Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-03-23
NUMBER 80.

La PAGE, THE MURDERER.-The convic
tion is so general that La Page. who has
just had his second trial in New Hampshire,
Tor the murder of Josie Lsngmaid, was not
only guilty of that crime, but also Of the
murder of Miss Ball. of st. Albans, that
there will be general satisfaction in the
prospect that the gallows will now claim its
own. La Page was found guilty at the
first trial, but the prosecuting attorney
made the strange mistake of presenting ev-
idence that La Page had years before out
ragged his wife's sister in Canada,-testi-
mony which had no right to be introduced.
That error secured La Page his second trial,
which resulted, like the first, in verdict of
guilty. The States Attorney, in summing
up against the prisoner, said:
On the 4th of October, 1875, crime un-
paralleled in the annals of the State. unless
we except that of old Evans, was commit
dered within third of a mile of populous
village. If this can be done with impunity,
the people must lose all confidence in the
law for their protection. That this murder
was premeditated, and done while perpe-
trating the crime of rape, is obvious. That
it was done with malice, is also perfectly
evident from its surroundings. Ii grew
out of crime worse than murder. He
did not suppose La Page had formed any
particular design before he started out that
morning. to murder Josie Langmaid or any
particular woman. But be had formed a
purpose to attack some woman, and perpe
trate his hellish lust, even if he had to do so
by committing the crime Of murder. Like
bank-robbers. be doubtless was disguised.
1t is likely the poor girl in her struggles to
get of his disguise was successful, , and then
he murdered her to conceal his crime. The
evidence is circumstantisl, il is true; but
yet. pointing to one sure conclusion. The
evidence was sifted, and shown to consti-
tute an unbroken chain pointing to the |
prisoner as the guilty man. Mr.. Tsppan |
denounced LaPage's attempt to prove an
alibi as a lie. Where was he, when this |
murder was committed? This he fails en-
tirely to show. 1t is an absurditv that in |
FIVE or six days after, he could not have sc-
counted for himself. What was LaPage's |
motive for committing the crime! We
show what he was bent on; that be was
seeking the opportunity. He is found
chasing women round in Suncook. This
all shows the diabolical lust Of the man.
Why did not the defence set up a plea of
insanity? Ills insanity is that of a wicked
lust. There is something about his lust
ful eye when fixed on woman that can
not be mistaken-a peculiar feature which |
every one in this court can detect, this
devilish glance, like the eve of sIblack
snake, which We all see. Why did he not
use the axe to commit the murder? That |
was ust what he did not want to do. Ii is
evident tina. the poor girl was alive when
he cut off her head. Counsel commented on
the inquiries he made of the Fowler boy
and others, about young women. He
asked whether the girl went alone or not,
and who went with herr In doing these
things. La Page was acting according to
his habits. By his own confession, he was
on the Academy road either on Thursday or
Friday. In closing, counsel reviewed at
length the blood testimony. and all the
evidence tending to show that La Page was
the perpetrator of the murder.
The jury took but one ballot.
THE JUDGES SENTENCES.
Joseph La Page, you have been convict
cd by jury of your own selection. and the
court entertains no reasonable doubt of
your guilt
will not speak Of the enormity and
Nervousness OF the crime the counsel in
your defence delineated its horror and
atrocity. You have been ably defended by
able counsel, and everything has been done
in your behalf to prove your innocence by a
Jury of this county. You have once, yes
twice. been convicted by tweniy-four good
men and true from this county. You have
hut short time. sir, to live in this world
Reflect, | beseech you. on the world OF
spirits. Dream not of annihllstion, or
death as an eternal sleep. Ii is not in your
power. however it may consist, both with
your wishes and your interest, to cease to
be or to divest yourself fofthe responsibility.
The Holy Scriptures represent God as in
tinitely Just, and also a God Of love and
mercy We could hardly conceive of a God
as lust if wicked man, after committing |
crimes and murders. were permitted to
escape punishment by eeasing TO exist.
recommend you to prepare for another
world "God so loved the world that lie
gave his only begotten son, that whosoever
bslieveth in him might not perish, but have
everlasting life ;" but that dear Son came
into this world and gave himselfa prOpitia-
tion for your sins and for mine. and for the
sins of the whole world. | advise you to
apply to your Heavenly Father for pardon
murderers have been psrdoned by repent
ance: you can be pardoned BY repentance;
the blood OF Jesus Christ cleanses Us from
all sin. MAY God appropriate that blood to
your salvatiCn You are a young man. cut
off by vice at the morning of your days.
Your sun has scarcely risen before it will {
have set. hope not under shadows ever
lasting but that in the morning of the res
direction you may shine in robes ot inno- (
,ence purchased by that Son Of God, and '
now to the grace, mercy and goodness OF |
God | commend you. Sir, the sentence {
which the law prescribes for murder in the :
irst degree the court awards. Ii is that ,
you be taken from this place to the State ,
prison in Concord. in the county of Merri
mac and State Of New Hampshire. and
here remain until the fifteenth dav of
March, in the year of our Lord one thou
sand eight hundred and seventy-eight. and t
hat on that day, between 10 O. clock in the t
orenoon and 9 in the afternoon, YOU be 4
hanged by the neck until you are dead, and t
may God have mercy upon your soul. $