St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1873-06-20

Killed U1ncr. hlIt claiming that the act
was done IN >clt-,lctrn>c
This confession. which Was >uhs,.-
qurntly used nj the tlial. gave. the de
tails of the cIim, with great minute
hess. Dr.. West said that. whil,. h,. " ~
at work upon his ga>omrtrI Monday
evening. having i'll his hand Il heavy
mon bolt. Tuner entered. and, snatch
ing up hammer. threatened tu kill
him. if he did not give mp his pocket
book. In >elt-dctemsc. and to save his
own life. the negro having alIcad,
struck him one blow. he raised the iron
bolt and struck Turner below the ear.
He intended only tn knock him down,
lrt the blow was instantly fatal AS
soon aS he could collect his >,hsrs. he
SET about the work of concealnIemt
Having first skinned the body and cut
II int" small pieces. he tried to bury
these, but WAS prevented 10y the frozen
condition of the ground. Om Tuesday
afternoon. he subjected the skin lo al
cohOl flame. to S'c if il would change
its color. Had this experiment ste
cecded, he intended to replace the skin
as well as he could. and ily. leaving his
friends to discover the body of white
man. which they would naturally take
to he his own. thus freeing him from
the danger of pursuit The expert
nIcnt failed. however. and then hc went
out and buried the skin and other pol-
uums of the body. This done, he start
ed To rctIHce his steps. when hc >aW
that his laboratory was on tire. He
Went instantly to the depot. took the
tram for Salisbury. and there remained
till Friday when lic surrendered himself.
The trial commenced OF Tuesday of
last week. and tu the detailed and plau-
>ihlc enough confession. Vests counsel
added the supplementary defense of
insanity. His Whcle life WIS Shown To
have been one of whims and silly con
Cets. | lie customary testimony IT. 10
the insanity of his incc>tuIs was Offered
and the evidence which bore directly
upon himself WAS seemingly sufficient
To- prove him either Il lunatic oI ii fool
But insanity was only the second
ground of defense The main reliance
WIS the plea of >clt-dcicu~c. II IN.
Vest confession was that of Il sincere
and truthful man. he was certainly IN
an unfortunate position. NcN few
men have even had /" -Druggi,. against
such terrible, weight of probability.
The bare. Wndi>putcd facts proved
against him were seemingly enough It"
overthrow any and all pleas not r>tth-
li~hrd ON the most trustworthy and IN
shaken testimony His life WIS iu>mcd
for >2J.Utn: he was short of funds i'll
mn~l destitute. in fac; h.. WAS mamu-
featuring gas which he asserted vnuid
Il, I, L.. 4 | l.
treated Turner l." brandy. the after
noon of the killing. and asked him t.
come iht" his laboratory after >uppri
he had placed powder under the tl"ul
with the evident purp">e "t blowing
the laboratory and the body Ia pieces
hi, >kinmimg the hody could only have
been done 10 conceal it, nationality
and make il seem his own he fled L.
Il town not tdI distant. where he c"iIL
learn " hat effect his ~tratagem produc
ed II reItuinll locked a. it hi- ,.-turl,
and confession was only Il delmItr re
sort when he knew he wa> suspected
and pursued. The coufe>>ion he made
wa> precisely one that would >lg@r>r
itself Ia any intelligent man undrI rh.
circumstances.
But against all the prcp"udelauce ot
''plohaIIiitN the Jury returned - NcI-
diet of not guilty. un the yIound nt self
lctcu>c. that result being rcsI, he'd. yes
tcrday. after they had been out all
night. The best efforts ut very able
counsel were lavi~hll expended in hc
halt of the prisoner. and the charge at
Chief Justice Gilpin. rh"u@h not in his
favor. WIS not strongly against him.
h..,.ll,