Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1873-12-01


Aud chuckling at the ease with which lie had
taken him III for thousand dollars, he turned
To his labor. ID. Il. LOCKE.
UNE OF THE Most REMARKABLE CASES
ON RECORD. Mr.. Leonard Sergeant, Of
Manchester, VT, formerly active in politics,
anGonce Lieutenant Governor Of that State,
has published phamphet containing mar
rative of and the evidence in famous muir.
der case which occurred early in the present
century. Mr.. Sargent was one Of the coun-
sci for the defence, and his account Of the
incidents, which covered a period Of eight
years, is very interesting. The pamphlet is
printed for the purpose of giving to lawyers
the points in a case which has often been
quoted; but additional Importance is attach
ed to il from the prominent part taken by
the newspapers, even at that early day, in
public affairs.
In 1872 there lived in Manchester man
named Barney Boorn, who had two sons
Stephen and Jesse, and SON. in law named
Russell Colvin, all living with him. Colvin
was an eccentric man, supposed to be insane
at times, and frequently absented himself for
days without notice aud without giving any
account Of his adventures. At last he was
missing so long that people began to make
aroused. Months and years passed, and yet
there was no explanation ofColvin' s absence.
Some of the neighbors remembered that the
Boorn brothers, very shortly after his disap
pearance, had declared that Colvin was dead
and that they had put him where potatoes
would not freeze. They had not been on
goods terms with him, and this added to the
prejudice against them.
Singularly enough, other circumstances be-
gan to accumulate against the brothers. =
Some children found diapidated hat, which
was recognized as the one Colvin wore at the
time of his disappearance, Search was then
made for the bones of the supposed murder.
ed man. Soon afterwards dog uncovered
some bones beneath an old stump, which at
first were pronounced to be human bones,
and subsequently were found not to be. An
uncle of the boys had dream in which Col
vim came to his bed side and told him he
had been murdered. A barn in the neigh
borhood was mysteriously burned, and it wds
at once conjectured that the murdered man
had been buried under it, and that the fire
was intended to destroy all traces Of the
crime. All these circumstances added to the
excitement against the Boorns. Stephen was
then out of the State, but jesse was arres
ted. He confessed that his brother Stephen
had told him short time previous that he
and Colvin had quarrelled, and that he had
killed Colvin by blow on the head The
people Of the neighborhood, for many miles
around spent the next few days in another
search for Colvin's bones, but none were
found.
Stephen Boorn was brought home. He
denied the statement Of Jesse, and asserted
his innocence The brothers were imprison-
ed to await the meeting Of the Grand Jury.
1ha al kato D hns ko1,
forger, who had been confined in Jail with
the Boorns. He reported in detail confes-
sion of the murder by jesse Boorn and both
the boys were indicted. This was in Septem-
ber, 1919, more than seven years after the
disappearance of Colvin. la November the
trial took place Meantime Stephen was in
duced by the remarks upon the hopelessness
Of their case to confess the crime, in the ex-
pectation OF mercy from the court. This con-
fession was the chief evidence against them.
Notwithstanding that it Was drawn out by
hope Of obtaining a more favorable verdict,
and that no body had been found as proof
ofthe murder, Or even that Colvin was dead
the brothers were convicted and sentenced to
be hanged on the 2Sth OF January, 1920. =
The character Of the evidence upon which
they were convicted will attract the attention
Of lawyers at this time as showing what re-
inarkaolt cnangts nave taken place IN crlml-
nal jurisprudence. SO decisive did the testi
mony against them appear to be that the
mother of the convicts was expelled from
the Baptist Church, and the father was held
as prisoner for time upon the suspicion
that they must have been accessory to the
murder.
A few of the citizens who were disposed to
be merciful, signed a petition Of commuta
tion Of the sentence against the Boorns. The
legislature voted to change the sentence OF
jesse to imprisonment for life. but refused
to interfere with that of Stephen. 1t occur.
red to Stephen in an interview with his coun
sci that it would be good plan to advertise
for Colvin 10 the newspapers. Up to that
point his counsel bad believed him guilty, bui
he assured them that his confession was un.
true, and he was innocent The following
notice was therefore printed in the Ruthland
Herald
"MURDRR.-Printers of newspapers through.
out the United States are desireu TO publish that
Stephen Boorn, Of Manchester, Vermont, is
sentenced to be executed for the murder OF
Russell Colvin, who has been absent about
seven years. Any person who can give inioI-
nation of said CJlvin may save the life of the
innocent by making immediate communication
Colvin Is about i've feet FIVE inches high, light
complexion, light colored hair, blue Ieyes.-