The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-08-19
From the Chicago Tribune.
UNHAPPY IsOpPS.
How IA Once Wealthy Farmer He.
came am Inmate OF the Poorhouse.

Some sixty years ago there was born in
one of the midland counties of England,
one VIM. Hops, who when about twenty
years OF age, came to this country and set
tied in Vermont. He possessed powerful
frame ands an indomitable will, and
amassed a considerable sum of money
while cultivatng small farm in com
paratively sterile county. Hints were
sometimes thrown out that he obtained his
money not so much from agriculture as
from Canada. After time he concluded
to come West, and bought farm
near Wheeling, in Cook county.
where he settled with his wife. Ills
farm of 300 acres was one of the hest in
Cook country; he built upon it splendid
mansion. entirely of pressed brick, and for
years everything was lovely. With the in
crease of his wealth his family also in
creased, until, in 1868, he had thirteen
children, all living. Hops had, however,
become an inyctcrate topper, and in consc-
qucncc, family troubles frequently arose.
In themonth of,Junc of that year the whole
community was startled with the news
that VIM. Hops had murdered his wife.
The news proved true. While under the
influence of liquor he disembowclcd her.
An inquest was held and he was found
guilty and committed to take his trial. He
had no sooner been safely locked in the
jail OF Cook county than he inquired for
the lawyers who had defended Jumpcrtz,
and soon after Col. John Van Arman and
Mr.. f. W. McComus became his counsel.
BY the time the trial was reached, Col.
Van Arman had left with his regiment for
the seat of war, and his place was filled by
Mr. Writ Dexter, who put in plea OF
emotional insanity. The case was tried
before the Hon. George Manierrc, then cir
cult judge, and the prosecution was CON
Quoted by the Hon. Joseph Knox, States
attorney, assisted by Hon. w. X. McAlls-
ter. After twelve days trial. the Jury.
on the 3lst of December, 1868, brought in
Il verdict of guilty, and VIM Hops was
sentenced to DEATH
On the application of his attorneys a SUI
pcrcedas was obtained from the Supreme
court, and, on appeal, that court reversed
and rcmanded the case, and ordered new
trial. 1t was not until 1866. however, that
the new trial took place. his counsel evil
IDENTIFY considering that the fact of hi,
! having been long time in Jail would have
a good effect with a jury At last the
trial came off and he was acquitted, and
again walked the earth free man. He
went back to his old neighborhood and
commenced work, but no one would speak
/ 10 llliil No one WOULD nave anything To
do with hni-cven his own children re-
fused to see him, and he felt that he was
! truly and utterly alone in the world. His
farm had been mortgaged to pay the ex-
penses of his defense. and was at length
sold for $4,000. OF this sum $40, 800
went to his counsel for their own and the
court fees, and $4,000 was left for him.
This quickly disappeared in the macl-
strom of whiskcy and then as if good for
tune and kind Providence were always
helping him with opportunities to do well
legacy of 81 800 came to him from Eng.
land. At last this all disappeared. and
William Hops, upon whom bright hopes
had so often dawned- William Hops, the
whiskey-drinkcr and wife-murderer had
not place to lay his head; not friend in
all the world: not IA child who did not re-
volt from contact or conversation with him.
Alone, and an outcast, his misery and
destitutiOn at last caused him to ask for adj
mittance into the Cook County Poor-house
at jefferson, and few days agohe became
an inmate in what will probably be his las,
home on earth, and when he dies, instead
of leaving magnificent Inheritance to his
children, and having II splendid monument
erected to his memory he will descend tc
the grave unhonored, if not unsung.