Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1864-02-19
THE MAIDEN MURDER CASE.

IuhAHEh DhNELOfEMENTS.
At no time since his arrest has Green man
Tested more emotion or seemed to more fully
realize his condition than since his ncarcera-
ton in jail. When visited, he was found ly-
ing upon one of the beds, with his face buried
in his hands, apparently deeply absorbed in
thought. One Of the visitors saluted him
with. GOOD morning. Mr.. Green fine
day" &c, and shook him by the hand. MIR.
Green replied "Yes, it is fine day, but not
a very pleasant one for me, and Immediately
burst into tears. His manifestations of emo
ton we're very touching and lasted for some
moments, during which time the visitors en-
gagged in conversation with his fellow pris-
oners.
After short time Green engaged in con-
versstion more freely, but all the while cry
ing aloud. lie inquired what the general i'm
preston was outside, and appeared quite anx-
ious about his wife and child, and what
would become Of them. lie appeared to be
suffering the most intense agony, both bodily
and mentally, and said he did not know what
in the world possessed him when he commit
ted the murder.
The excitement occasioned in Maiden at the
unex pected result of this terrible tragedy is
very great The commotion occasioned when
the horrible details Of the murder were first
proclaimed has been fully repeated in that
quiet town during the last forty-eight hours.
The voluntary confession of the deed, togeth-
er with the overwhelming evidence otherwise
accumulated against the accused, leaves, it is
generally believed, no doubt of his guilt.
While there are many expressions If sad
ness among the people, mingled with those OF
surprise, there are, however, few, if any, who
express sympathy for the alledged perpetra-
tor of such awful crimes.
On being arTaigned for trial on Tuesday
the accused was charged with the burning of
building, some years before, in which the
Post Office was then located, and to the dis
covery OF the porpetrator OF the ncendarism
the town of Maiden had offered a reward Of
5000, but the commission of the deed was 10
secret that all efforts proved futile. To this
charge the criminal plead guilty" Green's
object in firing the building, 1t is supposed
was the destruction of the Post Office, to-
gether with the records showing the receipts
&c. BY accomplishing this he could have
probably detrauded the government out OF a
considerable sum of money. 1t is thought
by many that, if the Post Office aud the iec-
ords had been thus burned, and Green had
succeeded in retaining the governments
money, that the murder which he confessed
to have aiterward perpetTated would have
never been committed.
Green was born and reared in Maiden
w hen boy he is reported to have been ra-
Their wild but since he arrived at manhood
he has been regarded as more steady and in
dustrious, and at the death of his father, who
was Postmaster for many years, the son was
appointed in his place. There were several
competitors for the office, but the majority Of
the towns people favored his claim from the
fact OF his familiarity with the duties of the
position, and also, in part, on account Of his
being the apparent support of widowed
mother-in-law. About a year since there
was II leakage discovered in the financial de-
partment, but the matter was adjusted by his
bondsmen, and he was retained In office. This
difficulty was kept comparatively quiet, and
until now he has generally enjoyed the con-
hdence of his fellow citizens Among other
matters entrusted to him was the purchasing
and selling the school, books used In the va
rious schools in the town, and lately it has
been ascsrtained that in these transactions be
had become indebted some $500 to the town.
In paying this debt he rendered some Of the
stolen money. IL is que TO the prisoner, how
ever, to say that an examination Of his Post
Office accounts since his arrest has proved
them correct.
1t will be recollected that portion Of the
money stolen by Green from the bank was
ound in Volunteer Engine house. Green
was not member Of that fire compaty in-
deed, for some three months past there has
not been any company, and it was therefore
safe for any one to 90 in or out Of the engine
house without the risk of meeting any one.
About month ago Mr. Brown, who has
charge of the engine house, reported to Chief
Engineer Pierce that some one had entered
the p emises, taken ladder and gone up in
to the hose tower. Strict watch has since
been kept, and it is the opinion of the Board
of Engineers that Green has only been once
in the engine house, and that was when be
deposit the stolen money there.