The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-06-18
THE BOORN AFFAIR.
4 Strange Story of Circumstantial
Evidence.
From the Boston Commercial Bulletin.
On the morning of the 26th of Nov
ember, 1919, / read in the Rutland W.
Herald the following notice.
"MURDERr
''MURDERr

EN- Der, 1919, / read in the Rutland w.
Herald the following notice.
"MURDERw
printers of newspapers Throughout
the United States are desired 10 publish
that Stephen Bonrn. of Manchester, il
Vermont, is sentenced to be executed
for the murder of Russell Colvin, who
has been absent about seven years. An,
person who can give information of said
Colvin may save the life of the innoc
ent, by making immediate communica
tion. Colvin is about FIVE feet i've inches
high, light complexiored, light hair
blue eyes, and about forty years old
Manchester, VT, November &c, 1919"
This communication was copied very
generally by newspapers, and created 4
great deal of interest. Before describ-
ing events that followed, let us go back
to the year of 1872 and to the little
town of Manchester, Vermont
Barney Boorn, an old man, had two
sons, Stephen and Jesse, and a daughter
| Sarah, wife of Russell Colvin, a half
crazed, half-witted day laborer. They
were bad lot, Door ignorant, and in
doubtful repute for honesty. Two mis-
erable novels served them for shelter,
and few acres of pine barrens consti-
tuted all their possessions. They raised
u. few potatoes and garden vegetables,
and eked out a scanty livelihood, by
days work for the neigh boring farmers.
In May, 1872, Colvin was at home.
In June he was missing. At first this
occasioned no remark. He was alwavs
tramp, absent from home for weeks
together. But this time he did not
come back. As weeNs grew into months,
inquiries began to be made among the
neighbors about the missing man. There
are no tongues for gossip like those
which wag in a Yankee village One
spoke TO another. Excitement grew
Wonder, like a contagious disease af-
fected everybody.
1t was known that there had long ex-
listed between the old man and boys a
grudge against Colvin; it was in proof
that the last time the missing man was
seen, he was at work with the Boorns
clearing stones from a field, and that
dispute was going on; and Lewis Colvin,
boy, son of Russell. had stated that his
father had struck his uncle Stephen, and
that the other returned the blow, and
that then he, the boy, becoming fright
ened ran away. Again, Mr.. Baldwin
had heard Stephen Boorn, in answer to
the inquiry as to where Colvin was, say,
He's gone to hell, I hope"
ais he dead, Stephen" pursued Mr.
Baldwin
81 tell you again." replied the man,
that Colvin has gone where potatoes
won't freeze"
For seven years the wonder grew
Colvin's ghost haunted every honse in
Bennington county. There was no
known proof that the Boorns were gnil-
ity, and yet everybody believed it, A
button and jack knife were found,
which Mrs. G. believed to have belonged
to Russell; dreams, thrice repeated,
were had by old women and kitchen
girls-and ten thousand stories were in
circulation.
Five years after Colvin was missed
Stephen Boorn removed to Denmark,
N. Y, while jesse remained at home
After the former had left, some bones
were accidentally found in the decayed
trunk of tree near his house, and.
though all surgeons said to the contrary
it was universally believed that they
were part of a human skeleton. OF
course, then. they must be Colvin's bones.
Jesse was arrested, Stephen was brought
back from Denmark. and both were
held for examination. Although all the
testimony when sifted was found to be
worthless, yet the two brothers were re-
manded back to Jail. and Jesse was
worked upon to make him turn States
evidence. The Jailer tormerted him
with Suggestions. which his wife follow
ed up with womanly adroitness Neigh
bors helped. Best with preaching and
prayers, tracts and sermons, religions
conversation and pions directions-told
that there was no doubt in any ones
mind but that Stephen committed the
murder-urged to make clean breast
of it and thus save both body and soul,
what wonder that the man confessed, or
was alleged to have confe sed, that
Stephen Boorn did murder Russell Col
win?
On September 3, 1919. the grand jury
found bill of indictment against Steph
en- and Jesse Boorn for the murder of
Russell Colvin. William Farnsworth
testified that Stephen confessed that he
did it, and that Jesse helped him; that
they hid the body in the bushes; then
buried it. and then scraped the few re-
mains and hid them in a stump. Upon
this unsupported evidence the jury re-
turned a verdict of guilty against both
prisoners, and they were 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 began to be felt
for them. They might, after all, be in
nocent. A petition for their pardon was
presented to Se Legislature But it
availed only to obtain Communication of
jesse IS sentence to imprisonment 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
Polhumus. During that month a way
farer, begging food, stopped at his door.
Being handy, goodnatured, quiet and
obedient, homeless, and weak of intellect
too, he was allowed TO stay. He said his
name was Russell Colvin, and that he
came from Manchester, VT.
Not far from Dover lies the little