The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-08-24
THE BOORN AFFAIR.
lBoston Commercial Bulletin.l

On the morning of the 10Th of Novem
Der, 1918. read in the Rutland (Vt.'
Herald the following notice:
MURDER!
Printers of newspapers throughout thu
United States are desired to publish tha
Stephen Boorn, of Manchester, in Vermont
is sentenced to be executed for the murder
of Russell Colvin, who has been absent
about seven years. Any person who car
give information of said Colvin may save
the life of the innocent by making immedi
ate communication. Colvin is about five
feet five inches high, light complexion
light hair, blue eyes, and about forty years
old.
MANCHESTER, VI, November 26, 1si9
This communication was copied very
generally by newspapers, and created 8
great deal of interest. Before describing
events that followed, let us 60 back tC
the year 1912, and to the little town Of
Manchester, Vermont.
Barney Boorn, an old man, had two
sons, Stephen and Jesse, and daughter
Sarah, wife of Russell Colvin, a half
witted, halfcrazed day laborer. They
were a bad lot-poor, ignorant, and in
doubtful repute for honesty. Two mis-.
erable novels served for shelter, and a
few acres of pine barrens constituted all
their possessions. They raised few po.
tatoes and garden vegetables, and eked
out scanty livelihood by days work
for the neighboring farmers.
In May, 1872, Colvin was at home. In
June he was missing At first this occa.
sioped no remark. He was always Ia
tramp. But this time he did not come
back. As weeks grew into months in
quiries began to be made among the
neighbors about the missing man. There
are no tongues for gossip like those that
wag in Yankee village. One spoke to
another. Excitement grew. Wonder,
like contagious disease, affected every
body.
1t was known that there had long ex-
listed between the old man and his boys
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 a
dispute was going on /; and that Lewis
Colvin, boy, son of Russell, had stated
that his father had struck his uncle
Stephen, and that the other had re-
turned the blow, and that he (the boy)
becoming frightened ran away. Again,
Mr.. Baldwin had heard Stephen
Boorn, in answer to an inquiry as to
where Colvin was, say, "He's gone to
hell, 1 hope"
"Is he dead, Stephen ?" pursued Mr..
Baldwin.
"I tell you again." replied the man,
"that Colvin has gone where potatoes
won't freeze"
For several years the wonder grew.
Colvin's ghost haunted every house in
Bennington County. There was no
known proof that the Boorns were
guilty, and yet everybody believed it.
A button and jack-knife were found,
which Mrs. @. 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 missing,
Stephen Boorn removed to Denmark,
New York, while Jesse remained at
home. After the former had left, some
bones were accidentally found in the de-
cayed trunk of tree near his house,
and, though all surgeons said to the con-
trary, it was universally believed that
they were part of human skeleton. Of
course, then, they must be C0lvin's
bones. Jesse was arrested, Stephen
brought back from Denmark, and both
were held for examination. After all
the testimony was sifted it was found to
be worthless, yet the two brothers were
remanded back to Jail, and Jesse was
worked upon to make him turn States
evidence. The jailer tormented him
with suggestions, which his wife followed
up with womanly adroitness. Neigh
bors helped. Beset with preaching and
prayers, tracts and sermons, religious
conversation, and pious 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 body and soul, what
wonder that the man confessed, or was
alleged to have confessed, that Stephen
Boorn did murder Russell Colvin?
On September 3, 1878, the Grand
Jury found bill of indictment against
Stephen 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 stump. Upon
this unsupported evidence the jury re-
turned 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 they had confessed as their last
hope. Some compassion began to be
felt for them. They might, after all, be
innocent. A petition for their pardon
was presented to the Legislature. But
it availed only to obtain Communication
Of Jesse's sentence 10 imprisonment
for life. No more. Stephen was TO be
hanged.
Let the reader now turn TO another
chapter OF this strange history.
In April, 1918, there lived in Dover,
Monmouth County, New Jersey, Mr..
James Polhumus. During that month q