Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-11-09
Vermont Legislature.

In the House, Oct. 27th, the after
noon OF the day was spent in special
order, House bill Two, to commute
the sentence of Horace R. Plumley
to Imprisonment for life, was taken
up as the special order for this time
the question being on the third read
ing of the bill.
A statement of the facts in the case
were called for by Mr. WheeIock of
Berlin.
Mr.. Frisbee, for the committee,
made a statement of the facts as they
appeared before the committee; that
for long time a feud had existed be-
tween the Plumleys and Balches, two
families living in the town of Shrews-
bury; that in the summer of 1868 the
difficulty was renewed by a dispute
about damages caused by unruly cat
tie AID horses belonging to Mr.. Balch,
and that in an attempt to settle the
question of damages, both parties be-
ing armed with pistols, this Horace
R. Plumley shot John Gilman. Jr. ;
that the whole affair seems to have
grown out of the old warfare between
the two families.
Mr.. Wood of Fairhaven, who was
the prosecuting officer, made an ex-
tended statement of the facts IN the
case as they appeared on the trial,
giving the substance Of the entire tes-
timony, which was published at the
time. He favored the bill.
Mr.. Severance Of Glover inquired
the age of Mr.. Horace R. Plumley; to
which Mr.. Wood replied that he was
forty-two years old; that he had al
ways lived near to his father and con-
stantly under his influence, and that
the deed was done by direct com
mand of his father.
Mr.. Wheelock of Berlin inquired
if Mr.. Plumley was tried by fair and
impartial jury Of his peers; to which
Mr. Wood replied that he was, but
that the verdict was compromise
verdict, wholly unreconcilable with
the testimony.
Mr.. Wheelock further inquired il
the prisoner had able and sufficient
COUNSEL to which Mr.. Wood replied
that he had the best counsel in the
State-Col. Joyce of Rutland, and
Mr.. Roberts of Burlington.
Mr.. Wheelock also asked if any
new facts had come to light; to which
Mr.. Wood replied that there had not
Mr.. Wheelock also inquired if prin
ted petitions had not been sent thro'
out Rutland County to obtain sigma
lures requesting the Legislature tC
commute the sentence; to which Mr.
Frisbee replied that there were, ano
that they obtained the signatures o
about eleven hundred citizens of Rut
, land county, which had been present
ed before the House.
Mr.. Wheelock thought the Legisla
ture were the law-making power, an(
that we better leave the execution o
the laws in the hands of the courts
and not attempt to thwart the execu
tion Of the laws by altering or com
muting the sentence of the courts.
Mr.. Jones of Benson said that h
wished to corroborate the statemen
: of the gentleman from Fairhaven, tina
a large majority of the people of tn
county of Rutland are in favor of tn
Communication of the sentence in thi
2 case.
Mr.. Garfield of Arlington said h
} lived in section of the State wher
: there was no particular excitement o.
this subject. 1t seems that the mai
r reason for committing this sentenc
9 is that one man is sentenced to b
q hung, and two others are imprisone
2 for life, when they are really NOR
n guilty than the one who is sentence
6 to be hung. e. thought that W
!. should have some new light on th