Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-01-25

of his crime This confession we give below
srArEMENr OF FACTS About THE MURDER OF
MR.. PERRY RUSSELL.
I. Henry Welcome, now under sentence
of death for the murder Mr.. Perry Russell OF
Hinesburgh, on the third day of October,
1867, between the hours of eight and nine
o'clock in the evening, moved by the fear OF
God and for my own relief, and the benefit OF
others, do solemnly make the following state
ment Of facts concerning my connection WITH
that crime The principal reason why /
have not heretofore made this disclosure, IS
the connection of another person with me IN
the affair, as will be seen in what follows
Two years before the murder, Of man, a
Frenchman, whose name | do not now re
member, who was employed by Mr.. Russell
at that time, told me about a box in Mr. K 5
house, where Mr. Russell's money was kept !;
and that he intended to get the box, but that
be did not want to attempt II alone and IN
talking it over, we agreed that he should tell
me Just where the box was, and that should
get it, and We would share equally IN Its
contents
We were to wait till good chance should
come, when there would be nobody at home
but Mr. and Mrs. Russell.
That fall, he went away, and the fall after
that went away. When | was in Jail at
/
me that then was our time, as nobody worked
for Mr. R., and he and his wife were alone.
We then agreed that as soon as got out OF jail
We would undertake the job. was to meet
him as soon as | got out.
When left Montpelier l went directly
home, and from there to Nergennes, where
found him on Friday, October 2d We
took the cars on Saturday morning, October
ID, and went together to Shelburne. was
TO go to Mr.. Russells, and he was TO 60 on
to Burlington and meet me Sunday evening
at Winooski Falls bridge. | have neither
seen nor heard from him since. lett the
depot and went straight to Mr.. Fletcher s
orchard at Shelburnc Falls, and there found
John Condor gathering apples. | went from
the orchard across lots, and came out part
way between Fletcher's orchard and But
tolph's Corners. | kept the road straight 70
| Buttolph's Corners, and there turned TO the
right and kept the road south till | came
within fifty rods of Douglass Corner, and
then went across lots into the road again
and kept then straight to the Benson place
passed Mrs. Sawyer and Miss steele, who
were talking together at the gate went
across lots from the Benson place to Elwood
Russell's meadow stopped at the pump N
the meadow and drank Mr.. Davis stood Al
the corner of his house calling his boys, who
were in the field digging potatoes while wa'
at the pump.
went back Of the ledge through the mead
ow until | came to Mr.. Perry Russell :; sa"
Mr. Perry Russell and Mr.. Mitchell digging
potatoes | did not see Mr.. Russell until he
hallOed at me ; paid no attention 10 him
kept on and went to the ledge back OF In
barn and STAYED there till dark came dowr
from the ledge and went 20 the horse barn
and got the harness and whips and found
Il, he c a
north end of the horse barn. BY this time
Mr. and Mrs. Russell had gone to bed
went to the kitchen door and raped Mr.
r asked who was there. | said nothing
raped again. and he asked again = Who:
there ?" and | said 10 Bushee tie asks-
what | wanted | told him | wanted to come
in He opened the door and struck him witt
the hinge. lie put up his hand and sane
- dear = when | struck him again aut
knocked him 10 the floor. | struck him twt
or three times after be fell saw Mrs. Rus
sell leave the room and 20 out of the soutt
door. | then went into the bedroom anC
cot the box at the foot of his bed in ltd,
i cupboard | took the box and ran from the
, house across lots northwest, about thre
quarters OF a mile. and broke open the box
and u nv grea1 establishment found nothing
in the box but old papers | then wen
straight to Douglass Corners. and there wa
! a team in front Of me in the road. KEEP
, the road until | came u Harry Russell
place. | then went into ME big barn an,
slept on the havmOw until morning stan
T around the premises tail nearly @ clock 7
NJ then Went into the road straight u Col
lege Hill. and proceeded te Winooski Falls
aud met a young man az the bridge an
, asked him which was the nearest way g F.
sex Junction He told me t. follow tn
railroad track, and | did 50. | went to Nh
Whites NJ Essex Junction and stand owe
night took the train Monday morning TO
Montpelier and went aS far Waterbury
> where | was arrested.
have made this statement ofmY own FIRE
will. and | solemnly attest to the truth
all that | have said ~ In the paeseuce Of n
= God. n WtLCuNE.
E Vt State Prison, Oct II, $50.
! Signed as above, in my presence, BY Henri
4 Welcome, tins lth Oct, $50.
FRaNkLGN BUTLER.
e Chaplain Vt. State Prison.
, We CLEAN from the Fee Press few ten
. relative to the last hours of the prisoner
e The prisoner slept soundly this mornin
D from three O'cloek u i've o clock, but for th
{ balance of the night seemed restless. II
was visited previous to eleven o clock by NJ
T. merous officials and citizens, with whom h
Y conyersed freely. lie expressed himself 4
il truly penitent for the appalling crime while
he had committed, but said he had made b
# peace with God and was prepared 10 met
c the future Judgment. His appearance va
: cheerful for n moment and then deeply en-,
:. tioual At eleven MIR. Butler, the chaplain
: was lett alone with him for the most pa
If until he was marched TO the scafold. II
II caffold was erected carly this morning IN Il
;, accustomed place within the prison wall
e and was the same one that was used at Il
/ last three executions, Barney, kavanaug
/: and Ward.
: At 1880 the prisoner came from his Gel
IF and supported by his executioner, Sheri
Il Simson OF Windsor county, ami his deputy
and accompanied by Mr. Butler, Sheriff Dire
" and Mr.. Pollard, the keeper, he walked
the gallows. When he reached the scafIol
a scriptural selection was read and pray,
i offered by Mr. Butler. Then the death wa
: rant was read by Sheriff Simson, and wht
r. asked ii he had anything to say, WELDON
!. spoke with much ALTERING and bitter al
: guish, substantially as follows:
3" " IL is hard for me to speak, but want
-e saw few words. This scene which is no
ID to be witnessed hope will carry its TIT
70 moral lesson to all who witness it. | tru
that none here Will be led to pursue the u
fortunate course which | have done.
would warn all Boys anu young men again
disobeying their parents, which was the fir
step in my sad career. Low associates al
drinking followed, each bringing to bear the
, baneful influences. Ii is easier TO resist Il
first temptation than any that come afte
ie wards / have confessed my crime 10 tt
N world and believe that Ged has mercIiul
II forgiven me. | can say no more.
10 Welcome then took his position on Il
drop and the rope was adjusted about h
L neck and his limbs tied. Then taking adie
1t of those on the platform, he closed his eye
1t and inclning his face upward he offered u
- ono IF the most agOniZing prayers whlC