Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1898-04-13
Counting Days at Newfaue, Vt.

COurtlng Days at Newfaue, Vt.
One who comes here to this quiet little
village away up in the mountains of Wind
ham county and compliments the villager
or the court attendant upon what lovely
spot this may be in summer, is told that he
is guessing correctly, but that in winter,
excepting at term time Of the county court,
he will find life dull and monotonous and
yet there is something bewitching in the
quietule and stiffness Of this quaint town.
By the way, one who is used to calling this
old county ''Wndum," with accent on the
first syllable, feels rather out of place when
the native speaks Of "Windbam," with the
full pronunciation and the accent on the
eham."
The village itself is pretty little hamlet
of probably so houses. One leaves tie
train at the little station on the hillside
Just above is the village cemetery. PEG
pie evidently live here to an advanced age,
for there are gravestones in large numbers
indicating the resting places of men and
women who have seen 80 and 80 years.
However, as one OF the citizens confidently
impaired to me, as he had just returned
from digging a grave, that it wasn't just
the thing to have to bail ont grave before
the funeral. The hill where the cemetery
is situated is full of living springs, and q
grave will fill nearly TO the top if not
attended to between the time it is dug and
the time it receives the casket.
There is a wonderful air of comfort anG
thrift here at Newfane. 1t is restiul ant
charming The old village was on New
fame hill, some two miles or more farther
away and from there the view is simply
grand. Here were the old courthouse anc
the Jail and the law office of the leading
and presumably the first, attorney of thu
town or perhaps the county. Here alst
were the hotel and several dwellings. Wha
induced the change, along early in the cen
fury, is not stated. But all at once thu
village was moved and down into the vale,
came hotel, Jail, church, some dwellings
and possibly portion or the whole of thu
old courthouse. Recently wealthy sum
mer resident, Philadelphia woman, be
lieve, has had monuments erected on New
tame hill indicating where these building
were located, and summer house of thu
chalet order erected there. In summe
there are Episcopal Sunday services hell
which are attended by people from mile
around. some coming from as far away a
| Brattleboro.
Near by the depot is the Windhan
County house, at the left OF the sort Q
square through which the main and onl,
real street passes The Jail is here in thi
building at the left OF the hall as one enter
the hotel, and to the right is the office ant
then the parlor and SO on. The roomy
low ceillnged dining room. is in the rear
The county owns both jail and hotel, ant
the old-time landlord, Underwood, Sra-
died only recently and of whom man,
anecdotes are yet told, was for long
time the jailer also. The jailer gets $50
a week tor boarding the prisoners, and fiv'
men are awaiting trial or under sentence
With two large places like Brattleboro ant
Bellows Falls, and some other villages il
the county, only five men in jail, is COCO
record compared with some counties il
some states. Take Berkshire county il
your state, with, say, not twice the popu
latlon of Windham, and an average OF 10(
persons in prison and this old Vermont
county with but five, tells It's own story.
am told the town has but half dozen pau
pers and those old and infrm people
The jail is an old building, securely con
structed, no doubt. There is corridor
separated from the entrance hall by heav!
iron bars, and here the prisoners can WISH
and spend their days while serving sen
tence or waiting trial. The grand jury
meets but once year, and fellow hello
for it often has long wait before indict
ment. There are cells, five in all, at one
side, like crypt, as 1t were, with no win
dow and possibly little ventilation. A
cracking wood ire makes it quite warn
and comfortable. The old jail has his
tory, ard it is said that many murder ers
bu, glars and other bad men have beer
confined here. Probably Waite, the Brat
tleboro cashier, who was confined here TO
some time few years ago, was among thu
most prominent prisoners tor many year
Sunday school is held Sunday afternoons
and the music OF gospel hymns float
through the hotel in the stiffness OF TIN
hour.
The court house is an old structure ant
yet we'll preserved. From its belfr,
swings the bell to call the court. Ttl
minutes before 9, then at the hour, ant
ten minutes before 2 and then at 2, tn
bell calls together judge, associate judges
Jurors, lawyers, attendants, litigants ant
court officials. No wonder the Windbsr
county bar stand well as they do. tn
walls of the old court room are hung wit
portraits of noble men, said to be a large
collection than in any other court house i
the state. Prominent is that of WiliaI
&c. Bradley, one OF the ablest men, SO it
said, that the state of Vermont ever pre-
duced. He was in congress with Webste
and delivered eulogy over the great SO
of Massachusetts, which it is said neve
has been equaled by any tongue. Th
painting is life S re and commands after
ton at once. In one corner is the pictur
of Stephen X. Field, said to have bee
one of Vermont's best lawyers. A brother
l believe, also went out from here to tb
West, became great lawyer, and ha
something to do with writing the Dire
Scott decision. There are many ottt
ESR 1t