St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1867-06-21
Reported for the Caledonisn.
The Murder Trial.

Reported ioi t'tleuOuiau
The Murder Trial.
The trial of Albert jenkins and John
Cunningham for the murder of Reuben
Bean. Jr, in Burke. on quiet Sunday in
July last. was completed last Saturday,
the jury returning verdict against both
OF manslaughter. The details of this trial
cannot of course be given in local paper
the columns of which must contain the
general news of this state and the great
world. Since, however. the public are so
anxious to catch every word relating to
the case, it is reasonable to give the people
short history of the examination at this
term of the court. The trial began on
"Wednesday morning. and closed Saturday
night.
This, think, is the first case of the
kind tried in the county since the removal
of the county buildings. The Circumstance
es are truly painful, and it would be all
act Of injustice to make any illusions
which would be contrary to the truth.
jenkins. on the Sunday on which the hon.
icide was committed, carried his sister-a
young lsdy-to East Burke, for the Dur
pose of aifording her an opportunity to
wait upon the LOld in his sanctuary. He
then took his team, and in company with
John Cunningham and Charles Aldrich.
went to the house of one Roberts. then
living about two and half miles north of
East Burke. This house was not deemed
a very respectable one. and the mistress
was regarded by the neighbors as being
anything but a virtuous woman; and it
has been rumored that her acquaintance
with Pierce-the companion Of Bean
was of a rather too intimate nature during
the absence of her husband in the army.
Let that pass. however.
Al Roberts the respondents drank once
OF twice, and then returned to the village.
Between five and six in the evening-tor
some purpose which mode-ty forbade wit.
neSses from Stating-they took another
horse belonging to the stage company,
and returned to this den OF corruption.
and the scene where two brave men I'M
paired a noble record and laid up many a
grleyOuS recollection. Here they sat
drinking in the north room of the shanty
Wien Reuben Bean and Roswell Pierce
drove up. and entering the room where
Jenkins snd Cunningham were. passed in
20 the south part OF the house. The bottle
from which they had been drinking be-
coming empty. Roberts called upon his
wife t. bring another from the buttcry,
saying there was one which was full there.
She cot the bottle from the panty which
led into the south room, when Pierce-a
Snnggler and rascal. as all say. and
every way worthy of states prison-said
he would rather give s. than to let them
have any more liquor. Jenkins stepped
10 the door and requested that the bottle
be handed him. Some dispute passed,
and Pierce struck at jenkins with a chair
whether hitting him or not does not ap,
pear. Ore witness testified that Pierce
struck Jenkins with his cane. but on the
remCnstran e of the woman CD he dcsist-
ed. Then a trial of whisker and hair pull
ing followed. but the parties made up and
off ch.l-i hon
ham Went south to the house OF Eli Boy
den. eighty-tive rods below. They pu
their horse in Mr.. Boyden's barn. by hi.
permss ion. and then went back to th'
Hole" where murderOus tempers wer,
made. Here a second row began. auC
either jenkins put Bean and Pierce out o
the house or they did him. 1t seems tina
Pierce grasped an iron whiflletree and CAV,
jenkins a rap over his head, making
wound three or four inches above the ear
the scar of which was visible in court
Blood flowed freely from the wound ant
trickled down his face. completely be
smearing his coat. vest and shirt bosom.
The prisoners then returned to Mr.
Boyden'S, and Jenkins washed and wipe
him with the towels the good lady fur
nished. About this time Bean and Pierc
came driving up the road at rather rap
id rate. Here the testimony varies. Mrs
: Boyden afiirms that jenkins and Cunning
ham went into the road and swung thei
hands and hallOoed. thus frightening til
: horse and turning him up into BOyden'
door yard. Here deadly conflict ensueC
: \ cane, whip and pieces of boards wer
: freely used. Bean was dragged from til
, wagon upon the chips, and there badl
, pounded. Pierce, having lost his cane
: ran for the swamp, from which he did NJ
, return till late in the evening. The prt
= oners. without doubt in their drunken fl
> ~. beat and bruised Bean to an excessiy
degree-reflSing to allow him quarter a
ter he said he was down and would - civ
, up" To such degree did their infur
ated madness manifest itself that the
would thrust Bean roughly and cruell
upon the ground whenever he attempte
to rise. They tore of his clothes so tn;
when the tracas ended he was nearly nj
ked to the waist. Mr.. White and his sol
neighbors Of Boyden. hearing the outcrie
;, came up and told Jenkins and Cunnin.
ham that they had done enough and mu
!, cease beating the man. The prisoner
with the assistance of Whites son, hitcht
up their team and returned TO East Burk
;, where they were arrested in the night |
officer Streeter.
Bean started up the road on foot, Viii
at this time knowing nothing about Bean
having a team. Bean turned and can
, down through 4 swamp, climbing a fenc
=, aud having turned his team, started +
n East Haven. He stopped at the house
=, Mr.. John Streeter, who, thinking hi
hi drunk, refused to allow him to tarry ev
III bis barn. From Streeter's he drove
dudson's hotel in East Haven. where
died about one O'clock next morning.
of Every possible thing was done for t
r. accused by their able counsel Rartl