The tribune. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1875-06-23

stephen and Jesse BOOrn for the MUIR
der of Russell Colvin. William Farms
worth testified that Stephen confessed
that he did it, and that Jesse helped him;
that they hid the body in the bushes,
then buried it, then dug it up and burn
ed 1t, and then scraped together the few
remains and hid them in stump. Upon
this unsupported evidence the jury re-
turned verdict of guilty against both
prisoners, and they We're sentenced to
be hung on january %, 1920.
And now the men came to their
senses. They asserted their innocence.
They said that they had confessed as
their last hope. Some compassion be-
gan to beifelt for them. They might,
after all, DO innocent. A petition for
their pardon was presented to the Legis-
lature. But it availed only to obtain
communication of Jesse's sentence to i'm
prisonment for life-no more. Stephen
was to be hanged.
Let the reader now turn to another
chapter of this strange history.
In April, 1913, there lived in Dover,
Monmouth county, N. j., Mr.. James
Polhamus. During that month q way
farer, begging food, stopped at his
door. Being handy, good-natured,
quiet and obedient, homeless, and weak
OF intellect too, he was allowed to stay.
he said that his name was Russell Col
yln, and that he came from Manchester,
Not far from Dover lies the little
town OF Shrewsbury, then quiet ham
let, now invaded by the cottages and
villas of Long Branch. pleasure-seekers.
Here lived Taber Chadwick, brother-in-
law TO MIR. Polhamus, and intimate with
the family. Accidentally reading the
New York EUenfng Post, he met, not
with the notice of the Rutland Heruld,
but with an account of the trial of the
Boorns. Convinced that the Russell
Colvln, alleged to have been murdered,
was the very man then living with Mr..
Polhamus, he wrote to the Euenina
Post a letter, which was published De-
cember ?, 1S19a Z &
Upon the arrival Of this paper at Man
chester it excited but little attention.
The letter was believed to be forgery
or O frand, Bad npt the bestipeople in
the town long believed the Boorns to be
guilty T., Had not one, perhaps. both of
them, made full confession2 The bones
of the murdered man, button of his
GOAT, his iackknife--had they not NIL
been found Had not an upright Judge
made solemn charge that the evidence
was conclusive, and an intelligent jury
found them guilty, aud the Legislature
sanctioned the findings There was no
doubt of their gult-none whatever;
and therefore no benefit of 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 was so overwhelming
that nature could scarcely survive the
shock. The poor fellow dropped in n
falnting fit to the floor, and had to be re-
covered by dashes of cold water.
Intelligence came next day from Mr..
Whelpley, formerly a resident of Man
chester, that he himself had been to New
Jersey and seen Russell Colvin. The
members of the jury which had convict
ed the Boorns, however, hesitated to ac
cept any thing short of the mans pres
ence, and Judge Chase, who had sem
fenced them, pointed to Stephen Boorn' 8
confession.
The third day came another letter.
4" have Russell Colvin with me-" wrote
Mr. Whelpley. az personally know
Russell Colvin," swore John Rempton;
he now stands before me-" cit 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.
However, Colvin, or Colvin's double,
was on his way. As he passed through
Poughkeepsie, tie streets were thronged
to see him. The news wsseyerywhere pre-
ceded him. His story was printed in
every newspaper, and teld,a every fire.
side. At Hudson cannon were fired in
Albany he was shown to the crowd from
a 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
dered. Russell Colvin was famous be-
cause he was alive.
Toward evening of Friday, December
%, 1919, double sleigh was driven fu-
riously down the main street of Man
chester to the tavern door. 1t contained
Whelpley, Kempton, Chadwick, and the
bewildered Russell Colvin. Immediate-
ly crowd Of men, women and children
gathered around, and as the sleigh un-
loaded its occupants and they took their
places on the piazza, exhibiting the last
man to view, "That's Russell Colvin,
sure enough There's no doubt about
it'll" came from the lips of scores of
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.
"Has' hef, asked the prisoner.
Where is he3"As5 s 80
"Here I am, Stephen" said his