davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-02-03

zens sincerely believe that they are led,
in many things, by Divine guidance /;
that in answer to prayer they are di-
rected by the Infinite Ruler. 1t is be-
yOnd the power of judge or jury to
determine, in some cases, whether such
"a belief is actually and sincerely held ::
but if it results in the commission of a
crime, the law Furnishes that crime and
cares nothing about the belief behind
it, unless that belief was the result of
mental disease. A sane man is bound
to obey the law or to suffer the pen
atty, no matter what he believes. A
delusion, or false belief, is no excuse
for crime, therefore, unless it is the
fruit of the disease of mind which the
law knows as insanity. This distinc-
ton brushes away altogether the de
fence so often set up, that the accused
really believed it his religious or patri-
otto duty to do what he did. Judge
Cox lays down this, as the most Ger
tain rule for distinguishing one class
of delusiOn from another, that ian in
sane delusiOn is never the result of
reasoning and reflection" Guiteau re-
peatedly declared that his belief came
to him as the result of reading Stall
wart newspapers, and much reflection
upon their assertions. Says the Judge,
"When men reason, the law requires
them to reason correctly, so far as their
practical duties are concerned" The
law does not punish the reading of
Stalwart falsehOods, or the forming of
Stalwart beliefs, however mOnstrous,
but it does punish for crime any man
who can reason.
In another respect the charge was
particularly timely and clear. The
Judge showed that partial insanity
does not necessarily excuse "A man from
crime. Unless the insanity is of such
a degree and kind as to render the ac-
cused incapable of distinguishing or
choosing right from wrong NTH respect
to the particular act committed, it is no
excuse for crime. People of absolutely
sound mind are not so common as they
might be. A very large number of
persons, in every community, have
some degree or form of mental weak
ness or disorder. If every eccentric,
Unbalanced, "cranky,n or mentally
disOrdered person should be held ire
spOnsible for everything he might do,
it would be impossible to maintain civil
order. Only when the disorder is such
as to destroy the sense of responsible
ty or power of choice with respect to
the very crime committed, does the
law recognize it as any excuse. The
Judge named to the jury an excellent
test as to this point: ''If another per
son had committed the act, would the
prisoner have appreciated the wicked
ness of il ?"
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-02-03

Senator Edmunds is trying to obvi-
ate the waste of time in the Senate,
and has introduced rules to that end.
The country wants, and will have, a
fairly protective tariff, and it does not
want a prohibitory tariff, which will
place the whole people at the mercy of
a single class, any more than it wants
free trade, which would place our
wOrkingmen at the mercy of foreign
capital with its pauperizing wages
philadelphia Telegraph (Rep).
President ChadbOurne, of Williams
College, speaks of President Garfield
as follows: at was the same element
of moral courage and strong conviction
of duty that led him, during his short
administration, to do acts that called
out the opposition of his own party
leaders, and criticism of the press.
From his own lips had it that he took
the action he did in no unfriendly or
factious spirit, but as, in his belief, an
essential step in an independent course
by which he hoped to change the whole
old order of party system of spOils-a
system that nearly crushed the life out
of him the first thirty days of his ad-
ministratiOn, and stirred up the
wretched murderer to do his final fatal
work"
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-02-03
A Sweeping Verdict.

The coroner's jury who Investigated
the recent Spuyten Duyvil disaster
have brought in verdict which in
cludes about everybody connected with
the railroad, but leaves out the main
cause of the accident-the man who
tempered with the air brake cord. The
coroner, in his charge to the jury, re-
marked that the accident "was caused
by some person either frivolously or
accidently pulling the brake signals,
who had no idea of the danger in which
he placed his fellow beings and the
consequences which followed. He was
thus far not detected, but be he whom
he might, though human law could not
reach him, his own conscience would
constantly remind him of it,"
However negligent or guilty any one
else might have been, the cOroner's
statement puts the thing into a nut
shell and it is reason for deep re-
gret that the law cannot put its hands
on the guilty individual, and punish
him as his thoughtlessness deserves
But there seems to be no prospect OF
this, unless his conscience leads him to
IA confession and the necessary conse-
quences.
The verdict of the jury, as given on
the testimony heard, holds that Melius,
the brakeman, was guilty of wilful
deliberate and culpable neglect of du-
ty, and is responsible for the loss OF
life that conductor HanfOrd, i'll not
is also responsible that both engi-
ncers, in endeavoring to draw the train
after the brakes had been applied, are
responsible that the engineer of the
TarrytOwn train was guilty of neglect
of duty in not keeping better look
out that the superintendent of the
road is responsible, for neglecting to
provide against accident in so danger
Gus part of the road and that the
officers and managers of the road ar,
responsible, in not providing suitable
instruments for rescuing passengers
and eXtinguishing fires. This is 8
sweeping verdict, but the circum-
stances of the case Justify it and the
jury did their duty well. If it lead'
to the provision of safeguards on thai
and other roads, it will not be without
its good effects. The case goes now
into IA higher court, and it remains tt
be seen what the issue will be.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-02-03

JohnsOnville, Tennessee, has been
almost wholly destroyed by an mum
dation.
At Laurel Springs, n. c., one Moo
die, recently married, shot himself
dead because his bride refused to pull
off his boots.
In the anti-Jewish riots in Warsaw,
Poland. 20ll families We're ruined and
COB eating houses, 292 liquor shops,
393 private houses, and number of
synagogues, warehouses, etc, were
destroyed.
NJ. de Freycinet is to be the new
head of the French cabinet.
A boiler in Il steam mill mt Fairfield,
Me-, exploded on Saturday, killing
three men and wounding several
others.
The London Times and Saturday
Review, i'll their comments on the trial
of Guiteau, indulge in very unkind al
lusions to the American people.
The bodies of Mr.. Huddy, the pro-
cess-server, and his nephew, who re-
Gently disappeared from the neighbOr-
hood of BalinrObe, County Mayo, Ire
land. have been found in Lough Mask,
in bags, which had been sunk by
means of large stones. The place
where the bodies were found is near
the house of man named Carigan,
who is now under arrest on suspicion.
A hack, containing six persons be
sides the driver, was run into by the
Boston and Providence express train
Saturday at one of the RoXbury Mass
crossings. The hackmen and both
pants of the carriage were badly in
jured.
DR.. Lyon Playfair, Deputy Speaker
of the House of Commons, pays Il Just
compliment to American mechanics,
who, he says, are more honest and eff
ficient than foreign, and that the Unit
ed States is about to become the great
manufacturing country of the world.
The old building in Park row, New
York, formerly occupied by the New
York World, and latterly by several
newspaper establishments, private of
fees. etc, was burned Tuesday, great
ly endangering other property i'll the
vicinity. Several lives were lost, and
n number of persons were injured. The
pecuniary loss is estimated at about
one million dollars. Among the suffer
ers from the fire are the New York OBJ
server. and Scientific American. Many
thrilling incidents are related i'll con-
nectiOn with the fire. and there We're
many wonderful escapes.
A very few who believe that Guiteau
was insane when he fired the fatal shot
are already asking signatures to pc
tition to President Arther to commute
his sentence to imprisonment i'll the
insane asylum. They meet with poor
success.
A reservoir burst at Calais, France
on Monday, destroying several build
ings and killing a large number of per
sons. At last accounts twenty-seven
bodies had been recovered.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-02-03
Malicious Statements.

\ lie well stuck To is not as good as
the truth but it must be that some
believe it, or the Argus would not re-
produce the falsehood that it published
last year to the effect that the Fair
Ground printing cost more at the Cal
edOnidR office than it did when done at
the Argus office. The statement was
denied when first made, and we repeat
il now, that the same work precisely
cost the Fair Ground Co. eight dollars
less in 1850, when done at the Gale
DOMAIN office, than it did i'll 1879, when
done at the Argus office. We suspect
the whole difficulty lies here The
Fair Ground Co. finds it can get its
printing done a. well and even cheap
er at home than by going away from
home and the men who lose no OPP
portunity to defame st. Johnsbury and
lie about the CdledOnidn, feel bad about
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-02-03
News of the Week.
Washington Matters.

The House committee on elections
will, it Is said, report unanimously in
favor of seating Cannon as Il delegate
from Utah. 1t is admitted that the
Mormon received $1,000 votes to
Campbelfs 300, and the committee
holds that the question of Cannon's
citizenship was settled by Il former
Congress, it having held that he was
regularly naturalized. Cannon for
mally admits that he has several wives,
and the committee will leave it for the
House to say whether habitual and
continuous violation of law disqualifies
from sitting in Congress.
The cigar manufacturers have an ac-
tive lobby at Washington urging re-
ductiOn of the duty on cigars from St
to s. per thousand.
Senator Sherman is hopeful for the
success of his Funding bill.
The Tariff Committee has not taken
any decided action vet.
Mr.. Blaine, in an interview with a
Washington reporter, cOntradicts Ger
tain statements published in regard to
his South American policy.
In General.
A mysterious explosion occurred
Friday afternoon in New York, killing
one person and wOunding nine others.
The Isaac Rich fund, bequeathed to
the Boston University, will provide
siXty-fOur free scholarships for deserv-
ing and needy students of both sexes.
An unusually severe shock of earth
quake was experienced at Centreville,
Cal, on the 26th, causing great excite
ment.
Beatty's organ factory at Washing
ton, n. j., was burned on Friday night.
Some 600 hands are thrown out of en-
plOyment.
A teacher in the public school near
Jefferson, o., called i'll John Butler,
one of the directors, to assist her in
quelling a disturbance among the pu-
pills instigated by boy named George
Scott, 10 years of age. Mr.. Butler so
enraged Scott that the latter struck
him on the head with piece of coal,
crushing his skull and infiicting inju-
ries from which he cannot recover.
Scott escaped.
The first consignment of strawber-
ries from Florida arrived in New
York Friday there were only thirty
quarts and they were sold at retail for
81 quart.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-02-03
Serious Charge against Blaine.

Mr.. Blaine seems to he i'll corner,
out of which it will trouble him to get.
He is charged with having disObeyed
the instructions of President Arthur,
while secretary of state, i'll regard to
relations with Chill and Peru and the
facts of the case are, briefly, as follows:
In connection with the contest between
Chill and Peru, the United States saw
fit to recognize Peru. In the course
of events the CHILEAN government ar
rested one CalderOn, representative
of the Peruvian government. Secreta-
ry Blaine took this arrest as an atf'rOnt
to the United States, and sent to our
minister in Chill instructions very
threatening and warlike against Chill.
1t turns out that President Arthur's
desire was to impress upon the CHILEAN
government that the United States
simply wish to tend its good offices.
Mr.. Blaine was requested to draft
instructions according to this tenor,
anu iNlCt lutSt lIStl NtIO
shown to the President, and he object
ed to them as being too dictatorial, ar
bitrary and threatening, and he mOdi-
fed them himself. Surprising that Mr..
Blaine understood perfectly his desire,
the President did not look at the final
draft. and that was the one which came
near raising Il row with Chill, and the
language of which President Arthur
has since revoked. From the facts in
the case it appears that Secretary
Blaine went contrary to the wishes and
orders of the President and acted on
his own sweet will, to the temporary
detriment of our friendly relations with
Chill. He has denied many of the
things alleged against him i'll cOnnec-
ton with this affair, but the matter
will he sifted thoroughly, and if Blaine
has any satisfactory explanation to
make he will be given opportunity to
make it, 1t is II serious thing for a
secretary of state to disobey instruc-
lions, and friends of the President
have raised Il sharp and well defined
issue in this case.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-02-03
The Law of Insanity.

The New York Tribune, in an article
commendatory of the charge of Judge
Cox in the Guiteau case, speaks as fol-
lows concerning the law of insanity {:
The general rule, that the accused Is
responsible if, at the commission of a
crime, he was conscious of the nature
of the act and knew that it was wrong,
is liable to abuse, as Judge Cox has
shown, and is at times a very difficult
one to apply. In this case, taking the
prisoners own statements, it would
have been difficult to say that he was
conscious that his act was wrong if he
had actually been possessed by an in
sane delusiOn that he was commanded
to do it by the Deity, and for the pur-
pose of preventing great harm to the
country. But Judge Cox makes Il
sharp distinction between a belief
caused by disease of the brain and a
belief having any other cause what
ever. Thousands of most worthy citi-
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-02-03
Personal and Political.

Carlyle's grave is unmarked save by
couple of wreaths.
They have "cranks" across the big
water. Mr. Gladstone gave Il dinner to
his tenants the other day; Il stranger
came in and sat down by Mr.. Glad
stone and handed him letter to the
effect that the writer had just come up
from hell and proffiered his services to
the Premier.
Gambetta, who has been at the head
of the French cabinet for the past three
months, has resigned, owing to the re-
lection by the Chamber of Deputies of
the government bill for a revision of
the constitution.
Mrs. Lincoln is very grateful for the
generosity of Congress in making fur
Their provision for her. She will now
undergo certain surgical treatment
which she had not felt able to afford.
The New York World thinks that
Mr.. ScOville's faithfulness to his
wretched migrate of a client ought to
be highly spoken of; and doesn't think
the prosecution treated him with prop
er respect.
Mr.. Blaine's eulogy on President
Garfield will he delivered before the
two houses of Congress on February %.
The Boston Herald is advocating BIZ
ennial sessions for the Massachusetts
Legislature.
Let Congress enact law that will
authorize the hanging of Guiteau with
in thirty days, at the outside. Let us
bury the beast as soon as possible
New York Mail and Express.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-02-03
Public Opinion on Various Sub
jectS.
THINKS THERE Is A SCREW LOOSE
SOMEWHERE.

THINKS THERE Is SCREW LOOSE
SOMEWHERE.
Said Judge BarrOws of Maine, in
charging Il jury the other day: SIN
the earlier years of this state the crime
of murder was rare among us; with Il
not much less than it is
now, years went by and it was not
heard of. Within the last nine or ten
years its frequency has been such that
it has lapsed into mere nine days
wOnder-a sorry commentary upon the
noisy, idle boasts that are dinned into
our ears from the platform, and the
pulpit, and the press about the great
progress and improvement of the hu-
man race. COnceited scientists and
pseudo philanthropists, and maudlin
sympathizers with criminals, will do
well to inquire if there is not some
thing ont in their reckOnings, and
amiss in their teachings"
DON'T LIKE BLAINE.
Mr.. Blaine had but few months of
power, but he was able in that time to
breach IA new quarrel with England in
"A manner so offensive as to embarrass
great the arrival at IA settlement of
the matter in Issue by friendly nego-
tiations. In South America, Mr..
Blaine espoused the maintenance of
the integrity of Peru, at the same time
admitting that the completeness of her
triumph gave Chill the rights of con
quest and carefully instructing our
representative not to press his advice
in Chill until it was asked for. 1t was
nearly impossible to carry out instruc-
tions so dOuble-faced, and our two
ministers to the belligerent powers got
as badly by the ears as the republics to
which they were accredited. A special
commission has gone out to repair the
blunders of Mr.. Blaine's first ENJOYS.
Whatever else may be said i'll eXpla-
nation or eXtenuatiOn of this episode
III American diplomacy, it will have to
be admitted that it is not a success.
But if he Graves the peace OF
private life, his friends should not in
sist upon whoOping for him for presi-
dent, as though the country were dy-
ing to fling itself into his arms, for the
country has no such passion Spring
field Republican.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-02-03
w. 3. ANDERSON,
Browns Block, Main street.
st. Johnsbury, Feb. 2 ls-2.
WALDEN TAX SALE.

The non resident propretors Of the town of Wal
den, in the county of Caledonia, are hereby mott
fled that the taxes assessed by said town within
and for the year 1873 remain either in whole in
part unpaid, on the following described lands in
said town, To wit:
Part Lot No =, Great Lot No. Il, original owner
Hebe Squire taxes assessed to and supposed
owner, \. j. Olmstead.
Part Lot No ,, Great Lot No. ~, original owner.
John Fassett taxes assessed 10 and supposed
owner. \. j. Omstead
South half Lot No ,, Great Lot No. %, original
owner, Ripley IOrrey, taxes assessed Ia aud sup
posed owner, A. j. Olmstead.
Part Lot No. 3, Great Lot No. -, original owner,
Nathan Fassett, taxes assessed to and supposed
owner, \. j. Olmstcad. amount of taxes ON the
above slsl2.
South part Lot No 3 Great Lot No. a. original
owner. Lemuel Bradley. taxes assessed 10 aud
supposed owner, F. W. Greene, amount of taxes
s2.I3.
Part Lot No , Great Lot No /, original owner
Samuel Herrick. taxes assessed to and supposed
owners, A. J. q +. o. Clifford, amount OF taxes,
Sigh
And 80 much Of said lands will be sold at public
auction at the post office North Walden IN said
Walden. On the LIST day Of March next at o'clock
p. m shall be- requisite to discharge said taxes
with costs unless previously paid
l. NJ HOiABOO
Collector Of Town Taxes.
Dated at Walden, Feb. J. \. ID. l5s2. 1926
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-02-03
Farmers Meeting at the Centre.

Farmers meetings were held ut the
Centre last week by the state board
of agriculture. Josiah Ward was made
chairman and J. G.. TIovey secretary.
The forenoon of the first day was de
voted to talk about silos. Mr.. Cook
believed in ensilage as an improver of
milk and butter. Mr.. Whipple gave
his experience with Il wooden silo
built in the barn he didn't think en-
silage added anything to the value of
the corn. but may render it more di-
gestible. Mr.. Goodwin did not favor
ensilage he had investigated the sub
iect considerably and thought the fer
mentatiOn which occurred decreased
the value of the corn, and the changing
of the sugar and starch to IA mild form
of acetic acid would prove injurious to
the animals; he had but little faith in the
final success of this system of feeding
DR.. G.. X. Drew had faith in the system
and believes it will prove Il grand sue
cess. Mr.. Cook and Ii. ID. Pierce ad-
vocated building silos of wood.
In the afternoon Mr.. Towle spoke on
the subject of keeping pastures in
good condition, and gave many useful
hints in this direction. These remarks
were followed by an interesting dis
cussion participated in by Mcssrs. Da-
Wis, Ward, Goodwin, Hovey and
Stevens. Mr.. Davis spoke while on
the production of corn, and thought
Vermont farmers ought to raise their
own corn. His remarks called out
many questions concerning fertilizers
and other things. In the evening, DR..
| Cutting delivered an address on ''Our
homes, their surroundings, and some
of the present adulterations of food"
On Wednesday morning a lengthy
discussion was held on the subject OF
sugar making, many of the farmers
present giving their experience with
sugar orchards, and offering sugges-
tiOns for adoption by others. In the
afternoon Mr.. Goodwin occupied most
of the time in speaking of the manu-
facture and application of manure ;
which was followed by an interesting
discussion on this subject. In the
evening Governor Farnham delivered
an interesting address on vermont as
Home for the Farmer" to large and
appreciative audience.
Notwithstanding the extremely cold
weather there was quite large audi
ence, and those present appeared to be
deeply interested in the various sub
jects under consideration, and engaged
freely in the discussions.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-02-03

gument for new trial is based upon
the affidavit of a man who says he
found in the room occupied by the jury
a copy of the Washington Critic, which
the jury is supposed to have read.
The names of the jurors were found
written upon the margin of the paper,
and upon this fact is based the suppO-
sition that they had read the contents
of the paper. But a careful examina-
ton of the signatures raises a presump-
ton at least that they are forgeries.
The hearing on the petition for a new
trial is set for Friday.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-02-03
ST. oJuhnsburp Galrdonian.

Now that the jury have done their
work so well, let the wretch Guiteau
sink out of sight until he is sentenced
and otherwise disposed of. There is
no prospect that he will be granted a
new trial, since there seems to be no
good grounds on which his counsel can
claim one. The quicker he is hung the
better He has been given sufficient
prominence in one direction, and the
prominence he deserves in another di-
rcction should be melted out to him as
soon as possible. There is only one
sentiment among press and people
that the verdict was IA just one. The
sentence of the law cannot be executed
upon the murderer for some time yet,
possibly not before July.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-02-03
ADMINISTRATORS SALE AT
AUCTION!

The subscriber will sell at public auction ON the
PREMISE. of the late Marion j Hoyt, on Wednes-
day February = at one o'clock D. m, all the per
sonal estate Of Marion j. HOyt late Of St Johns
bury, deceased consisting Of good work horse
brood with foai, also her last years colt
cows twO-years-old steers (handyl, calves II
sheep nice lot Of hens and turkeys / breeding
SOW and two nice -hotes, buggy and lumber wa,
CONS. dump cart, moving machine. I two-horss
traverse sled, good sleigh, one pair work and
one driving harness, buffalo robes All the CROP.
consisting Of hay, oats. wheat etc All the house
hold furniture, erOckery, beds bedding and one
sewing machine nearly new, farming tools and
hreWOOd.
Terms made known at time OF sale
EDWARD r. ALLEN Admir-.
ST. JOhnsbury, Jan. 80, Iss2 II