The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-06-08
Chr 8Itland Daily 0lnhe
FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 1877.
EXECuIIYE CLEMENCY.


On the morning of Monday, August %,
1868, it was discovered that Mrs. Ephraim
Griswold, of Williston, had been horribly
murdered and, soon after, one John
Ward, alias Jerome LavIgne, and Charles
II. Potter, her son-iu-lsw, were arrested
UhNrged with the crime AT the trial,
Ward was convicted and setenced to be ex-
ecuted, but the jury gave Potter the bene-
ht of that reasonable doubt" about
which we hear SO much and he was ac-
,tted.
- before Ward was hanged, be
"aue d loNs II detailed confession, in
which he states that LIZ .-.--dar ,as oon,-
mitted with the knowledge and by g.. rro
curement of Potter giving all the circum.
stances connected therewith-that Potter
furnished him with money for his defense,
and even, after his conviction, promised tc
aid him to escape and after narIating all
his Interviews with Potter in detail, and the
promises made and hopes held out by Pot
ter, he concludes as follows: "These are
my reasons for net speaking out at my
trial these are my reasons for not
speaking after my trial these are my
reasons for not speaking since came to
Windsor these and many others are the
reasons why have attended to Charles
ii. Potter s interests instead OF my own I;
these are the reasons that have kept my
tongue tied for two years and six months.
Even here in Windsor, l still thought he
would still do something for me in some
way or other but he has not even tried
to do anything for me. have occupied
loathsome cell, while he has been breath
ing the free air of heaven. l have kept
silence until silence ceases to be virtue.
He and old Griswold Lave been living in
plenty and havi everything at their
command, while a the same time they
are, both of them, more guilty of this
"efrible crime than l, or in fact the man
who drove the knife TO the old lady e
heart. He, backed up by Griswold's
"gold, can defy the law, but retrbution
aotW come, sooner or later, and then he
will know how he has made others suf-
fer. Tomorrow, go to the gallows,
while he is living in luxury, but / con-
slider myself the happier of the two my
conscience does not trouble me, and, al.
though my bed is coarse, sleep sweeteI
4" than he. He and his myTm.dops have
kept me quiet by siuffing me with good
words and promises, which they have
"never intended TO fulfill. They have sue
ceeded in keeping me quiet, until the lit
L" tie evidence had against them is of no
consequence to the authorities, and now
they can laugh at me-"
Ward was executed the next day-March
20, protesting that, although present
when the murder was committed, he did
not strike blow, and reiteratlng all his
statements in reference to Potter. Retri-
button soon came to Potter, for in October,
1869, he was convicted of having burglars
tools in his possession with intent to commit
burglary-there were, if we remember
Alright, other indictments pending against
him-and was sentenced to ten years i'm.
prisonment in the state prison, but Gov
ernor Fairbanks stood in the way of the
full measure of even this meager retribu.
ton.
This Charles II. Potter is the last recip-
lent of executive clemency-at least, it is
the last case heard of up to the hour Of
present writing-having been pardoned by
Governor Fairbanks, Tuesday. Wards
crime was committed nine years too early
Had he and Potter but delayed its execu
ton, he might, even now, be the "hal
" boy" in state prison, If not-as would
probably have been the case-at large
preying upon society. The constitution
Gays that the governor shall see that The
laws are faithfully executed and SC
on the strength of telegram basCt
on a street rumor, he, without authority
of law, reprives man condemned to death
and forwards a reprieve by telegraph; hi
pardons Abner Sackett, convicted in Wind
ham county of an assault with intent t
kill, when only one-half Of his term of sen
tence has expired; he pardons persons con
victed OF arson, and persons convicted o.
minor crimes and misdemeanors too nu
merous to mention he opens tie doors o
1ails and prisons, and bids the convicts t
90 free he virtually abolishes capital pun
ishment, and brushes away the Judgment
and sentences of courts as though the,
were mere cobwebs in his path; and nov
he has turned Charles II. Potter loose OIL
the community.
This is the way executive clemency /
exercised in Vermont. This is the wa,
that the governor takes care that the law
are faithfully executed. The bare recits
Of the facts furnish stronger comment o