Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1877-04-13

Among The Boston men, says the Boston
Globe Of Saturday morning, who walked
carelessly into their Offices or counting rooms
yesterday morning, was Mr.. NJ. ID. Downing,
manager Of the American Novelty Company,
at 90 school street. Soon after, one Of his
young men, Robert l. Loheed Of South Boz
ton, came in with the announcement that the
Globe had put out an enormous bulletin an
nouncing that vermont was to hang man
to-day who claimed that he was innocent"
Mr.. Downing at once sent out for a copy Of
the paper. This itself was unusual. He
cannot recollect TO have sent out to buy
paper in the forenoon for three years. This
was at about fifteen minutes Of IL o'clock.
Then he did another thing he never did be-
fore-read long newspaper story in bust.
ness hours. Coming down to the part Of
Phair's statement relating to bis trip 10 Prov.
idence, he jumped out Of his chair and OK.
claimed: my God. they have got the
wrong man This man is innocent! ~ His
words and excited manner astonished his as
sociates, and as soon as he became calm he
stated that be went TO Providence on the
morning of june 10, 1874, and returned 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 confirmed the date of the trip. On
that train he met and talked with a man
whom he firmly believed to be Phair the man
whom he now supposes to be Phair sat in
seat alone. Taking seat by his side,
Mr.. Downing soon entered into conversation
with bin. The man said he hailed from
Vermont, whereupoD, Mr.. Downing, who
himself was borne and raised in Vermont,
inquired what section the man was from.
al am from Rutland" said the man; II
came down yesterday, aud tried TO get work
Of the Screw Company, in Providence, but
1t is 50 dull could not, and | am going
back to Rutland" This led to further con.
versation. Mr.. Downing was in a line of
business 10 which he employed good many
agents, and being favorablY impressed with
the mans appearance and his evidenct intel
ligence, be told him il he did not find any
work he had better take an agency for Rut.
land and vicinity for his goods. The idea
did not seem to Impress the man favorably,
80 the subject was dropped. Neither knew
or inquired the name Of the other. They
talked on general topics aud reparated.
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE.
The first idea that struck Mr.. Downing
after making up his mind that the man was
innocent was to communicate with Governor
Rice, and inform him of tho facts In his pos
session, aud also that he sincerely believed
in the mans innocence but upon consulting
his watch he ascertained that it was very
near IL o'clock, and if he was going to take
any steps in the matter they must DO taken
Immediately. His next move was to 90 to the
Office Of the Chief of Police, and upon arriv.
ing at that place he told Chief Savage his
story, and also that he believed he had facts
in his possession which, if known, would
perhaps result in the reprieve of Phair. He
was then advised to go to the Herald Office
and ascertain the best and quickest way of
communicating with the authorities of Yer
mont, and did so. Acting upon the advice
given him he started for the Western Union
Telegraph Company's office and on his way
stepped into the Office of the Boston Daily
Globe, and while there met Colonel TAYLOR,
the managing editor Of that paper, and made
inquiries who the High Sheriff of Windsor
was, and also who the Adjutant General of
the state was.
TELkuRAM TO GOVERNOR FAIRBANKS.
After leaving the Globe Office Mr.. Down.
ing proceeded to the office of the Western
Union Telegraph Co., on State street, where
he arrived in q somewhat agitated condition
at about 1890 p. m. He was we'll aware of
the necessity of quick action iu the matter,
and was SO neverous that after partially
writing his dispatch he tore it up and hur.
riedly penned dispatch, substantially as
follows:
BosroN, April 8. 1877.
"To Governor Fairbanks, Montpelier
Vermont think saw and conversed with
the man to be executed to-day, on the train
coming from Providence to Boston, on
June 10, 1874"
By the advice of the Chief of Police.
(Signed)
M. D. DOWNING, so School street, Boston.
Mr.. Downing had passed in the dispatch
to the clerk and was about to pay for it,
when Colonel Taylor and another gentleman
came into the office, and upon Mr.. Taylor
finding the purport Of Mr.. Downing's mes.
sage. he also sent dispatch to Governor
Fairbanks, addressing it to Montpelier.
The substance of this second dispatch was a
voucher to the effect that the newly discov.
cred evidence furnished by Mr.. Downing
came from reliable citizen of Boston. The
operator at Montpelier instinctivey recog-
nizing the importance of the dispatches in
stantly sent them to st. Johnsbury, Gov
ernor Fairbanks home. BY wonderful
coincidence. upon the arrival Of the dis
patches at the latter place, Governor Fair
banks was in the telegraph Office, aud got
the dispatches as soon as they were taken off
the wire.
After the dispatches we're sent, Mr.. Down.
ing and Col. Taylor stayed at the telegraph
oihce, anxiously awaiting the result of what
they bad done, and at about 1.30 p. m, TO
their relief were rewarded In receiving n
dispatch from Governor Fairbanks, stating
that reprieve had been granted to May 4th
next.
MR.. DOWNING,
TO whom Phair owes his life, at the present
time at least, is native of East Brookfield,
Orange county, VI, where he resided until
II years old. He is man OF intelligence,
and is possessed Of shrewd business tact, and
is well-known to many of the business men
Of Boston.
EcONoMY.-There is considerable signif.
canoe in an experiment said to have been
made by q Washington butcher. He had
heard so much about the demand for lower
prices that he advertised to sell prime cuts