Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1879-04-18
ISLAND POND, W., APRfB1s, 1879.

ISLAND POND, W., APRIL is, 1879.
At last the long rivalryis over. The
strife between the law and unorgan-
lied sentimentalIsts has ccased, and
We feel that we still live in n land
where law is supreme; and that we
are blessed with a judiciary, firm, cool,
candid and safe. The end has at
last been reached of a curious and I'M
frequent career. An actor has Just
passed from the Stage who has had
the singular good fortune to surround
himself with more persons longing
for notoriety than any other lndlVl-
vidual probably, who has ever diStln-r
guished hhAselfupon the gallows. In
former days, before this morbid sen
timentalism existed to any alarming
extent, such crimes in Vermont were
ounfrequent, and-p pity for the accused
wi us exercised with judgment and rea-
son. But at last it has come to this
That in quiet New England village
defenceless woman, land her char
.acter is immaterial in this connection)
'was murdered with all the forms and
ceremonies of barbariSm, and her
dwelling fred in perfect imitation Of
the Indian style, the supposed perpe
traitor Of these offences is captured,
tried by a jury, and found guilty, all
errors carefully revised by the Judicial
sry, and the respondent sentenced.
Appeals were made to the executive
for reprcve, and more than once
granted. Wherever a reasonable hope
Tmas,euggested, opportunity to test it
rwas'giyen. Legislation was invoked
and a law enacted in behalf Of
the criminal. Applications were made
to the Supreme Court, and at several
times patient hearings were granted;
the result Of all which was that no
new substantive fact was discovered,
and it was evident that scarcely DIFF
t.ferent shade could be given to the
facts that had already been before the
jury, and the only legitimate result Of
all this was the denial Of new trial,
which would only. have been an ex-
pertinent. Had it ended here, it
would have been well. The applica-
1tions for hearings were proper, the re-
prieves were in the interests of hu.
mainly and in the wise execution OF
'the laws; the investigations were pa
tient, searching and intelligent, and
the zeal of counsel was commehdable
But after all means had been eX-
hausted to discover some reason fol
doubt and had utterly failed, the re-
suit should have been accepted with
,eander. But hew is it? We listen
TO an arfaignment Of the Court, and
the executive; the charges Of blood
thirstiness against all who desired
tibet the case should be investigated
ard decided, rather by the forms Of
law, than by the overweight excite
ment of sensational journalists, pro
fessional detectives, and an excited
sentiment, created and growing out Of
inAammatory articles baocd upon de
tacned portions of the evidence and
not upon "a careful consideration ol
the whole case. The respondent
passes through life heavily laden with
suspicious of more than once having
attempted murder; going through a
term in States Prison, and finally
coming from his last confinement to
the gallows, (having been previously
pardoEed by the Governor for {
former offence), to meet there a Grove
Of symrathizers ard admirers, several
Of whom are reported as saying they
felt more like losing friend than at,
tending the execution Of a@criminal
And sohe passed away in the eyes o
many amid the glory of martyrdom. |
this is the true manner of accepting
the results of the trials. we fail-te Sc,
the correct logic Of the events con.
nected with this singular transaction
If the exit of him wire is condemned
after the most extraordinary defence
is to be attended with 50 many mani
festatiBus Of indirect approval, and 81
suggestive of a glorious martyrdom
and such bitter denuncation of tn
executors of the law 1t is needless t
again make tle painful enquiry =
Why are murders getting TO be 81
frequentin Nerment?
The means which England la
taken to bring Oil a war in Zulu Ian
show extremely indecent haste. ]