St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1874-06-26


was one Thibodeau, Frenchman over
the river, that old King went back on,
and he was fined SIS. Our information
on this point was unreliable.
A Murder Trial. Conviction of James
Snow of Murder in the Second De-
gree.
The arraignment of a man at the bar
of this court for taking the life of a
fellow man, is so dreadful thing and
so rare an occurrence that on Monday
last, when James Snow was brought
into court to answer for the killing of
John Stanton, large and eager audi
ence assembled and remained through
the trial. The circumstances in this
case were fully given in the CaledOnian
of July 4, 1873, together with nearly a
verbatim report of all the important
evidence at the preliminary examina-
ton. As there were no additional facts
brought out on the trial, and as the
evidence was substantially the same as
given before the magistrate, we shall
now give simply Il summary of the
case: About four o'clock, p. NJ, on
Saturday, June %, 1873, John Stanton,
a peddler, drove up before the house of
James Snow, near Coles pond in Wal
den. Mrs. Snow was sitting within the
house, and Stanton, without getting out
of his wagon, addressed her through an
open window, asking if she did not
wish to buy Il dress, shawl, or some
other article. She replied that she had
no money. Stanton said, "she had
money enough" or words to that effect,
when Mr.. Snow, who had been lying on
Il lounge, got up and came forward, and
after an angry word or two, ordered
the pcddlcr to leave. Stanton replied
that he was in the highway (the house
was just at the roadside.) Snow grew
more angry and threatening, when the
peddler drove along Il few rods into the
road and stopped. Snow came to the
door and asked him if he was not going
to leave. Stanton replied that he was
in the highway, and he guessed he
(Snow) would not hurt any body. With
Il threatening remark, Snow stepped
back into the house. took up Il loaded
gun which stood there, and returning
to the door, fired at Stanton, the charge
of shot striking him in the face. some
of which entered his brain. He fell
down i'll his wagon, dying mt once.
Snow Immediately returned the gun to
the house and went out to the wagon
and dragged the lifelcss body of Stan
ton out upon the ground.
This was in the main the testimony
of daughter of Mr.. Snow. girl twelve
Years old. who was the only witness of
the dreadful affair whose testimony was
available, the other occupants of the
house being two younger children. and
Mrs. Snow. who was debarred by the
statute from testifying in the case. 1t
further appeared that Snow was
drinking man and had been on Il several
days drunk previous to this killing
in fact was at this time just coming out
of it. Also that when Snow took the
gun and went to the door, his wife
begged of him not to shoot. The par
ties i'll this affair were entire strangers.
The defense in the trial was insanity
The case was conducted on the part of
the state by States Attorney Elisha
May and Gen. Grout. and for the priS-
oner by II. III. Powers and .. :. Burke
The jury took the case about 10 o'clock
Wednesday morning. and brought in IL
verdict about 3, of murder in the second
degree. which. 10y the statute. incarccr-
ates him in the state prison for life
As he is upwards of sixty years old
and somewhat broken by his habits. it
is safe to predict not long life. 1t is
understood he will receive sentence to-
day.
The case we have thus briefly sum
married.. carries its own moral and one
which we trust will he read and needed
by both old and Young. \ wise man
said a good many years ago that strong
drink is raging, and whatsoever is de
ceived thereby is not wise"