Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-04-11

dee. In the spring of 1874 he was at work
in Rutland and became intimate with a
woman of the town, a Mrs. Frieze. On
the morning of June 9th, 1874, about Z
o'clock, her house was found to be on fire
and when the fire was extinguished Mrs
Frcze was found to have been murdered
and the body was partly consumed.
Phair had taken the 4.30 morning train
for Boston. The evening Of the next day
he was arrested when returning from
Boston. lie was tried the next October
and convicted of the murder 1t was
proved that certain articles belonging to
Mrs. Frieze had been pawned in Boston
on the morning of June 10th by Il man
who registered at the Adams House us
e f. Smith, St, Adams, W.T." and IL half
shawl of hers was found in the room occu-
pied by the pretended Smith.
Phair's relations with the woman in
Rutland, and the story he told rs to his
whereabouts just before the murder rs
compared with the proof made a strong
network of evidence against him. And on
the trial the clerk of the Adams House said
he thought Plair was the man who regis
tered us Smith The jew pawnbrokers
positively identified Phair as the man who
on the morning of the 10th pawned Mrs.
FREEZES property.
Phair claimed that he did not stop in
Boston, but went to Providence, r. l., in
search of work and not getting it was on
his way home ignorant of the murder.
But he brought no proof of his story and
it was not believed. The Supreme Court
overrule'I the exceptions in February,
1875.
Phair has all along protested his limo
cence and processes to bcreligious, but only
n few believe him. A few day ago he gave
Mr.. f. c. Carrigan, Dartmouth student
aud newspaper correspondent, u long
statement of his case to be printed six
hours after his death Us Mr.. Carrgan in
formed us when here with the Dartmouth
Glee Club last week. The Boston Globe
bought this statement and instead of wait
ind till after Phair's death published it on
the morning of Friday, the day the execu-
ton was to be.
This publication caused the reprieve of
Phair,as the following account taken from
Saturdays Boston Globe, shows:
Among the Boston men who walked
carelessly and in their usual manner into
their offices or counting rooms Yesterday
morning to transact what business the
rainy weather had left to them was Mr.
M. d. Downing, manager of the American
Novelty Company, at so School street,
Mr.. Downing's custom is invariably to
buy his papers on his way TO the Office
glance through them hurriedly and TO at
tend to business. Yesterday morning one
of his young men, Mr.. Robert |. Loheed of
South Boston, came in with the announce
ment that the Globe had put out IN enorm.
GUS bulletin stating that "Vermont was
to hang man to-day who claimed that
he was innocent" Mr.. Downing at once
sent out fora copy of the paper This it,
self was unusual, as he usually buys the
Globe and Herald every morning on his
way to his office. He cannot recollect TO
have sent out to buy paper in the fore
noon for three years. This was at about
fifteen minutes of II o'clock. Then he
did another thing he never did before
read long newspaper story in business
hours. Coming down to this part OF
Phair's statement, he sat almost rigid in
his chair. SO overwhelmed was he with
astonishment:
Ny unfortunate trip east occurred on the same day
house was discovered to be on fire between 30 and
o'clock on that morning, and proved on my trial thai
dence r. l. Now, according to the r. and b RaiIroad
time table and the regular running Of the trains On
house was on fire and could not possibly have had
ANYTHING to do with the crime. reached Boston
train and IN company with Mr. and Mrs George Stew
art OF Rntland took hack and crossed that part the
city which leads direct from the Ftchburg depot To
the Boston and Providence depot At the latter depot
R tS4E me nrs raih gong to Providence which left
place about O'Clock p M my business to Providence
American Screw Company the Gorliss engine work.
both of which are we'll known firms of Thar nInno no
After consulting a few wol kmen who we're in Inc rm
ploy of both these firms as to my probable cbamce o
getting suitable job, was discouraged by being toll
that these companies were then dschargin some t'c
their best and oldest experienced workmen Thasa
men being members of the Workingmen's Union Of |
work through their aid it would be useless for me- ia
apply at the company's office l remained in Proyi |
money to secure respectabe lodging for 'f tbe ehTGS
md to pay my fare home did not stop at regular
and bed only was to be had by paying seventy five
cents for the same before retireing for the night
was not asked to register my name at this house and
IN fact don't thin there was register in the house
but was simply assigned good bed where slrtt we'll
at restaurant near by the lodging house at coat of
meal and lodging dollar and ffty-fYe cents Ha ny
stopped at a frst-class hotel my name would hava |
prove an abb hat would lave upset ali t6s G to
sentation and wrong. For it was claimed that Mrs.
in Providence; and as those Jews had sworn a false
identity on me was obliged to prove that stoppeG
hard thing for to do as the following facts
will show. In the first place never saw any but
and Mrs Stewart at the Boston and Proydcnce deHa
until my return to Fitch6urg on the following day.
Secondly. did not take single number of anv house
or place had entered while in Providence Third |
tants and Is city had never been in beUTe Fnmr
while on my journey had never dreamed that such
all others knows that my trip had been c5nempisted
at least one month before il was taken and that no dis
and accused of the unfortunate womans death had
only my wearing apparel in general and five doars in
money to my name. Had then the one-sxth mart NJ
the money expended by the prosecution in eASctn1
my foul conyictio2, | haven't doubt but what | |
was acquitted in any court of justice on earth"
After reading this part of the statement
Mr.. Downing jumped out of his chair and
exclaimed: " My God, they have got the
wrong mani This man is innocent!' His
words and excited manner astonished his
associates, and rs soon as he became calm
he stated that he went to Providence on
the morning of June TO- 1874, and return
ed upon train which left Providence in
the forenoon and reached Boston about
noon on that day. His memorandum !
book was referred to at once and the time
was found to be correct. On that train,
coming from Boston, he met with a man
whom he firmly believed to be Phair, and
on reading the above statement of Phair's
he saw how important II link he might
possibly supply. This led Mr.. Downing
to recall to mind all the circumstances Of
the trip, and his recollection of the facts
is about as follows:
Mr.. Downing left Boston by the early
train and came back in the forenoon, us
stated, being anxious to keep an appoint.
ment with u gentleman in Boston in the
afternoon on an important business mat
ter. Stepping into the smoking car at
Providence he rode in that until he had
finished cigar, and then passed into
passenger car. The man whom he now
SuppoSes 10 be Phair sat in a seat alone |