Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1896-05-15
A BIT OF EVIDENCE.

n Dill VI IL lUU1NCG.
On the morning of the goth of No
yember [ read in the Rutland Herald
the following note: 'fMurder! Printers
of newspapers throughout the United
States are desired to publish that Ste
phen Boom of Manchester in Vermont
is sentenced to be executed for the muir
der of Russell Colvin, who has been alb
sent about seven years. Any person who
can give information of said Colv1n
NAV save the life of the innocent by
making immediate communication.
Colvin is about feet inches high,
light complexion, light hair, blue eyes
and about 40 years old. "
This communication was copied gen
orally by newspapers and created
great deal Of interest. Before descrlb-
ing events that followed let us go back
some years and to the little town OF
Manchester.
Barney Boorn, an old man, had two
SONS, Stephen and Jesse, and daughter
Sarah, wife of Russell Colvin, a half
witted laborer. They were bad lot
poor, ignorant and in bad repute for
honesty. Two novels served them for
shelter, and a few acres Of pine barrens
constituted all their possessions. They
raised few potatoes and garden vege-
tables and eked out a scanty livelihood
In May, Colvin was at home. In June
he was missing. At first this occasioned
no remark. He was always a tramp.
But this time he did not come back. AS
weeks grew into months inquiries be-
gan to be made among the neighbors
about the missing man. There are no
tongues for gossip like those that wag
in Yankee village. One spoke to an
other. Excitement grew. Wonder, like
contagious disease, affected everybody.
1t was known that there had long ex-
listed between the old man and boys a
grudge against Colvin. It was in proof
that the last time the missing man was
seen he was at work with the BoCrns
clearing stones from a field, and that a
dispute was going On, and Lewis Colvin,
a boy, son of Russell, had stated that
his father had struck his uncle Stephen,
and that the other returned the blow,
and that then he, the boy, becoming
frightened, ran away. Again, Mr..
Baldwin had heard Stephen Boorn, in
answer to the inquiry as to where Col
vim was, say, "He's gone to hades!"
For seven years the wonder grew.
Colvin's ghost haunted every house in
Bennington county. There was no proof
that the Boorns were guilty, and yet
everybody believed it. A button and
jackknife We're found, which Mrs C.
believed to have belonged to Russell.
Dreams thrice repeated were had by
old women and kitchen girls, and 10, 900
stories were in circulation.
Five years after Colvin was missed
Stephen Boorn removed to Denmark,
while Jesse remained at home. After
the former had gone some bones were &C.
cidentally found in the decayed trunk
of tree near his house, and it was uni
versally believed that they were part of
a human skeleton. Of course, then, they
must be Colvin's bones. Jesse was ar
rested, Stephen was brought back, and
both were held for examination. AL
though all the testimony when sifted
was found to be worthless, yet the two
brothers We're remanded back to jail
and Jesse was worked upon to make
him turn states evidence. The jaile1
tormented him with suggestions which
his wife followed up with womanly
adroitness Neighbors helped. Beset
with preaching and prayers, tracts and
sermons, religious conversation and
pious directions-told that there was nc
doubt in any ones mind that Stephen
committed the murder--urged to make
a clean breast of it, and thus save both
his body and soul, what wonder that
the man confessed, or was alleged to
have confessed, that Stephen Boorn did
murder Russell Colvin?
The grand jury found bill of indict-
ment against Stephen and Jesse Boorn
for the murder of Russell Colvin. Will
liam Farnsworth testified that Stephen
confessed that he did it and that Jesse
helped him; that they hid the body in
the bushes, then buried it, then dug il
up and burned it, and then scraped the
few remains and hid them in stump.
Upon this unsupported evidence the
jury returned a verdict Of guilty against
both prisoners, and they We're sentenced
to be hanged on Jan. 20.
And now the men came to thei1
senses. They asserted their innocence
They said that they had confessed az
their last hope. Some compassion began
to be felt for them. They might, aftel
all, be innocent. A petition for thei1
pardon was presented to the legislature
bat it availed only to obtain commute
tion Of Jesse's sentence to Imprisonment
for life Stephen was to be hanged.
Let the reader now turn to anothel
chapter Of this history.
In the year Colyip disappeared Their
lived in Dover, N. j., Mr.. James Pol
hamus. During that month wayfarer
begging food. stopped at his door. Be
ing handy, good natured, homeless ant
weak of intellect, he was allowed t.
stay. He said his name was Russel
OOlV1n ana EnAb 1T cdme frOM Alatg4
chester.
Not far from Dover lies the town G
Shrewsbury. then quiet hamlet, nov
invaded by the cottages and villas o
Long Branch pleasure seekers. Her
lived Taber Chadwick, brother-in-lay
to Mr.. PolhamIs. Accidentally readin;
New York paper, he met, not with tn
notice Of the Rutland Herald, but wit
an account of the trial of the Boorns
Convinced that the Russell Colvin al
legged to have been murdered was tn
very man then living with Polhamus
he wrote to the paper a letter, whic
was published.
Upon the arrival of this paper, a
Manchester it excited but little atten
4ion. The letter Yas be1ieyed to be