The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1891-01-24
AT THE eleventh HOUR.

The Lives of Two Supposed Murdsrsrs
Saved by the Appearance of Their Vic
Tins.
"One of the most remarkable cases
that eve came to my notice., " said Judge
Baldwin, of Omaha, was that Of the
two Boorns, who were convicted years
ago in the Supreme Court of Vermont In
Bennington County, of the murder OF
Russell Colvin. 1t appears that Colvin,
who was a brother-in-law of the pris-
oners, was a person of weak mind
and was considered burdensome to
the family of the prisoners, who
were obliged to support him; that at
the time Of his disappearance he was in
a distant field where the prisoners were
at work; that a violent quarrel had
broken out between them, and that n
Of them struck him q severe blow on
the back Of the head with a club, which
felled him to the ground. Some sus-
picions arose at the time that he was
murdered, and these suspicious were
increased by the finding of his hat in
the same field a few months afterward.
These suspicious in process of time
subsidized, but later one OF the neigh-
bors, having repeatedly dreamed Of
the murder with great minuteness
Of circumstances, both in regard
to the missing mans death and
Boorns were vehemently accused and
generally believed guilty of the murder.
After a close search, the pocket-knife Of
Colvin and q button of his clothes were
found in an old open cellar in the same
field in which he had last been seen,
and in q hollow stump not many rods
from it were discovered two nails and a
number of bones, believed to be those
of a man.
Just prior to their trial friends of the
Boorns FAR above them said that the evil
dence against them was too unmistaka-
bly, plain for them to longer hold out, and
urged them to make a clean breast of the
entire matter. holding that II they did
sentences OF death-which was sure to
be the result of their trial-commuted
to imprisonment for life.
1.-THE men were tried and sentenced
to be hung. Their friends renewed
their request that they make q full con-
~fession. One of them finally complied
with the request, detailing a long story
as to just how the murder had been COM
mitted. The other confessed, but with
great reluctance and doggedness, and
would not go into details.
1.-THE one who had made the full con-
fession had the sentence of death com
muted, while the sentence Of the penal
ty of the law was ordered carried out in
the case Of the other.
"As the day Of execution approached
the doomed man made adeclaration that
he and his brother had lied-lied out
rageously-and that for his part he
would not risk facing his Maker with 30
awful a lie upon his soul. The declara-
ton was received simply as an act Of
supreme cowardice in the face Of death,
and caused all but two or three of the
most intimate friends of the maker Of 1t
to turn against him, so plain-to their
minds and to the minds OF the entire
community-was it that both men were
guilty beyond all possible doubt
"The last sunrise but one for the
doomed man was just flooding his YER
mont home when who should appear
at the door but Russell Colvin-the man
for the murder Of whom Boorn was upon
the morrow to be executed.
1.-THE explanation of the whole mat
ter" added Judge Baldwin, sis simple
In its character.
"The two Boorns had jumped upon
Colvin in the field and beaten him. He
has escaped from them. leaving his hat
behind, and sc overpowered was he
with fear he continued the flight until
he found himself in New Jersey. At
the last moment, he had learned that
one of his prosecutors was about to be
hanged as his murderer, and although
he had suffered great brutality at his
hands, Colvin Immediately fastened
back to save the unlucky fellows neck.
As for the confessions which the Boorns
INDEPENDENTLY the full and very
explicit ~one-they were made simply
for one purpose, that Of trying to save
their necks."-Chicago Evening journal.