Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1863-02-26


district of Vermont. Measures were Ia
ken to intercept the party on their return
down the river, and revenue boat or bat
teau lay in wait for them at the place
above mdntioned; among the revenue par
ty were Jonathan Ormsby, Asa Marsh and
Ellis Drake-the two former were station
ed on the Burlington shore of the river,
and Drake with others remained in the
batteau.
Gas the boat of the smugglers came
down the stream, Mott, with large gun
called the aOaH piece, fired upon Ormsby
and Marsh with fatal effect, killing them
both upon the spot, the others of the par
ty fired upon the batteau, killing Drake
instantly, who fell in his boat. The
smugglers were arrested, and public ex-
citement was so great that no delay was
suffered in bringing the offenders to trial.
Mott and Dean were convicted of murder
but the judgement in the case of Mott,
the most guilty of them all, was, on mo-
tion of his counsel, arrested the motion
prevailed, on some technical points of law.
He, however, was held in custody by the
court, and new bill of Indictment filed
against him for manSjaughter; upon which
| he was convicted and sentenced to stand
in the pil1Ory for one hour have fifty lash
es upon his naked back at the public
eohipping post and ten years imprison-
ment to hard labor. The other accom-
plces were also convicted of manslaughter
and received similar sentences to that of
Mott. Dean having failed in his motion
to arrest the judgement of the court, was
sentenced to be executed on the 28th of
/ October (l808), but was reprievcd to the
18th of November following; when the
sentence was carried into effect"
The following, from the history Of the
town of Bolton, lying south of Stowe, will
doubtless be intcresting
"The town is situated midway between
Burlington and Montpelier the railroad
station beingN20 miles from each. The
inhabitants are mostly settled in the Win
ooski Valley, and d lumber district in the
N. W. part Of the town. There is post
Office in each place, and about 700 inhab-
itants in all. A large tract lying in the
N. L. part of the township is as yet un-
settled. This is part Of large tract of
wilderness lying between Stimsons noun
tain and the town of Stowe. There is an
equally large tract on the opposite side of
the river, at the base Of Camel's Hump.
The two form a favorite retreat for the few
bears that remain in Vermont. The Joyn-
er brook which is in the N. L. part of the
township, drains broad valley of about
four miles in length, emptying into the
Winooski, near the ra abroad station. This
valley is well wooded with maple and
beech, spruce and hemlock, and has many
good mill privileges, all of which have
long been great temptation to lumber
spectators but many impediments at the
entrance of the valley, which is narrow,
prevented the making feasible road ex-
cept with great expense, till nature, as il
to help the feeble efforts of men, made a
beginning,
: 1t was about z o'clock P. NJ, on the 9th
of July, 1862, the streams were exceed
; ingly low, the day had been very warm,
when thunder shower came from the N.
W. The dark clouds seemed to stand, or
) rather move backward and forward over
: this valley firing bolts at each other, and
pouring down upon the earth below such a
. food of water, that in one hour stime the
giant hemlocks and spruces that stood on
the banks ofJoyner brook were being torn
up by the roots, and swept onward to the
river. About ten rods of railroad was
swept away, and fine farm known as
the Stone place nearly ruined But where
was Mr.. s. Stone and his housekeeper,
when his house was thus surrounded by
the roaring of the waters, the crashing Of
trees and the rumbling of the great boul-
ders os they dashed against each other in
the darkness (? Let him speak for himsolf
e The water he said had surrounded oui
/ houee and waa risin0 ranidlv Tho firsi