Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1869-04-09
The Shrewsbury Murder Gases.
SENTENCE OF THE PRIsoNERs-PAINFuI
SCENE IN COURT.

sCENE IN COURT.
Horace r, Plumley was brought into
court ON Tuesday and sentenced to be
hung, and Ziba Plumley was sentenced
to prison for life, and Frederick Plum
ley to twenty years imprisonment. The
scene in court was most painful, and we
copy from the report in the Rutland
Herald:
The clerk called upon Horace r. Plum
ley to stand up, and said to him:
/ Horace r. Plumley, have You any,
thing to say why the sentence of the law
should not now be pronounced against
your"
The prisoner arose, and with much
emotion answered:
al have little to say. have been
wrongfully convicted i think it hard
for me to be taken away from my fami.
ly. and lay down my life for my enc
mics"
In answer to the same inquiry, ziba
Plumley said
nave few words to say TO the
court and spectators. / shall be SO years
old day after tomorrow. have lived
In Shrewsbury fifty-four years, and have
raised large family. / have ALWAYS
known John Gilman, Jr., ever since he
was born. We never had any trouble
with each other before the LIST day of
August last. He never laid straw in
my way, nor I in his. have but few
days at most to travel in Vermont, even
if | were set at liberty. have been per-
secuted for the last fifteen years by my
enemies, and the authoritieso of Shrewsbury
have turned a deaf ear to my complaints.
l have been cripple for the last three
years by the rough hand of Isaac III.
Balch. And now L am overtaken by my
enemies. hope my downfall will be
the means Of my enemies salvation. IL
hope the court will have mercy on me,
and my son Frederick"
In answer to similar inquiry by the
clerk, Frederick 2. Plumley said, in sub
stance
" | hope the court will have mercy on
me, and | should like to have a minister
come in and see me before leave, and
have prayers
Horace R. Plumley then received the
Of the court, as follows, Judge
Steele reading the same from a written
memorandum
Horace R. Plumley, you, having been
duly tried by an impartial jury, and con-
victed of the awful crime of murder, it
has now become the duty of the court to
pronounce the sentence of the law upon
you, which sentence is,
That on the 29th day of September, in
the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and seventy, between the hours
Of ten o'clock in the forenoon and two
o'clock in the afternoon, You be taken
from your place of confinement, to the
place Of execution, and there be hung bv
the neck until you be dead, pursuant to
warrant to be issued as provided by law,
and that you be imprisoned in solitary
confinement, i'll the State Prison, at Wind
sor, in the County Of Windsor, until such
shall be inflicted.
As the Judge was pronouncing the
sentence, and the room was hushed and
still, not even breath being heard,
when he reached the part where he said,
and there be hung by the neck until
you be dead, the wife, mother and sis
.er and other female relatives of Hor-
ice IN court, uttered long, loud wall of
distress, so strong and continued that the
voice of the Judge was drowned by its
power. The remainder of the sentence
vas read amidst the moaning Of women
md the sobbing Of children. The scene
vas one to affect the strongest hearts,
md scarcely an eye but was filed with
ears of sympathy for the families of the
condemned men.
The Herald of Wednesday morning
n commenting upon this scene says:
The scene in the court yesterday was
sad one, an aged wife and mother lis
ening to the sentence of the law, DOOM
ng son to execution, and husband
nd another son to virtual separation
rom her for life-a young wife, hearing
ne awful sentence of her companion to
e hanged until dead, and daughter
nd sister hearing the judgement which
eparated her from father and brothers,
lmost in one short moment-mourning
almost to young to comprehend
lie tenor of the passing scene, which
a father to the ignominy of
lie gallows. Such scene has rarely, if
yer, been witnessed, and God forbid that
may ever be witnessed again, in our
- Last year the Fairbanks Scale Com
any at St. Johnbury, manufactured 3d.
80 scales, furnishing railroad freight of
BOO tons. The Company's pay roll du-
ng the year averaged $4,000 per
onth.
- The tannery of c. w. Warren, in
artland, was burned Saturday night. |