Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-03-16
ALTERATIONS.

the estate of Col. Jesse Cove Some years
later the roof was raised, new belfry
put up, and the building generally al
tered and repaired, and it remained With
out further alteration until its destruc-
ton by fire on the morning Of April Cd,
1868.
THE FIRE OF 1868.
! The fire which destroyed the Court
House, on the morning of the I'd day of
! April 1868, was the third in number, but
the most important in the value of the
property destroyed that ever occurred on
the East side of Main street The only
other conhagrations that had destroyed
more than an ordinary amount of proper
! ty on that side of the street being those
known as the creed Tavern Fire" in July
1S45, and that between the Rathbone and
! Burdick houses in July 1916.
MURDER TRIALS.
Ia the second, and, perhaps it may also
| be properly called the third Court House,
there were at least sir trials for murder
/ The first of which, and the one that
caused the most public excitement, was
that of James Anthony for the murder of
Joseph Green, in 1914. Anthony was
convicted, sentenced to be executed, the
day appointed. but On the day appointed
for his execution the officers entering his
cell to prepare him found that he had
committed suicide by hanging himself.
The second case was that of--Palmer
of Dandy, in or about 1928, in relation to
which we have no particulars.
The third took place at the February
term of the Supreme Court, 1924, arising
from quarrel between Daniel Palmer
and Ephraim Briggs about a glass of sling |
at Jerks Tavern" in Dandy, in which
Briggs was killed At the trial Palmer was
found guilty of mauslaughter and was
sentenced to States Prison for life, but |
was subsequently pardoned.
The fourth was that of Henry Damon,
for the murder of his wife in Rutland |
He was convicted at the September Term
Of the Court, 1889. and sentenced to be /
hung. His sentence was subsequently,.
by the Legislature, committed to impris-
onment for life in States Prison.
The fifth was that of Orson Cone ia
blind man) and Cephas Wilcox, for the
murder of Martin Beebe, at Wells, in
August 1841. The result of the trial was
that the blind man Cone was found
guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to
imprisonment in the State prison for fif-
teen years.
The sixth and last trial was that of
Matthew Halloran, of Castleton, for the
murder of Michael Ryan, tried at the
September term 1854. He was found
guilty, sentenced to be hung, sentence
committed to State prison for life. and
subsequently, pardoned.
PUBLIC HALL.
Until with a very short time before the
burning of the old Court House, that
building was the principal, if not the only
public hall in town. 1t is, of course USE
less to enlarge upon the u ses of public
hall in town of the prominence of Rut-
land The history of the public meetings
in Rutland County, and, in measure in
Vermont, Is history of the old Court
House. Here were held in addition to
the courts, all oauouses,political meetings,
young men associations, fire meetings,
public meetings of all sorts, missionary
meetings, religious worship, ETC.. etc.
TEMPORARY COURT ROOMS
The County Court was in session at the
time of the burning of the Court House,
bat there was no interruption in the
transaction of business, as the papers and
records were preserved, and the Court
opened the next morning at the Town
Hall, and business proceeded as usual.
Since that time and the burning of the
Town Hall, the sessions of the County
and Supreme Court have been held either
in the United States Court House or in
the Rooms of the Young Mems Christian
Association
CAUSES CELEBREs.
During this interim, some of the most
important criminal causes in the annals
Of criminal Jurisprudence of Vermont
have been disposed of, among: which may
be mentioned the trial of the three Plum
legs of Shrewsbury, for murder, o. B.
Clarke, for forgery, aud the Rutland in
oendisries.
~r a NEW CoURTs HOUSE. II
~ a xha IF he 81
Court House the question. of building q
new one began to be agit ated. There WAS
unanimity that building
should be erected cenve nient for business,
worthy of the wealth nd standing of the
County, and that it should be, at the
same time an orname 1T TO the village Of
Rutland.
THE LIZ lCATIoE
however was matt or of considerable diff
ference of opinion, ,orne favoring rebuild
ing on the old site, and some one site and
some another, each being able to advance
some sound argul nents IN favor Of their
views,
The Legisla ture, at its annual session
in 1868, appointed commissioners to su-
perintend tie building Of q Court House
in the town of Rutland, empowered them
to select . nd purchase site and provided
for the Rising of county tax to defray
the exp snses.
THE SITE.
Tho, Commissioners examined the places
Viii oh had been considered by the public
an a finally decided to purchase and did