New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-04-16
THR MURDER.

Edward W. Green was hanged to-day at the East Cam
bridge Jail.
THR MURDER
On The l5n Of December 1863 the people OF the village
Of Maiden near Boston shocked by the discover
that Nj Frank Converse the temporary teller OF the panA'
a young son of Of the wealthy families oil Tue Pia'
had been murdered by person unknown, who aei
carrying of about 5000 had succeeded in sheetng ms
ESCAPE The excitement spread rapidly throughout inc
State seeming 10 gain intensity from day to day, ana
the most Jealous efforts were made and the most liberal
rewards were offered for the discovery and arrest OF the
ASSASSIN Several citizens of Maiden were suspected anu
one 81 them was arrested and examined This gentleman
was one of the richest and most respected citizens OF MAI
den And vet until ms innocence was demonstrated oe-
yond doubt there not wanting persons who hrHiy
believed his guilt and fercey mathematical INN as e
criminal.
ARREST OF GREEN
For some time there clue 10 the murder In inc
examination OF this suspected czen however he
ives got point they phrased H. which led mem 10 DC
leye that the murderer the Postmaster or Maldt
Mr. Shiloh the barber, colOred man. testneu .hd' nc
saw Edward W. Green enter the bank twice that he saw
every one who entered until within eight minutes Of the
time when leaving his shop he saw crowd gatherhg a'
ihe bank and, entering IT, saw young converse ua"-
Heath and Jones the Boston detectives, Swallowed
Green Cor long time aided by Local Vigilance Com
1ttee: who against the advice of the polce ohoeTs,
eausd him to be arrested the night of Sunday Feb
1884 The detectives said that the evidence would no con
him; but the citizens, knowing DIS weak chdCtei
declared in substance that II was sufhcle Or ey oouu
force him into confession.
HIS CONFESSION.
They were right. Taking him between his knees, and
holding Green hands of his leaving the other
free for the purpose Of gestculaton one OF the bank a.
reetor rot the suspected confess the crime; as
s,ne of the spectators expressed it, l. talked II into
him." For Green replied TO questions only he MADE no
connected continuous narrative of his deed:
This discovery and confession Produced IN Massachu-
petts do not hesitate say, intense excitement
than any disastrous event of the war; or than any CRIMINAL
net since the DAYS of Prof Webster tor ASIDE nom ihe
naked of the case, the large addition of aggayaing
but untrue published respecting it. presented the act
20 the public mind of the most arocous IN the al
mails of crime.
The relatives and the counsel assigned him seemed TO
have been panic struck Not until after his trial were any
facts pleas published which showed that there we're NIT
5gating circumstances in the case.
~ LAW POINTS IN THE CASE.
Before stating very few OF these facts II should DC
Snent against Green and how, at the same time 1t aroused
On earnest and persistent opposition 70 his execution
Green was brought trial before Mr. Justice Hoar be-
gore the Supreme Judicial Court. He indicted under
sNe common law FORM which does not specify the lnge-
Iient which under the statute law constitute murder IN
che first degree. He plead equity of murder in the second
decree" and when told that such plea cond not be re-
revived be persisted in repeating it. AT the suggestion OF
she Court the counsel assigned TO the prisoner who knew
nothuc of the antecedents of the man, retired with him
md tined show him that he should plead etberno guilty
pr guilty Of murder in the first degree few minutes az
vuinent sufced the weak-ninded cuprt against
his consistent and persistent accounts OF the manner OF the
murder accede TO the suggestion and when be returned
He was then sentenced to be hanged
Now here several vital well technical points are
raised First for example, whether nasmuCb the degree
n guilt conclusion Of law the prisoner could plead the
begree Second, whether inasInuch as the statutes ex-
presy and emphacay provide that the degree OF muir
Der SHALL decided by lHry, the prisoner was com
beent 10 plead as he did Third whether inasmucb
Jury did so decide his plea not in fact Not Guilty
And therefore that d new trial should be had. Fourth,
Shether inasmuch as the indictment specified those
facts only which, under the statutes, constitute murder
IN the second degree, he could be legally executed
Some able lawyers asserted that be could plead guilty 10
hnrder u the rst degree provided that the ingredients
AZ that Grade Of crime were specified in the Indictment
hi as they wfTa 10, % sc5sd, in whatsoever respect biz
overaPPed the facts it was void; and therefore 'ast
second degree the penalty for which, IN Massachusetts Is
pot DEATH but imprisonment for life.
Bnt the most vital objection urged was the conduct OF
the Judge who argued instead of acting as pro-
tector Of the prisoner virtually aided and abetied IN H.
tncine him to throw his life away.
Gov Andrews law points have been stated in your ed.
Moral columns. He sustained in them by many OF
ihe ables lawyers of the State He was so strongly i'm
dressed with their sadity that he positively refused TO ex
eeute Green and made powerful plea, before his
Council as his term about to Close order to induce
ibem to his sentence Of death TO Imprisonment
For life. But be failed.
When Bullock came into power without notifying the
fiends Of the criminal asking exGov. Andrew to state
10 the new Council to sustain him in signing the death
~arrant With prompt aacnty they sanctioned his in
teution. Green was ordered TO prepare for DEATH
ADVERSE DECISIONS.
But in the meantime, few friends Of impartial justice
In no way related the unhappy man, had been persist
entity investigating the facts in this extraordinary and
they determined appeal the Supreme Court on certain
Uf the law points involved in the trial OF Green.
The Court could have decided in their favor without
sersing semocal opinion that they had once already
delivered but without argument beng heard before hem
The decision adverse 10 the petitioners.
Another appeal was made to Gov Bullock and Council
and with ike result
CHARACTER OF THE PRISONER.
The prolonged Investigations made Of the by pains
taking and conscientious brought facts TO light which
moved that Green was not the kind Of TO be held
sountable to the extent Of DEATH
BY various witnesses who appeared without mutual
consultation before Gov. Andrew counsel and by pre-
sened genealogical history OF the Green family (which
ees back for couple of centuries) IL established
ikat mental unsoundness in its various forms Of mad
ness diocy and imbeeity, had been hereditary and
common 10 his ancestral ne and IN some OF his col
isfera lines also. IL shown that his grandfather
hs fathers SIDE and at least two, some said three OF his
Grand uncles Of unsound mind aso two at least
Of their female children and two Of Green's own unces
Further back the history esties TO additional instances
On his mothers sde one Of his unces is under guardian
ship; his grandfather was VIGOROUSLY idoue; bis
grand uncle committed suicide in ut OF H.
sanity, and had been Of unsound mind for
many years before. IL stated as common report,
although there had not been opportunity to establish
truth of it, that there had been authenticated of
insanity both in his % S and
doubt 1t could be- IL shows that there four different
families in which there had been recent of insanity
and that all of them had poured their infected blood into
An expert psychologist described him as the tanan of
an efete race" distinguished phrenologst, who
amined Green professionally declared that his organization
indicated weakness and disease.
"Physologicslly," be wrote he is diseased dwarf
phrenoogcally he is an mbecile, morally and ineectu
ally"
And yet this gentleman before be saw Green or heard
singe opinion favorable TO him, expressed belief that
be was deliberate villain. When he him, and eX
anined him, he declared him TO be boy dwarf
the creature of circumstance. disease weakness and i'm
pulse.