Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-10-23

another search tor Colvin's bones, but
none were found. j., ..-.,...,,,...... =.
Stephen Boom VAS brought home.
He denied the statement of Jesse, and
asserted his innocence. 1he brothers
were imprisoned to await the meeting
of the Grand Jury. The principal VII
ness before that body Wa1 . torger.
Who had been confined in jail with tho
Boorns. He reported Il detail = cor.
fession Of tho murder by Jesse Boom,
and both the boys were indicted. This
was IN September, 1919. more than
seven years after the disappearance Of
Colvin. In November the trial took
place. Heen~hile Stephen was induc-
"a BY the remarks npon the hopeless
aess Of their case 70 confess the crime,
IN the expectation Of mercy from the
court. This confession Was the chief
evidence against them Notwithstand-
ingthat It vas drawnout by hope of
obtaining : more favorable verdict, and
that no body had been found as proof
of the murder, or even that Colvin WAS
dead, the brothers. were convicted and
sentenced to be hanged on the 28th of
Januayy, 1890. The character of the
evidence upon which they were con-
victed: will attract the attention, Of law
yerS at this time as showing what re-
markable changes have taken place in
criminal jurisprudsnoe. So decisive
did the testimony against them appear
to be that the mother. Of the oonXicts
was expelled from Ehe Baptist church,
and the father was held as . prisoner
for q time, upon the suspieiod that
they must have been acceesoEy TO the
murder. " ~ - - '-'..!'.
8 .A few of the citizens who were dis
posed TO- .bes merciful, signed = paper
for the communication Of the sentence
9eainSt the Boorns. Tho Legislature
voted to change tho septenoe of Jesse
to imprisonment for. life, but refused
to interfere With that Of Stephen. Il
occurred to. Stephen, in IN interview
with, his oounselr that it would be- Q
good plan to advertise for Colvin in the
newspapers: Up 70 that point his
counsel had believed him guilty; but
he assured them that his confession
was untrue and that he was innocent.
The following notice was therefore
printed in the Rutland Herald:
MuRDER.-Pnnters OF newspapers through.
out the. Uniied States are desired 10 publish
that Stephen Boofp. ol Manchester, In Vef-
mont, is sentenced to be executed Tor the muir.
der OF Russell Colvin, who has been absent
aSS ;asc9mss;on 81 % said Gown nay ave sSs & i;fs
OF tho iunOoent by making immediate co0QsS:
nicati0n. C0lviu 10 about 0ve teot nve inches
high, Ii hit complexion, light oolored hair,
blue eyee, about forty yesrs OF age.
Nnv 3E 1910
Newspapers travelled slowly then. and
Stephen's friends had but little hops
ttat this weuld sopo. him, even If his
story was true. Three days afterwards,
says Mr.. Sargeant's phamphlet, the
New York Evening Post copied il and
j." the next dayit happened that the
notice was read aloud in one of the
hotels in New York. Another man
standing near, named Whepley, ssid
he had formerly lived in Manchester,
| and was we'll acquainted with Colvin,
and related many anecdotes and pecu-
liarities concerning him. Mr.. Tabor
Chadwick, of Shrewsbury, n. j., wa
also standing near and listened to
the conversation, which made 4
deep impression upon his mind. On
thinking the matter over after his re.
turn home it occurred TO him that .
man then living with his brother-in
law, MI. William Polhemua, of Dover,
New Jersey, answered exactly the de.
scr;ption OF Colvi;n - given BY Whep
Icy. Finally he wrote . letter TO th<
Evening Post, giving his conclusions
Whepley saw It, went to Dover, ldenti
fed Colviu, and, after great effort,
induced him TO visit Manchester. Their
was great rejoicing in tho town, a1i
Stephen Boom WAS brought from th<
prison to fire the cannon that oele
brated his deliveKanco. "' =
The author truly renarke that thi'
case is without . parallel. To tn
newspaper alone Was due the discover,
of the unconscious cause Of the tria
and conviction Of his brothers in-law
and the prevention Of IN unjust execu
ltion.. It needs NO extraordinary visio1
to sec how difficult It would be 10
such . case 20 long TO remain . mys
terry in these days, when everybody j
= daily newspaper reader. "A few point
in the Kefsey case, now undergoing III
vestigation at OyDter Bay, may romiu
the reader of the Oolvin, case but
Kelsey 10 stil alive, q some maintain
It is not likely that he can remain ur
Uncovered by bis pursuers, and un
conscious Of what is going on benin
him Tor eight years.