The New York herald., 1869-03-13
THE GALLONS.

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Execution Of Negro Murderer In Maine
Particulars or his Crime The Trial and
Convlction-Statement Of the Prlsoncr-dis
Behavior in Prison-A ConfcssiOn-The Exc
cuiion. 900
To-day Clifton Harris. the negro convicted In July
last OF the murder OF Mrs. Kinsey and Polly Cas-
well, at Auburn, Androscoggin county, was exc
cuted at this place.
THE LOCATION OF THE CRrME.
Auburn, in Androscoggin county, Maine, Just
across the river from the large manufacturing city
OF lewiston Is one OF those nea'. thrifty towns SO
often to be met with by the traveller in New Eng
land 1t Is largely engaged In the manufacture of
boots aud shoes, not as IN some cases. by the estab
lishmeiN OF large organized factories but by Dealers
who parcel out the work among partly rural popu-
latlon, who employ upon 1t their spare hours. These
New england communities OF which the one de-
scrbed may be taken as type, where industry, love
OF gain and mechanical skill are associated, some
times surprise the world by becoming theatres OF the
most horrible and starting crimes, like the Coolidge
tragedy In Watervllle, the Jersey murder In Hing
ham, or the recent taking or OF the old man George
In Penobscot county-showing that the moral atmos-
phere of these populations is. after ALL not much
better than that Of the hotbeds Of vice." as large
cities are called
The crime OF which we here give sketch, and the
expiatlon Of which took place yesterday IN the
PRISON yard ut Thomaston, was one brimfui OF hor-
rors combn ing murder, rape, robbery and perjury.
Among the persons gaining their subsistence by
labor ut shoemaklng were TWO women-Susannah
Kinsley, widow, aged sixty-f0ur and Polly Caswell
spnster, aged slxty-seven. Living In an humble
home remote frop the village, they labored hard at
blndIng shoes for . tirm In Auburn In that indus.
try Mrs. Kinsley had not only made living, but had
accumulated little property, winch, invested IN
bonds. was kept IN the house. Quiet orderly. indus
trlOus and respected, they had not apparently, an
enemy nor an III wlsher IN all the wide world.
TIE GREAT STORM.
Thursday, January II, 1867, will be long reMem-
bcred as the date OF or the most terrific storms
that ever visited the State Of Maine All day and all
night the snow was driven IN Dlndng sheets across
7he boldest and hardest did not care to face the
WHO elements, but kept within doors. The coast
wrecks The fierce storm that beat upon the hum
bic kinsley house and piled the drifts high towards
ITS caves was weaving shroud about its dead in
mates. The early passers along the highway, break
Ing the road, saw no sign OF life. Nor all that winter
Gay was there any door opened or face at the win
day the gloom aud stiffness OF the tomb reigned
about the premises. seen and marked OF all
THE MURDER DISCOVERED.
At length neighb0r, towards nIghtfall. tmpelled
by curiosity, Went to the door and Knocked. There
was no answer. A little a2prchensve, he proceeded
to the house Of Mr.. Keith, Gcother OF Mrs kinsey,
and stated his fears. Together they went to ths
house. Looking IN at the window OF kitchen tley
remarked the cherries and cnnling aspect Of the
room, the floor covered with patches OF snow that
the gale had driven 10 at the crevices of the doors
and window. They entered and in the winter twl-
lignt CROPPED from room to room. AT length they
encountered, lying on the noor, something white.
that, dimly seen, bore the outlines of human form
thing that Its gastneS5 tney feared to look upon
and dare not touch The horror Of murder possessed
aud paralyzed them. Hastily leaving the house they
alarmed the ncignDors and procured lights.
APPEARANCE OF THE BODIES.
The form tnat tney had seen proved to be the body
OF Polly Caswell, lying III pOol vi blood, and frozen
stin and nard. Her Skull was driven ia ~ the Lop,
as BY y blow from club. she lay across the door
sill, partly III ner room aud partly In an entry In
her 6ed In another room, lay The dead body of Mrs.
kins.ey. most horribly mutllated. Her hands and
lace were covered with blood. 1nere were stabs on
her face, on her hands, on her body, and horrible
gashes on her legs. The bed Was saturated with
blood, into winch the body was lrozen And most
revolving and lnhuInan OF all, the lower pOrC0n
the body thighs bore the distinct marks OF bloody
hands, Such the sight that mel The horrlel gaze
OF the brother OF the outraged and murdered wo-
man. The money and bonus or MIS-. klnSey were
not disturbed showing tnat the motive or the MUIR
derer was not money. or else that ne had not In
formed himself OF The place where 1t Was Kept.
EXCITEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY.
or course the commission OF crime so atrOClOus
aroused the utmost horror and Indignation. Conjec-
ture exhausted itself IN tine endeayor 70 nnd
grounds OF suspicion against soule one az the per-
pctrator OF the crime. poor wandering vagrant
was vagrant, but ne so0a proved an abb ana was
discharged. Next, an imbecile french Canadian
crime and IMPRISONED; but he, ZOO, was proved to
have been In another locality at the dase OF the
crime.
TEE MURDERER DETECTED
At length q clue Was found wnlch pointed to q
negro named Clifton H-rrls the p9rpetrator OF
the crime. Harris was aoout twenty years vld, one
OF those black walls brought pacS Oy tue ren1x or
the army surge that rolled over the south. lie
had found pace as servant IN mousse
hold, and was known as o prOwler by nignt
about the neighbornood, associated with q gang OF
low whites. he was also noted tor his libldmous
known 10 cllmD into the rooms vi females and there
conceal himself but he had not been suspected Of
darker crime.
HE CosPEssEs AND IMPLIcArEs WHITE MAN.
Alter being imprisoned the negro confessed his
guilt to the detective anu County Attorney, and i.
piicated white man named Nerrii US mis- accom-.
plice Verrll is shoemaker, bachelor OF about
orty years. thin laced, meek.i00Alng man. In poor
health, and, physically, the very reverse oi the per-
sou likely to COMMIT the crime. Tne only ground OF
suspicion against Verr, aside from the hegro's con-
lesslon. was the fact tnat he had some
THE TAIAL AND CONVICTION OF BOTH.
The trial took place at Auburn, In July following,
Judge Walton presiding. harris, alter uaessIng
the crime IN open court, was used as witness
against verril. lie detailed croumslanialiY the
murders, stating that they met by agreement In the
road at midnignt went together TO the mouse and
forced an entrance by tae back door, The negro
stated that ne Killed Miss Caswel by striking her on
the head win cnair as she came from her room,
separate apartment rom tnat occupied by Mrs.
kinsey. he sad that verril kilied Mrs. Kinsey by
staDnng her with snoe knife, US wen as co.nnitted
luiiSCSs
defence ior Verrli was solely attcnpt prove an
aOi, whcn was successful only 50 lar a. 10 show
tnat he went TO ms boarding nouse aud 70 bed ut
early hour. Tue theory 0l the government was tnat
he arose when all was still ald went to the rondez-
vous. Tne jury found them both gNlty OF muruor.
Verrll's counsel died exceptions aud motion Tor q
new trial, winch were oyerrued by the iull bench OF
the Supreme Court.
HAEkls RACANrs HIS CONFESSION As TO vERRrL.
Meantime the negro had been sentenced TO death
and conveyed 10 tile stale Prison 10 await the war
rant Tor execution Tnls The laws Of Maine require
saal DC Issued at the end vi ole years lmprisUn.
ment, If the Governor snail so determine Ii no
warrant IS Issued The convict remains la the prison
during life. soon alter ais ConliGtai TO prison tne
negro confessed 70 the Warden add others tnat lie
had falsely accused Nerrii AMI tnat he Was, fact
innocent OF any part IN the crime or knowledge
or II.
vERRfL Is DISCHARGED.
Armed with this confession the counsel for verrIl
moved for new trlal, on the ground of newly dis
covered evidence In resisting ne claim tue Attorney
General DECLARED that should be granted
he would enter q hote D,UstQnt ana abandon the
case Alter iuI hearing Judge Dlckerson delivered
an eabosaIe and learned opinion upon the points
raised, Which ~ incorporated INTO the Maine Reports