Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-10-11


ciates. Calling the attention Of the jury to "Iit
tie Asses" story he said that their debauches
had before that ended in fights, and on the nlsit
In question the quarrel which ended the caron,e
only had more fearful and bloody Termination
than usual He asserted that so many links were
wanting in the prosecutions chain that the Jury
must feel probable doubt OF Lis guilt, and in
that case the law.enioined upon them To bring In
an acqulttal even II they were not satisfied Of his
innocence
Mr. Dillingham; made the final argument in he
half Of the prosecution. He first replied 10 the
points made by Mr. Heath, and particularly to
the theory that Mrs Perrin was the real perpetra.
tor Of the crime lie asked, II Streeter really left
Magoon ut the watering-trough and returned to
Mrs PERKINS, why should he walk out Of her
home at late hour and proceed TO the very place
where he and Magoon were last seen talking To-
gether. and there be killed Such a theory was
too absurd. It was not claimed by the defence
that the killing was done elsewhere and there
can be no earthly motive for his going back to
the spot where the murder took place. II he really
returned to Aunt Hannahs TO pass the night lie
argued that woman could have so cut and bat
tered Streeter; but that ii must have been a man.
that the ndewtation In the ground, at the begin
ming Of the trail showed that the body had fallen
from the wagon and that Streeter last seen sit
ting Ia the wagon with Magoon by his side. lie re-
ierrod to the threats made by Magoon against
Streeter a; Mrs. PERKINS, house, heard by Mr. and
Mrs Bradbury and Merrill Wilde TO the blows
heard by Mr. bradbury tot the body lying In the spot
where Streeters corpse was found the next morn.
ing seen by Mrs A. H. Thunton between seven and
eight on the evening OF the fourteenth while driving
from Orange 10 Barre with her husband; 70 the
horses tracks and footprints, and claimed that
no one else could have done the deed but the re-
-pondent, that although DO one saw the bloody
act but the Almighty and Asa Magoon, yet there
was a web Of proof woven around him from which
he could not escape. lie referred to the singular
statements made By Magoon AZ the time Of his ar
rest 10 bis ridiculous attempts to account for the
blood on the wagon, leading lines and buffalo
robe, by aying that he had killed q sheep and
spatiered the blood and asserted that Magoon.
aud not Mr.. Perrin WAS the one who had threat
encd u Kill Streeter, and that not but a short
time before the murder was committed
Judge Recfeld charged the jury in the after
/ noon lie made a clear aud concise statement Of
| the law OF murder and OF the difference between
the fir, aud second degrees. IIo summed up the
evidence on both sides briefly. and said that II
[ they entertained a well-founded doubt Of the re-
/ -pondonts guilt, they must give him the benefit Of
st. and return . verdict Of not guilty II they
we're assured Of his guilt by the evidence in the
case, and by that solely, they must say so, no
m,Hter how rcpugnant to their feelings it might
be- Their duty was to the state and the commun-
lty, they must regard no persons, but do their
duty impartally and conscientously without H.
gard 10 the consequences
The Jury retired for consideration at half.past
three O'Clock At seven in the evening the Court
House bell rang to announce that they had agreed
The Court House was soon crowded. The respon-
dent wa- brought In by the sheriff and took his
seat with the Bar, surrounded by his counsel,
Messr- Heath, Carlton and Lord lie was very
nervous and cenched his teeth aud twisted
piece Of bl0tting-paper necessarily The jury
and he lat facing each other for more than quar-
ter Of an hour before the court came in, and the
intensely ansious look which he would now and
then cast over To the box betrayed even more
than his nervousness how terribly he dreaded tho
verdict AZ last the clerk called the names Of the
Jurors. Judge circuit, Of Roxbury was the fore
man.
Asa Maeoon, stand up. Gentlemen, Is the
prisoner at the Bar guilty or no, guilty p
Guilty Of murder in the first degree
" So Fay yoo al Of you?'
1--WE DO
There WI, awful pause Magoon resumed
his seat instantly. and seemed 10 brace himself ~,
against the fatal decree, and, indeed, was lee
nervous after the verdict than before His eye
lids tiemhlcd, but he sat bolt upright in his chair
a. II determined no, to give up At Mr. Heath
request the jury were polled, All gave the same
answer, Guilty Of murder in the hrst degree"
Theprisoner was then remanded. and having been
handcuGed. wa- taken to the Jail by Sheriff Iyford
It l. said that the jury agreed as to his guilt on
the frst ballot, but that FIVE Of the twelve were
in favor of finding the second degree, which would
make the punishment Imprisonment for life in.
stead Of hanging 1t was with the greatest reluc-
lance and only actuated by a high sense Of duty.
that they returned their verdict Several were
deeply affected when answering to the roll
The respondent counsel made some exceptions
to the ruling Of the court and the CAGE may 20 u
the supreme Court for final adjudication; which
will delay The sentence ill next August, even II
the exceptions oseuuled
The ease has been tried with great ability on
both sides Magoon has had able counsel and
they have left no stone unturned to give favora.
BILE aspect to his defence Mr. Dillinghams argu-
ment was very able and Is generally considered
10 be tie most eloquent heard IN this Washington
County Couit since the days when Lucius b. Peck
stoddard b. Colby, Governor Dillingham; and
Judge Redheid used To be 10 active practice His
father mantle has evidently fallen upon him
and he etrcs from bis four ears arduous services
as states Attorney with well-earned laurels