Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-05-25
THOMPSON ACQrITTEp.

81 am here to show you that the defendant
is guilty Of no crime either by human or d.
vine law" were the first words Of Senator
Voorhees in beginning his argument 10 the
Jury in defence Of Congressman Phil B,
Thompson. The Jury appear to have taken
the lawyers view OF the matter, and at any
rate brought in verdict Of acquttal-lhe an
nouncement Of which, the telegraph says,
"was received with deafening shout by the
densely crowded court ROOM"
The principal facts which led to the mur-
der which Thompson committed appear 10
have been as follows: A certain Mrs. Buck
ner, friend of Thompson and Mrs. Thomp'
son, and also a whilom friend of Davis, ac-
companied Thompson and his wife to Cincin'
natl in November last, and Thompson LETT
his wife In her care. She knew Mrs. Thomp-
son had been an invalid and had brought
trouble on herself and family by the excessive
use of liquors. Yet, while IN the hotel, she
gave Mrs. Thompson all the sherry she
wanted, and shc seems TO have aided and
abetted Davis in whatever he did-and it
is claimed that he got Mrs Thompson in
toxica,cd and turned her out of the hotel
room in the middle of the night. Mrs Buck
ner thercupon proceeded to tell the story to
Thompson, with very great exaggeration'
Thompson then separated from his wife i'm
medlately, and waited for good chance 10
shoot Davis. The opportunity came and he
bagged his game with great promptness and
accuracy The trial was queer one all the
way through. The defendant sat in the
court room smoking cigar, which he re-
moved from his mouth at the pathetic pas
sagcs ia the testimony and wept copiously
A fire occurred during the trial, and muir
derer, sheriff, witnesses and all sailed out
and worked vigorously to subduc the flames
And finally as finishing touch to The gro
tesqueness of the whole thing comes the YER
vict of acquittal.
The outrageous character of the verdict
needs no exposure. A man hears from
tattling busy body of the female sex 0
grossly exaggerated story of an indiscretior
committed by his wife. He separates from
her and six months later murders IN colo
blood the man whose criminality is attested
only by the lying tale-bearer Ample time hat
elapsed toallow Thompson to verify the story
he had heard, but he seems to have made
no effort In that direction ; and, not in the
heat of passion or the fury of a iust-discov-
cred wrong, hut in cold blood he constituted
himself accuser, jury, judge and execution
er, and murdered defcnceless man.
And yet Senator Voorhees, says and
the jury seem to say, that Thompson Is
guilty of no crime either by human oil
divine law" That may be the Southern
view Of the aifair-their ideas on the subjec,
OF blood-letting are very crude, down there
but it is not the Northern view nor the Nine
teenth-ccntury view. The case shows, in
deed, in a stronger light than usual, how
very far behind the times the South is, aud
new public sentiment before it can hope fol
any advancement in material things. Ken
lucky has, we believe, elaborate official ma
chinery for promoting immigration into the
State. But surely no thoughtful emigrant,
who possesses any regard for the feelings Of
his relatives and friend, will venture
inio State where murder is legalized.
An undertaken who was also u deaf mute
might thrive there, We should imagine, but
less fortunate people should think twice be-
fore immigrating into such 4 State. With
our colder Northern temperament We Gencr-
ally try to protect society by hanging or I'M.
prisoning gentlemen whose sense of honor il
so touching as is Mr.. Thompsons; but in
Kentucky be is made sort of hero, and
goes forth from the court room amid deaf
ening cheers freeman and if his past rec
ord is any indication Of what his future viii
be, will perhaps add 10 his glory by thu
commiss on of q few more murders.