Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-04-13
Executions In Vermont.

/ h''th PiCNlOuo " tut CUu-
pletc organization of the government, BIZ
authority of the Council of Safety" there
was one execution at Bennington, for zen
emieal conduct" One David Reddipg had
been convicted by jury fisk men of "sup-
plying the enemy on the lakes with pro-
visions, and was sentenced to be executed
on the 9th day Of June, l77S, but by reason
OF reprievc he was not executed until the
| llth. The next execution was that of CYRUS
| Il. Dean, at Burlington, on the Ilth day Of
| November, 1908. for the murder of Jons-
than Ormsbce and Asa Marsh, in the affair
of the smuggling boat called the Black
Snake. The second execution, since the or
| ganizatiOn Of the State, was that of Samuel
+. Godfrey. at Woodstock, in 1878, for the
murder of Mr.. llulett, Warden OF the State
| Prison. Tradition has it that great crowds
| 0i people Hooked to the scene of the exeeu-
ton OF Godfrey, and there are doubtless some
witnesses OF 1t now living. The third one
was that OF virginia, n cOlUrcd III an, at st
Albans, in ls2O, for murder. The fourth
was that Of Archibald Bates, at Bennine-
ton. in February, 1899 for the murder Of
his si>terin-law, at Shaitsbury, by shoot
ing her through the head with rifle as she
| was sitting in her room and nursing her
babo, in the evening. lie fired at her from
the outside, through the window, and she
fell instantly dead. A crowd of from
| twelve to fifteen thousand persons attended
| the execution.
Two persons, between the years 1899 and
1872. died in jail under sentence IF death;
VIZ Anthony, ut Rutland. by hanging i'll
his cell on the night before the time of exc
cutinn, for the murder OF Greene; and Mrs.
Peak, who died by poisoning or sickness, at
Chelsea, some days before the time appoint
| ed for execution. Soon after this the Leg
is!ature changed the law in regard to the
place of execution, requiring the act to
take place within the walls of tho State
Prison, in presence only of certain legal
! othcers-twelye witnesses and other desig-
mated officers. \ change also was effected
| in regard to the issue of the warrant for
| execution, and imposing limit OH tho
timo for execution-n0 execution being
permitted within one year from tho time
oi conviction or sentence, and the Governor
| being Giioired, not required, 10 Issue the
death warrant. Under this Change there
was one conviction for murder ol the first
degree, and the sentence of death was pro-
nounced, but it was never executed. The
Governor did hot feel it his duty 20 issue
the death warrant; ard 50 he lett it for
his successor. The next Governor did not
regard it his duty to do what he supposed
| belonged to his predecessor, or at least
what the statute did not impose ON him.
SO the wretchod man was lItG to die, in
solitary confinement, a lingering death. in
which he became u raying maniac. and u
sight to behold thousand times more
pitliul and horrible than that Gt his life
less body on the gallOw,. The law was
again amended. and the court was requir-
cd to issue the death warrant for execution
after one year Of solitary confinement in the
State Prison. Under the revised statutes
two men. Sardy kavanagh h ard VIM. Barnet
were executed together, on Wednes day Jan.
20, 1864. The next execution was that Of
John Ward. alias jerome Lavgre, on the
20th of March, leGS, tor the murder OF Mrs.
GriswOld. Ui WillI,tOn. Hiram Miller. was
rext executed, on the 25th Ut June. 1869,
for the murder of Mr.. and Mrs. Joshua q.
Gowen. Of Ascutneyyliie. TIE last txCcu-
tion that has taken place IN Vermont was
on Friday, Jan. Goth, 1871, i'll which Henry
Welcome. 4 young man of nineteen years,
expiated his confessed murder of Perry Rus
sell, ci ilinesburgh.
From the RUTLAND Globe.
The Asa Marsh. for whose murder CYRUS
l.. Dean was executed November llth, 1908,
was Rutland man, ard was serving III Il
detachment Oi the militia. under the eoGi-
mand OF Charles X. Williams subsequent
ly Chief Justice and Governor OF Vermont
ordered ont to aid in erflrcins the en-
barge Marsh and Ora>hy, Mhr were
citizens Of Burlington, were hurried with
considerable parade at Burlington, 4 ser
mon being preached by the Rev. Samuel
Williams, LII D., oi Rutland Samuel |.
Mott and David Sh,fioil ~ue con-
vctcd If murder. but, new trials being
granted, were, subSCqu,utiy, found
guilty of mlnslauahter only hnd were SEN
fenced to stand IN the plllory one hour, re-
ceiye fifty lashe- each Un the bare back. and
to be curtiutd in the State prison irr ton
wears. Francis Ltdaard ae>. also. con-
yictfd of manslaus hter nrL sentenced to the
State prison for ten year, June |, 1909.
the second day alter the opening ni the
prison, the three were committed 10 the
State prison. hu, each were subsequently,
parduned hy the GuvGIrOr aGd all remov-
| cd, a. il l. supposed, 10 Capada, " here they
died
The third execution was that Oi Luther
| Virginia. January II. 1870, Tor the mnTd'r
| Of Rufus W. jackson, at llighgate, Nuvelu-
Der IA, 1919. In these days, II n man was
found guilty of murder and WAS hanged at
all. it was done right speedly-no delay OF
two wears or more about it. Virginia was
Il tDfa nrssf nI
| dishonest habits, had serve d 4 term in State
prison; and murdered jackson because OF Il
| quarrel on being refused liquor IN bar
room where jackson was present. Virginia
attended his own funeral services at the
| franklin county court house, conducted by
| Rev. Phineas Culver.
The fourth execution. which took place at
| Bennington, February =, 1899. was that Of
| Archibald l.. Bates for the murder OF Mrs.
| Harriet Jane Bates, the wilo OF hrs brother,
| Philorman Bates, at Salisbury, OCTOBER =,
lS3S-unIy four months between the com
mission OF the crime and the exactiun OF the
penalty. The motive Tor the crime was DIS
satisfaction at the manner IN winch his
| father-then liyinE-wai managing anu
proposed to divide his property. OtslI the
persons connected with this trial 1t Is be-
| lieved that only two vet survive, namely,
| Harmon Garfield, OF Arlington. and Daniel
| Roberts, of Burlington. then OF Manchester,
| two of the counsel for the prisoner
| Tho Journal article says that 'bctween
the years 1889 ard 1872" two persons died
| in iail under sentence of death, and men
| tions as these persons. Anthony, OF Kut-
| land. and "Mrs. Peak, who died by poison
| ing or sickness, at Chelsea, sOme days be-
fore the time appointed Tor execution. Inc
dates are sadly mixed. james Anthony,
who was convicted of the murder OF joseph
Greene, hung himself IN the jail at Rutland,
April IA, 1914, being the very dav appoint
ed for his execution. RthrrcI frake was
convicted OF the murder. ny poison, oil
Ephraim Pcak.-the son ri her husband bv
a former wiie-August ~. ls3j, aud was
sentenced to be executed February sG, le36,
but died in the Orange county jail. nt Chef
sea. Of ulcers IN toe throat, February
s, 1886
The difficulty IN the case Of Eugene Cliff
ford. who died after an imprlshnment OF
.ouc lour wears, April IL. lSi7-iOr this Is
the ease alluded tu--wa@ not that the uov-
erpor was allowed, not required to issue
IN, death warrant" The statute, which
was enacted III 1912. provided that II any
persou should be convicted of any crime
punishable with death, he should no
sentenced to solitary confinement IN the
| state Prison. "until punishment ot death
shall bu irllict,d." and that punishment
| should not he inflicted ''uutil warrant
shall bo issued by the Gov, rn"r, o'rumand-
ins the sheriff Ito ,nusd execution IL he
done upon the person - senieneei l. The
convict could not be executed until the
Governor issued death warrant bat no
where in our laws was authority conferred
on him To issue warrant.
Edward f.. Phelps, NJ. ~, Ill, u, OF
" iudsnr, then physician al the prison,
commenting, Mt the time. 90 the death "i
| Clifford, SAYS that he had hcrn IN r"nhn'
meut nearly four wears, excluded Tor inc
whole oi that p,r,,d irnn s'cirty. 'xrreiS',
and nearly irpm light. thus Sttutt'd bJth
body and mlnd sunk together hu eal''o To
prl4,u n stout, uthlrtIc mln. IN the prime
of hle. all his activities IN iull tAtrciso
from strong pa~siurS and impulses. and
that from tho day that TIE door ol his c'Il
grave closed upon hun, his progress was
directly duwnwards tn that physical ono,
The L,t uI all HIS casa FURNISHES an 'Xetl-