The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-07-28

the house of the supposed murderer, ar
rested him, put him in irons, tore him
from his distressed family and carried
him to Manchester. He stOutly as
serted his innocence and declared that
he knew nothing about the murder of
his brOther-in-law. The prisoners were
kept apart for time, but finally were
put into the same cell. Stephen denied
the statement of Jesse with Indignation.
The examination was continued for
many days. Every item of evidence was
exaggerated and new facts were addueed.
A son of Colvin testified that he saw his
Uncle Stephen knock his father down.
when he was frightened and ran away.
Jesse Tetracted his former statements
and denied that Stephen ever told him
that he had killed Colvin. But the com
munity was of the opinion that both
prisoners were guilty, and they were
committed for trial on the charge of
murder, to be tried in the following
September.
The prisoners were indicted by the
grand jury, but the trial was deferred
until the 18th of October. Stephen had
maintained his innocence in the most
solemn and impressive terms. In the
long delay of the trial the people of the
vicinity had free access to the prisoners,
who were subjected to the influences
which not infrequently control the opin
ions of the public. Belief in their guilt
was universal. Every succeeding visitor
advised them to confess as the only
means of saving their lives. Good men
knelt with them and prayed the Lord to
lead them to confession; men in little
brief authority promised them the
weight of their influence if they would
confess. The black shadow of the gal
lows vas ever'before their eyes, only to
be removed by confession. The rattle
of their chains seemed to voice confess
sion, the walls of their cells appeared TO
echo back the sound; even hope itself
seemed bound up in the single word
confession!
1t was not strange that the weak
minds of these inferior men lost their
power of resistance and finally yielded.
On the 9th of August Stephen called for
pen, ink and paper and in his cell wrote
and signed his confession" The
miserable falsehood is before me. 1t is
unnecessary to copy it in detail. Still,
some of its expressions so clearly show
the inexplicable workings of the mind
that they ought to be presented. They
had little alteration; stephen called
Colvin little tory. Colvin struck at
him with piece of beech limb about
two feet long" Stephen caught it out
of COlvin's hand, struck him back
handed blow-there was knot in it one
inch long, which went in on the great
cord on the back of Colvin's neck close
by his hair, broke off and he fell" When
he found Colvin was dead he put him in
the corner of the fence by the cellar hole
and put briars over him; in the night he
dug grave with hoe, put him into it
covered him up and went home crying.
Long afterward he took up the bones
aud buried them un err the stable floor
of his fathers barn. The next day the
barn was burned. He went there,
gathered up the few bones, and threw
them into the river. There were a few
little things that he gathered up and
dropped into the hollow stump and
kicked the dirt over them. ''All these
things acknowledge before the world"
The trial came on in an excited COM
munity. The prisoners pleaded not
guilty. Separate trials were denied them.
Both repudiated their confessions and
solemnly asserted that the admissions
were extorted from their fears. An
audience of 600 people watched the trial.
Every tritling circumstance was given in
evidence, and as it's substance had
reached the jury the prisoners counsel
permitted the written confession to be
read. There could be but one result in
such excitement. Both prisoners were
convicted of the crime of murder. and
were sentenced ito be hung by the neck
until they were dead" on the 18th of the
following January.
The legislature was then in session at
Montpelier, the State capital. Some of
the good citizens of Manchester pre-
scented the petitions of the condemned
prisoners for the Communication of the
death sentences to imprisonment for
life. They were willing that the SEN
tence of Jesse should be mitigated, but
for Stephen they had no mercy. The
Legislature committed the sentence of
Jesse, bat by vote of 81 against AZ,
left Stephen to the mercies of the hang
man.
And hung he would have been hut for
an accident which should have covered
that whole community with mOrtifica-
ton. For many years there had been
settled over a white congregation at
West Rutland colored clergyman, the
Rev. Lemuel Haynes. From very low
origin ia Connecticut he had by his own
eXertions obtained an education, studied
for the ministry, and become somewhat
celebrated for his ability and fidelity in
his Masters service. He had preached
a sermon on Universal Salvation" in
answer to one by Rev. Eli Ballou,
which it was said had been oftener re-
published that any English book except
the immortal allegory of John Bunyan.
He had resigned his charge at West
Rutland on account of his advanced age
and come to Manchester to reside. But
he had not ceased to visit the prisoners
and comfort the mOurneTs. He visited
the Jail in Manchester saw Jesse Boorn
take his farewell of his brother and of
his own family and depart to the State
prison, there to spend the remainder of
his life. He read the Scriptures to and
prayed with the brother left to die. He
insisted that the convict should be per
mitted to have a candle and other com
forts. Here is what the venerable man
wrote of him: HE said: Mr.. Haynes,
see no way but l must die; everything
works against me; but am an innocent
man; this you will know when l am
dead. What will become of my poor
wife and children? L told him God
wouldtake care of them. He id: l
don't want to die. If they would let me
live even here some longer, perhaps
something would happen which would
convince the people of my innocence. l
was about to leave the prison when he
asked, will you pray for mep He rosa
with his heavy chains on his legs, being