The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-04-13

1
left Rutland, June 9, 1874, and applied |
to the Screw company for work and
took the same train for Boston, June 10, |
1874, he concluded that Phair might
have been the man.
When he had reached this conclusion
il was nearly ~ o'clock, and Phair was
to be hung in about two hours. Bur-
dened with the thought shat he might
possibly be able TO furnish evidence that
would go good ways towards proving
Phair's innocence, he Immediately start
ed to find some way to let the governor
of Vermont know of his impressions
before il was too late. lie went to the
chief of policies office, he sought counsel
there and was advised to see the papers
He then went into the Globe Office and
told his story. The manager deemed
the intelligence of importance, and
thought that the least that could be
done was TO telegraph Governor Fair
banks of Vermont of the facts and let
him act rs he chose in the premises. So
about ten minutes past twelve O'Clock
two men went flying down State street,
burdencd with the thought that posi-
bly, they had some information that
fellow being who was to be hanged in
hour or two. The time was so brief,
and the uncertainty of what Governor
Fairbanks might do even if he could be
reached, made the case a very exciting
one.
THE TELEGRAMS 10 GOV FAIRBANKS.
10 Gorerpor Fairbanks Montpelier, ~:
think saw and conversed with the man who
IL a hR a lRI tn sln
Providence to Boston, June TO- 1874 ! send by
advice of Chief of Police. NJ. d. DOWNING.
20 school street, Boston.
10 Gorerhcr fai,0unks, montpelier, IT,.
MIR, Downing's story about rhar seems to he
worthy Of delay for investigation.
CHARLES II. TAYLOR,
Manager of the Boston Globe.
Mr.. William Martin of the Western
Union telegraph Office took deep in
terest in the matter on hearing the story,
and felt that the governor should know
the facts at once, even if nothing came
of it. An attempt was made to forward
the dispatch Immediately, and ii was
found, to the dismay of all three men,
that ii was the dinner hour of the Mont
pelier operator and he was out Then
word was Immediately sent to all the
Vermont offices to ascertain if the
whereabouts of the governor were
known. The hanging was to be at
Windsor, and of course the governor
had got TO be found in time to commu-
nicate with Windsor, if he desired to do
so. Meanwhile the moments were pass
ing away with lightning-like rapidity.
llalf-past twelve and fifteen minutes of
one came-still no word from Vermont.
Ii was of course realized by all present
that no person save the governor had
nn.- aantrnl ova~ tho sha,;F who woe IN
perform the execution, but the time for
that horrible ceremony was so near that
the following dispatch was sent:
To The Sheriff at Prison, Tindsor H.:
reliable man here states, after reading Phair's
statement, that he is pretty certain he met Phar
ON the train from Providence to Boston, June 10,
1874. and thinks he can identity him. The man
he met was large man, said he was from Rut.
land aud, had applied to screw company at
Providence for work. Had you not better couimu.
nicate with governor before hanging:
CHARLES H. TAILOR,
Manager Of the Globe.
This was little before one O'Clock.
Still no word from the governor, and
the moments were full of suspense and
anxiety. II had become very exciting
in that telegraph office. Finally at 1:l5
word came that the governor was in the
telegraph Office at St. .Iohnsbury, and
had received the dispatches. Then came
the rumor that he had granted Il RESPITE
for one week. Still little later and il
TRANSFERRED that on receipt of the dis
patches he had at once telegraphcd a
respite AT Windsor until MAY /, thus
giving ample time to fully investigate
the information of Mr.. Downing, and
give the condemned man the benefit of
the doubt. Then the telegraph Office
became useless lor the time being.
AS the statement of Phair In the Dos
ton Globe was set up from his own man.
uscript (a facsimile of which was Civ
cn), and rs II was stated IN that -docu-
mcnt that one piece of evidence against
Phair was that he stopped at the Adams
House In Boston on The night of June 9,
1874, rs f.. +. Smith, instead of in Prov
idcncc. Mr.. Downing went to see for
himself fthc handwriting on the Adams
house register rcscmblcd that of Phair.
a visit to the Adams House developed
the fact that the register was still in
Vermont, and the proprietor had been
wholly unable up to date to regain pos
session of it. Furthermore il transpired
that the two clerks who went TO Rut-
land with the register and paid their
own railroad fares and hotel expenses,
had never been reimbursed. As the
young men are not nabobs and cannot
afford to lose il, they are inclined to
think that Vermont courts do not do
the right thing by witnesses. A visit
to the chief OF police Office for "A pic
ture Of Phair came next in order, and
il was promptly furnished by Detective
Ham from his plethoric album of GRIM
inal celebrities. The picture of Phair
was as he looked when arrested, with
light clothes on and "a kosspth hat. Mr..
Downing, after carefully examining the
picture, was certain that Phair was the
man he mel on the Providence train.