The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1862-05-06

win. Arthur Bostwiek. John Hitchcock.
William Drew, Jsbez Hawley. Job Gid
dings, Henry Balless, Abel BRISTOL, Dan
lei Jones, Naihl Bos,wick, Josiah Lock
wood John w. Bosiwick, Charles BuIlcss,
Peter French. jeremiah French, Moses
/ SpeTy, Sam'l French, Jr., are professors
Of the Church Of England, and have put
themselves under my care"
Gideon Bosiwick."
Duplicate copy from the original.
A. ii. Bailey"
The Rev Abram Bronson was the pas
Tor for many years. The church was
built in 1921, and during the past year
has been enlarged and entirely reftled.
Present number OF communicates about
60,-prssent rector, Rev. G. X. Batchslder.
A Society OF Campbeli,es was organ-
lied, and house Of worship built, in the
east part of the town, about the year lS45 !:
the society at first quite iourishing, is now
nearly dsbanded.
There are several Melhodists in town,
but they have never built any church, and
their services have been quite irregular.
Present pastor, Rev. W, A, Miller.
Burr Seminary, located on an elevation
some 60 rods west of the village OF Man
chester,was erected in 1883, partly through
the munifcenee of Jeaeph Burr, for many
years a merchant at Manchester. The
institution was at first under the charge of
Rev. Lyman Coleman, and John Aiken,
Esq. 1t has been one Of the most sue
cesstul institutions Of the kind in the State,
and numbers among its former pupils not
few cldri et honordadi For more than
20 years the institution has been under
the care of Rev. j. ID. Wickham and the
late VIM. A. Burnham, Esq. The recent
decease Of Mr.. Burnham is heavy loss
not only to the Seminary, but to the COM
munity and the cause OF education. The
corporation has recently received valu-
able bequest from Josiah Burton Of Man
chester. 1t is now under the charge Of
Rev. j. d. Wickham.
There are l6 school districts in the
town, including four fractions, in most Of
which winter and summer schools are kept
in accordance with the laws Of the State.
THE coLvIN MURDER CASE.
This transaction was one of the most
wonderful that ever occurred. Russell
Colvin, a resident of Manchester, who had
been partially dersnged for many years,
in 1912 suddenly disappeared from bis
family. Several years afterwards suspi-
cions began TO arise that Colvin had been
murdered by the brothers of his wife, Ste
phen and Jesse Bourn A Mr.. Bourn,
uncle Of Stephen and j sse, a gentleman
Of respectabiiiy, stated he had dreamed
three separate times that Colvin came TO
his bedside aud told him that he had been
murdered, and that he would lead him TO
the place where he had been secreted /;
this place was the former site OF small
dwelling house, under which was cellar
hole for storing potatoes, and then filled
up. This place had been mentioned pre-
vious TO the dream and when examined
there was found a large knife, pen-kniie
and button. Colvin's wife described ac-
curately two Of these articles before see
ing them. A hat was found near the place
where it was supposed the murder had
been committed, which WAS said TO have
belonged to Colvin. Some decayed bones
were found near the same place, which
were at first supposed to be the remains
of the missing Colvin; but subsequent ex-
animation proved that they were not Of
the human species. A quarrel was said
to have arisen between Colvin and the
Bourns just previous to Colvin's disap-
pearance, and certain suspicious remarks
Of the Bourns in regard TO the matter we're
related. The public mind became in
tensely excited upon this subject. Jesse
Bourn was arrested and the case legally
examined. Jesse was about being releas
ed, when he stated that bis brother Ste-
phen told him last winter that be (Ste-
phen1 struck Colyin with club or stone
on the bead and supposed he had killed
him. Stephen Bourn was Immediately
arrested in Lewis Co., n. L., and brought
to Manchester. Stephen denied the truth
OF his brothers. statement.
The prisoners were tried October 1919,
Judge Chase presiding. Gov. Skinner
and Hon. L. Sergeant were council for
the prisoners. II was shown on the part
of the State among other things, that Col
vim and the prisoners we're seen together
picking up stones just before Colvin's dis
appearance, and that they were quarrel
ing. Lewis Colyin, son Of the missing
man, testified that while picking up stones
Stephen and his father got into quarrel
7 that his father struck Stephen, aud that
! Stephen knocked his father down with q
club; that he (Lcwis) run away and had
never seen him since. The jailor tesIi-
fed tha, Jesse confessed TO him that be
was afraid Stephen had murdered Colyin
Silas Merrill, prisoner confined with tie
Bourns, testified that Jesse confessed tc
him that Stephen killed Colyin, and that
he, Stephen and tiieit father buried the
body. There was also written confes.
sion by Stephen to Merrill, coufessing the
murder and giving foil particulars thi.
document was rejected by the Court a,