Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1869-04-14
The Sentence of the Shrewsbury Murderer,.

The following description Of the scene in the
Court Room while the prisoners were hearing
their fate, We copy from the Rutland Herald Of
Wednesday
The scene in the court yesterday was q sad one,
an aged wife and mother listening to the sentence
Of the law booming a s1n ~ execution, and a
husband and smother son b virtual separation
from her for liie--a young wife, hearing the aw-
iul sentence of her companion 10 be hanged until
dead, and a daughter and sister hearing the judg-
ment which separated her from father and broth
ers, almost In one short Notwithstanding chill
drcn. almost too young 20 comprehend the tenor
of the passing scene which condemned father to
the gnominy Of the gallows. Such a scene has
rarely, IL ever been witnessed and God forbid
that it may ever, be witnessed again in our com
munie
The prisoner, Horace R. Plumley, was ordered
By tle clerk t. stand mp, when the question Was
asked him
Horace r. Plumey, have you anything to
say why she sentence Of the law should not now
be pronounced against your
The prisoner arose, and with much emotion
answered
81 have little TO say. have been wrongfullv
convicted / think it hard for me ~ be taken
away from my family and lay down my life for
my enemies
In answer 70 the same inquiry, Ziba Plumlcy
said
- have a few words to say to the court and
spectators. | shall Ia 90 years old day after To-
morrow have lived in Shrewsbury fity-four
years. and have rsi-ed = large family. | have al
ways known John Gilman, Jr., ever since he was
born. We never had any trouble with each other
before the l-t day Of August last lie never laid
a straw in my way nor | in his | have but a
few DAYS Mt most to travel in Vermont. even if
were ct at liberty, | have been prosecuted for
the last fifteen years by my enemies, and the au-
81 4
my complaints have been crippled for the last
three years by the rough hand OF Isaac ii. Balch
And now | am 0yertaken by my enemies. hope
my downfall will he the means Of my enemies
salvation hope the court will have mercy on
me and my -1n Frederick.
In answer To a similar inquiry by the clerk,
Frederick 4. Plumley said, in substance
A." / hope the court will have mercy on me, and
| should like to have minister come in and see
me before leave, and have prayers
Horace X. Plumley then received the sentence
of the court, as follows, Judge Steele reading the
same from a written memorandum
Horace h. Plumley, you, having been daily
tried by IN impartial jury, and convicted 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 20th day of September, in the year
Of our Lord one thousand eight hundred aud sew
enty between the hours Of ten clock in the fore
noon ana Two CLOCK III tnt hlltIlooui you ~
taken from your place of confinement, 10 the
place of execution, and there be hung by the neck
until you be dead pursuant TO warrant TO be
issued as provided by law, and that you be i'm
prisoned in solitary confinement, in the state
Prison, at Windsor in the County Of Windsor,
until such punishment shall be inflicted.
As the Judge was pronouncing the sentence,
and the room was hushed and still, not even a
breath being heard when he reached the part
where he said, "and there he hung by the neck
until YOU be dead, the wife, mother and sister,
and other female relatives of Horace in court, ut
tered long, loud wall of distress, so strong and
continued that the voice of the Judge was drown
ed by its power. The remainder of the sentence
was read amidst the moaning of women and the
sobbing Of children The scene was one TO affect
the strongest hearts, and scarcely an eye but was
filled with tears Of sympathy for the families Of
the condemned man.
Ziba Plumley was then sentenced 10 hard labor
in the States Prison during his natural life, and
Frederick H. Plumley for the term of twenty
years In fixing the sentence of Frederick, the
judge remarked that they had Disseminated in
his favor for the sole reason that he was weak in
intellect