Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-12-15
VERMONT MYSTERY.
The once Celebrated Case OF Joseph
Burnham Of Woodstock.
From the Springfield Republican,


Jos ,ph Burnham nddlc-ased farmer oil
the town of Woodstock, was convicted of
rape two or three years before MOrgan's dis
appearance, and sentenced to term in the
State prison at Windsor. The woman who
made the charge had bad character, many
believed the man innocent, and strong ef-
fort was made to get him pardoned, headed
by his son George, who lived in New York
city but while this work was in progress,
October 10, 1926, Durham died in prison.
His body was delivered to the son, George,
two days later, aud by him taken to Wood
stock and bnricd. There is no doubt that
tho ale the facts. But soon after the death
there came IL rumor that man named Ly-
man Mower, who once lived in Woodstock
and knew Durham there, had seen him in
New York city, alive and well, going by the
name Of Patrick DJlon. The matter at
tractcd very little attention until the rising
of the excitement following MOrgau's disap-
pCaranCc two or three years la'cr when the
old story came up in II most uuaCCountablc
way ms Masonic outrage. durham was II
Mason, the superintendent of the prison, the
physician in charge and some other Officers,
as well us George, his son, were MasOus ami
had fogned death and been allowed to es-
cape by the prsion officials, while the body of
some other peisOn was buried by his friends as
| II blind And in the popular excitement of the
| time this matter assumed II degree of impOr-
| lance which now seems incredible i'll view Ut
| the slender evidence upon which the case
rtstcd-thc reported statement of Mower
vino WAS known to he an unreliable man
| The story, however, grew ana grew until
IN the summer If 1929 it was taken up Ivy
the newspapers and Journalistic war cnsutd,
the like Of which was never seen in Vermont
before or since. In the midst OF this Mower
| published an affidavit setting forth that he
saw Durham in New York in the Fan of
1896, and that in 1898 he had met
and talked with him often. A man nam
ed Cutter als) made affidavit that he saw
Burnhim in New York in July Of the
current year, and these statements, with
whispers Of some impending developments
about the prison, fairly created popular fury.
In October the Woodstock secctmen order
ed the disinlermcnt of Burnham's remains
for identification. The body was cxhumcd,
but could not be identified with certainty,
and few days later the operation was re-
peated in the presence of II large crowd, but
with no better result. But ut the same time
the matter was taken 10 the Legislature, n
and then the truth was established. A leg
islatve committee went to New York anC
offered Mower $500 if he would prOduc,
Durham in Vermont and guaranteed Il par
don for the latter. Thereupon the whol,
thing fell through Patrick Dolan wa
found, and it seemed that Mower hat
known him perfectly well for sevcra
years and could not possibly have beei
mistaken, us he then said he was. The mos
probable explanation of the whole matter i
5 that some resemblance which Dolon bore Il
Durham led Mower to make a thoughtes
3 remark, which was magniied in going l.
Vermont, that as the excitement rose he lie'
= deliberately from love of mischief and noto
ricty, and that Cutter did the same. Tn
= committees report was ordered published i
+; the newspapers, and the controversy die
Q out, but still so many stories had been cirCt
:. lated and such an issue made of the matte
D that TO this day many persons believe tina
o 10 Durham was let out of prison alive b
+ wicked fellow-Masons.
c And the curious political drama was fo
=, lowed by an equally strange farce. In I'll
S course OF Masonic cxulting snecring allu'
ions to the 80 Burnham tragedy wer
heard upon every hand, and at last a, Wool
stock newspaper published prospectl
of book on the subject. The announc,
y
, tic squib, but it was taken literally, an
y, orders for the book began to come to Il
y newspaper Office, Then the editor, an c,
ID centric genius named Kendall, undertook
I'd produce something TO fill the demand, an
nj the result was II little volume called I'll
=" Dolelui Tragedy of the Raising of 10 Bur-
u ham," in which burlesquc upon blal
Y. verse was kept in countcnance by woo'
7; cuts such us the world never saw bcfor
r. The characters, as well as the story, we
v taken from life, and the thing was Civ,
III point 10y the fact that several of them-mi
dle-aged, sober citizens, and one $. O. Low
10 land of Reading, Unversalist minister
Of had travelled about the State rousipg Il
Il, ''anti' heart by giving dramatic represent
It. tons of Masonic ceremonies. Moreover,
| stroling theatrical company happening alol
V. soon .aIler the publication appeared, g,
/; burnham' was put on the boards; some
n, the leading characters were studied in the
(; daily walk by the play actors and reproduc
le- and the most ridiculous of all stage perfor
C. ances finally produced had II run ne'
q ; equaled in Vermont.