The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1875-06-17

vas the very man then living WITH Mr..
Polhamus, he wrote to the Evening Post
a letter. which was published Decem-
ber. 8, 1873.
Upon the arrival Of this paper at
| Manchester it excited but little atten-
ton. The letter was believed to be 8
| forgery or a fraud. Had nOO the best
people in the town long believed the
Boorns to be guiltyf Had not one.
/ fession The bones of the murdered
man, button of his coat, his jack
knife-had they not all been found !?
Had not an upright judge made solemn
charge that the evidence was conclusive,
and an intelligent jury found them
STs:ssT, anu Inc legislature sanctioned
the findings? There was no doubt of
their guilt-none whatever and there
fore no benefit of a doubt had been
given by jury, chief justice or court of
appeal.
Mr.. Chadwick's letter was, neverthe-
less, taken to Stephens cell and read
aloud. The news vas so overwhelming
that nature could scarcel7 survive the
shock. The poer fellow dropped in a
fainting ft TO the floor, and had to be
recovered by dashes of cold water.
Intelligence came next day from a
Mr.. Whelpley, formely a resident of
Manchester, that he himself had been
t0 New Jersey and seen Russell Ooivin.
The members of the jury which had
convicted the Boorns, however, hesitat-
ed to accept anything short of the mans
presence, and Judge Chase, who had
sentenced them, pointed to Stephen
BOorn's confession.
The third day came another letter.
&C. have Russell Colvin with me-"
wrote Mr.. Whelpley. 81 personally
know Russell Colvin," swOre John
Rempton, "he now stands before me- "
" 1t is the same Russell Colvin who
married Ann BoOrn, of Manchester, Vt,
made affidavit Mrs. Jones of BROOKLYN.
But it would not answer. Pride of
opinion is stubborn. Doubt of opinion
dies hard. Manchester intelligence,
not to say piety, was on trial, and it
behOoved all good residents to hold out
against conviction TO the last.
However, Colvin, or Colvin's double,
was on his way. AS he passed through |
Poughkeepsie the streets were thronged |
to see him. His story was printed in |
every newspaper and told at every fire. |
side. At Hudson cannon were fred in !
Albany he was shown to the crowd from |
platform; and all along the road to |
Troy bands of music were playing and |
banners were Haunting and cheers were |
given as Colvin passed by. Some men |
become famous from having. been muir |
dured. Russell Colvin was famous be- |
cause he was alive.
Toward evening of Friday, December
%, 1919, a double sleigh was driven |
furiously down the main street of Man
chester to the tavern door. It contained /
Whelpley. Kempton. Chadwick and
the bewildered Russell Colvin. Imme-
diately a crowd of men, women and
children gathered around, and ss the
sleigh unloaded its occupants and they
took their place on the piazza, exhibiting
the last man 20 view, That's Russell
Colvin, sure enoughl There's no doubt
about it p came from the lips of scores
Of the gazers. He embraced his two
children, asked after the BOOrns, and
started for the Jail.
The prison doors were unbolted and
the news was told to Stephen Boorn.
"Colvin has come, Stephen" said
the Rev. Lemuel Haynes.
'SHas he p" asked the prisoner.
g Where is he"
"Here I am, Stephen, said his
brother-in-law " What's them on your
legs?"
''Shackles /" replied Boorn.
'What for ?"
because they said murdered you"
You never hurt me in your life"
replied COlvin.
The sequel is soon told. Stephen
Born was released from prison, as was
Jesse also. Russell Oolvin returned to
New Jersey. But the judge who suf-
fered an innocent man to be convicted
Of murder by the admission of extra
judicial confessions-the members of
the jury who deliberated but one hour
before agreeing upon a verdict guilty
upon evidence that should not hang a
dog-the deacon and church members
who urged confession and preached re-
the ninety-seven mem
bers of the legislature, sitting as a
court of appeals, who refused re- e-hearing
of evidence-w what became of them