Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-02-21

SOME SINGULAR CIRCUMSTANCES.
On the sixth of November, just before the
Boston fire. that city was Mortified by the
discovery Of two barrels floating in Charles
river, and containing the various fragments
/ Of the quartered body of one Abiiah Ellis.
The remains were partly hidden in manure,
with which the barrels We're nearly filled
For day or two the remains lay unrecog
nized, but at length they were identified as
those of Mr.. Ellis. Then began the search
for the murderer. 1t was found that one
Leavitt Alley owed two hundred and fifty
dollars for rent to Ellis, and that the last
time the murdered man was seen he was in
search of Alley to renew demand for it.
Alley had stable and kept a horse lie was
in the habit of taking shavings bv the barrel
iul from billiard mandatory ofone Schou-
Ter. In the rubbish found with the dead
body were shavings and piece of paper
marked Schouler, which that person identi-
fed as a part Of letter once received by
himself and thrown among the shavings
Much of the contents of the barrels was
manure, and 1t was seen that a manure heap
IN Alleys barn had just been taken away.
Near the barn were some blood stains, and
his shirt had been similarly stained. More
over, Ellis having disappeared Tuesday, it
was shown that Alley drove away from his
barn Wednesday morning with four barrels
in his wagon, only two of which were ac-
counted for, and subsequently he identified
one of the found barrels as his own. This
chain ofcircumstancesl led to an almost unani-
nous belief that Alley was guilty
The prosecution undertook to connect
these facts IN such way as to leave no rea-
sonable doubt of the prisoners guilt. 1t
was admitted that no one saw the deed. but
doctor declared the blood to be human,
another testified that the man must
have died between six and nine O'Clock
Tuesday night, as shown by his stomach.
This was the time Ellis was looking for
him. Before that day Alley had no ready
money, after 1t he had plenty. The de-
fence, however, proved Alleys general good |
character, showed that his son paid him one |
hundred dollars and more that day, ac-
counted for every hour of his time, admit
ted his being at the stable at certain time,
and declared that blood from his horse |
stained his shirt and the boards there. |
Another doctor swore emphatically that |
horse blood could not be distinguished from
human blood after each had become dry,
and there the defence rested Neither the
accused nor his son or wife was put upon
the stand by Alleys counsel. The case
went to the jury, and they returned YER
diet Of :" Not guilty. last Thursday. MANY
people in Boston refuse to consider the ac-
quilted man innocent, but he is so now in
the eyes of the law.
1t is very peculiar affair. Like many
trials, it involves the conflict of so-called
scientific authorities, and raises the old
question of who shall decide when doctors
disagree: The entire frame work of the
prosecution was the combination of circum-
stances, and the jury kindly and naturally
too, entertained reasonable doubt"
The Hartford Cowant, commenting on these
I1acts, says: " Boston is just now earning
lame OF not too pleasing sort. The Lane
murder ante-dated the Ellis mystery by only
one day, and the fire was q blow to the
whole country's prosperity, the smallpox J