
ner and Mr. l.. Sergeant were counsel for the
prisoners. Mr. {. Sheldon was employed in be-
half Of the State. The counsel on both sides
displayed much zeal and ability The trial
commenced on Tuesday the 9th day of Octo-
Der, and continued until the Saturday night fol-
lowing.
An indictment was presented. containing
charge against Stephen and Jesse Boorn for the
murder of Russell Colvin. to which they pleaded
"Not guilty." The occasion excited uncommon
interest. Six hundred people attended each
day during the trial
Before the introduction of any testimony. Mr.
Skinner made a motion that, as the prisoners
had pleaded severally "Not euiltv.n thrv ri,h,
be allowed separate trials,
:, The Court ruled that Stephen and Jesse
noorn Sioulu ~ DC Jo'hll! 'fieu Tor the murder OF
i'uss'l ,oiNin'
npo1' MT! witnesses were succeSsively eX-
",.i'he" out US they were only coTroooratlNe
ci c eacE o.her' all 'enuihS 10 prove the leading
i'Vss' anu TOO NoIuhi',ous ior th's oriei SKETCH
no"e o'' tle p'ihc'pa' testimony Will mere De
ihtrouuced'
lnomas Johnson, being sworn, said was
nrlshpor TO the poorhs ana Gown IN the
I''H part Vi May seven years ago Iast spring
II Sd" oie morning stephen boorE' Jesse
noo''' ,uSSei' Town. picHlnS up stones they
''eu W oe III fu"'re'' ""u Iu' we" Oh
~ .'.'.,' 'nI! Vuu'u no' see "'e 4 nave
ie': Sc" nu>Sei' s'"oe o'ePnen suiu ne was
m ho' III 'he neIu picNihg stones at the tlme Col
I'l I went 9u ou' !hat ne went on al that time +;
'esse' "iine IN prison. told me tnat ne was as
siSunS Shocihg morse wh,h GOWN went 2i !;
o'ePne" sa'u 'ne "ooucluCN 'hey mau ior am
heI the uaI NoNlh went on was Killed Oy MN
when mendlng a fence for Mr.. Hammond.
Having purchased the land where the quarrel
took place, the children found and brought
home an old mouldy, rotten hat knew it to
be the hat of Russell Colvin in the cellar-hole
stood thrifty apple tree, about three feet high,
which was taken away the season after | no.
ticed it,
Lewis Colvin (son of Russell Colvin) said
that at the time Colvin went off he was picking
stones with him and Stephen and Jesse Boorn
that quarrel arose between Stephen and Col
win; that Colvn struck Stephen first; that
Stephen knocked Colvin down with club, and
that he (the witness) ran away, and saw no
blood that Stephen told him not to tell that
he struck Colvin and that he has never seen
Colvin since.
Truman Hill stated that he had the keys of
the prison in which the Boorns were imprison-
ed; that he exhorted Jesse to tell the truth, and
that if he told n falsehood it would increase his
trouble; that he confessed that he was afraid
that Stephen had murdered Colvin, and that he
believed he knew very near where the body
was buried; that when the knife and the hat
of Colyin were shown him, he was much agita
ted. lie said he urged Jessey to confess moth