The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-10-17
FRIDAY. OCTOBER Il, 1879
An Interesting story about Circufn'
aranSial Testimony. g..
fFrom the New York Evening Post'J

An Interesting Story about Circ"ih-
arantial Testimony. a,
lrrom the New York Evening Post.J ...
Mr.. Leonard Sergeant, Of Manchester, W..
formerly active in politics, and once Lieuten'
ant-Govcrnor of that State, has published
n pamphlet containing narrative OF ana
the evidence in 4 famous murder case Wnich
occurred early in the present century. Mr.
Sergeant was one Of the counsel Tor tue de-
fence. In 1872 there lived in Manchester
n man named Barney Boorn, who had two
sons, stephen and Jesse, and a son-in-law
named Russell Colyin, all living with him.
Colyin was an eccentric man, supposed to
be insane at times, and frequently absented
himself for days without notice and without
giving any account of his adventures. AT
last he was missing so long that people be.
gan to make inquiries, and suspicious Of foul
play were aroused. Months and years
passed, and yet there was no explanation OF
Colyin's absence. Some of the neighborS
remembered that the Boorn brothers, very
shortly after his disappearance, had declared
that Coivin was dead, and that they had
"put him where potatoes would not trcezc." A."
They had not been on good terms with him,
and this added to the prejudice against
them.
Singularly enough, other circumstances
began TO accumulate against the brothers.
Some children found dilapidated hat, which
was recognized as the one C0lvln wore al
the time Of his disappearance. Search was
then made for the bones Of the supposed
murdered man. Soon afterwards dog un-
covered some bones beneath an old stump,
which at first We're prOnouncedto to be human
bones, but subsequently were found not TO
be. An uncle OF the boys had dream in
which Colyin came to his bedside and told
him that he had been murdered. A
barn in the neighborhood was mysteriously
burned. and it was at once conjecturcd that
the murdered man had been buried under
il. and that the fire was intended TO destroy
all traces of the crime. All these circum-
stances added to the excitement against the
Boorns. Stephen was then out of the State,
but Jesse was arrested. He confessed that
his brother Stephen had told him short time
previously that lie and Colvln had quarrel
led. and that he bad killed Colyin by blow
on the head. The people of the neighbor.
hood and for miles around spent the next
few days in another search for GOWNS
bones, but none were found.
STEPHEN Boorn was brought home. he
denied the statement of Jesse, and asserted
his innocence. The brothers were impri-
soncd to await the meeting of the grand
Jury. The principal witness before that
body was torger, who had been confined
in Jail with the Boorns. He reported i'll de-
tail confession Of the murder by Jesse
Boorn, and both the boys were indicted.
This was in September, 1Sl9-more than
seven years after the disappearance OF
Colvin. In November the trial took place.
Meanwhile Stephen was induced 10y the
remarks upon the hopelessness of their
case to confess the crime in the expec.
tation of mercy from the court. This
confession was the chief evidence against
them. Notwithstanding it was drawn out
by hope Of obtaining more favorable YER
dict. and that no body had been found as
proof of the murder, or even that ColVln was
dead, the brothers were convicted, and SEN
fenced to be hanged on the 18th 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 remarkable changes have taken place
in criminal jurisprudence. SO decisive dc
the testimony against them appear to be thu,
tue mother OF the conyicts was expelled
from the Baptist church, and the father wa:
held as prisoner for time upor
the suspicion that they must have been ac
cessorv to tie murder. 4 few of the citi
zens who were disposed TO be mercifu
signed petition for the commutation of tht
sentence against the Boorps. The Le5isla
ture voted to change the sentence of Jesst
to Imprisonment for life, but refused to in
| tertere with that of Stephen. 1t occurred
to Stephen in IN interview with his counse
that it would be good plan to advertise to
Colyin in the newspapers. Up to that poin
his counsel had believed him guilty, but h
assured them that his confession was untru'
and that he was innocent. The following
notice was therefore printed in the Rutlant
Herald :"
Printers Of newspaper
throughout the United States are desired t.
publish that Stephen Boorn, of Manchester
in Vermont, is sentenced to lie executed TO
the murder of Russell Colvin, who has beer
absent about seven years. Any person wh'
can give information Of said Colvin ma,
save the life Of the innocent by making i'm
mediate communication. ColVin is abou
five feet FIVE inches high, light complexion
light colored hair, blue eyes, about fort.
years of age.
Manchester, w., November 26, 1919"
Newspapers travelled slowly then, ant
Stephens friends had but little hope thai
this would save him, even if his story wa
true. Three days afterwards, says MIR. Sil
gcant's pamphlets the New York Ece,uns
Post copied it, and ''the next day 1t hap
pened that the notice was read aloud IN on
of the hotels in New York. Another mai
standing near, named Whelpley, said he hat
formerly lived in Manchester, and was wei
acquainted with ColVin, and related many
anecdotes and peculiarities concerning him
Mr.. Tabor Chadwick, of Shrewsbury
n. j., was also standing near, ant
listened to the conversation, Whlcl
made deep impression upon hE
mind. On thinking the matter over ate
his return home it occurred to ham that
man then living with his brother-iU-law, Ml
William .Polhemus, oS Dover, New Jersey
answered exactly the description OF Colvl'
as given by Whelpleg-" Finally, he wrot
letter to the Eoe,&ag Post, giving his con
cluSionS. Whelpley saw it, went TO Dover
identified Colyin, and after great effort in
duced him to visit Manchester. There wa
great rejoicing In the town, and Stephel
Boorn was brought from the prison to fir
the cannon that celebrated his deliserance
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE BURIAL IINE.-E MAJ
AdeIer1-In recording the march of i'm
provement in St Louis papeh I'D mat cit
calls attention to an undertaken who adyer
tises waterproof cotfins" We have @atet
long and anXio,ssiy for this invention. Iher
are doubtless maDy persons who have beer
wishing, TO die. lat have put it OF BECAUSE