Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-11-21
The Next Vermont Execution.
ASA MACON AND MS CElME-TIIE MURDEE1
To BE Hung NOVEMBER 2STH.

| ASA MACON AND MS CEIME-TIIE MURDERER
To BE HUNG NOVEMBER 2SrH.
Seven months ago the last execution in
Vermont took place-that of John p Phair
for the murder of Mrs. Ann Freese. The
next will take place on Friday, November
2Sth, when Asa Magoon will be executed for
the murder Of Rufus Strceler, at Barre, Oct
Is, 1870. The following is Il brief account
Of the murder Friday morning, Oct. 18th,
the mutilated remains OF 4 MN named
Rufus Streeter, seventy years of age, were
found near the highway about mile and a
half from the village of Barre, on the road
10 COrinth. 1t appeared that the old man
had first been beaten and stunned by blows
in the road; that his body had then been
drawn across the way into gully and his
face there beaten on flat stone 10 II terrible
mass, and that afterward the body was
dragged into field and there left The
clothing about his body was completely cut
asunder about his waist and long cash eX-
tended from side to side, as il made by a
butcher knife The intestincs protruded in
a shocking manner. On Thursday afternoon,
Strccter and Il man named MagOon, with
whom he lived were together in wagon,
both being the worse for liquor. They
then drove 10 the house Of Mrs. Perrin,
who gave contradictory statements
OF the visit. They Were seen later,
and an alteration was overheard,
in which MaGoon threatened to
kill the deceased. Afterwards Magoon was
seen driving alone, and in answer to ques-
tion he said Streeter had got out TO walk
home. Magoon was arrested the same day,
neither lp inc, family asked why he
was arrested. When shown Streeter's lifeless
body he showed no particular emotion, only
saying it was Il wicked thing. Blood was
found on his buffalo robe. reins steps of the
wagon and his boot heel lie was taken 10
Montpelier Jail. Mr.. Merrill +. W. Wilder of
Orange passed Strcetcr and lla@oOn stand
ing opposite Perrin's house about half-past
six o'clock Thursday night; he heard an al
tercation and asked, WHAT'S the natter"
MagOon replied That -- old -- has
stolen gallon of alcohol from me, and | will
clean out the house but will have it Ma
COON also said, 81 had just as lief take your
life as not" and made other threats. Mr.
Wilder afterwards saw Magoon ridingalone
mile farther on, near Barre Springs, and ask
ed for Strccter and was tol;l that he got out of
the wagon some six hundred feet beyond the
scene of the butchery Tracks of a gig were
found going into field towards Stevens
river and back, and it is supposed the zig
was used by Maguon's SON. Asa AlagOOn's
little boy SAYS his father got home at seven
o'clock. and Asa half an hour after. Ma
COON has seven children. Streetcr and his
wife separated Il few years since, and he
lived with Magnon, calling one Of his dlIIsh-
tiers his wife, although he is seventy and |
Magnon is siXty-two years old. Mrs. Perrin |
sustained lad reputation. Magoon's char I
acter previous 10 his arrest for the murder /
had been somewhat notorious. For several I
years he had spent his earnings for strong !
drink, and not only neglected to care for his /
family, but would abuse them when in a I
state of intoNicatiun.
MagOon was tried at Montpelier, Oct. 2d, /
1876, the trial lasting seven days, andthc jury. |
after being out three hours. brought in YER
dict of murder in the first degree. Exceptions
were taken to the ruling Of the court, 10y his
counsel, which were heard before the gene
raj term in Montpelier, Nov. 18th, 1877, but /
were not sustained, and he .
was sentenced by Judge Barrett as follows .
Asa MagnOn, it is dccrccd hv this court /
that yoa he taken tO the State Prison at .
Windsor, there kept At hard labor for
twenty months, ami for four months in
solitary confinement, until the fourth
Friday in November 1872, between
he hours of one and three in the
afternoon, and then You be- taken thence and
hanged by the neck until You are dead, and
may God have mercy on Your soul. Ma
coon listened Ia the sentence with great cool
ness, and asked the privilege of pronoancins
he benedictinn, and, before he could he
stopped, rose, stretched cut his hands, and
uttered it in the usual form. lie
was taken to Windsor the ucNt day. and has
lecn kept nj labor until four months AGO
when he was put into his cell in order to
give him time for preparation t. meet his
loom.
At the last session Of the Legislature siren
Ious efforts were made by his counsel to get
lis sentence committed 10 life imprisonment
majority report in favor 1l Communication
vas made by the Judiciary Committee. but
he adverse minority report Was. after full
discussion, adopted hy the Legislature 10y 4 {
lrsc majority.
The Windsor JoHuH from which We
AXE the substance of the above facts SAYS
hat since his incarceration Magoon has ap-
'arcntly profitcd very little 10y his long con
ncmcnt. and will probably die rs he hls
VyI