The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1899-03-28
STRANGE CONFESSIONS.


Inat man on the rack, will
every nerve quivering, with every
nerve drawn to its utmost tension
with the pain increasing in intensity
and violence, should confess himself
the perpetrator Of crime is natura,
enough. The prospect of relief from
actual pain is temptation that
blinds the sufferer to the future.
But it may seem strange, and is in
deed one the most inexplicable
things in human history, that men
have been induced by religious ex-
hortations and other means of per-
Nsuasion to sign their own death
warrants by confessing crimes ac-
tually never committed. Such in
England was the case of John Per-
ry, executed near Canipden in 1861,
with his mother and brother, for
numbering William Harrison, stew
ard for Lady Campden. The testi-
mony against them was chiefly the
confession of John Perry himself,
but, to the astQnishment of all, Har-
rison, who had been kidnapped and
carried off, returned two years after
the execution.
In 1912 man named Russell Col
vim, living at Manchester, VT, dis
and suspicious of foul
play were entertained. Public opin-
ion attributed his murder to Stephen
and Jesse Boorn. Still, as there was
no definite ground on which to ar
rest them, the excitement gradually
drew away. In 1919, however, a Mr..
Boorn dreamed that he had been
by two men, whom he
fixed upon as his nephews, Stephen
and Jesse.
The ghost of the murdered man
even specified the place of the muir
Ter and the old cellar hole where
he mangled body had been thrust.
Here a knife and buttons were
'ound, which were identified as be-
onging to Colvin. On this the men
we're arrested. Stephen and Colvin
lad quarreled just before the disap-
)earance of the latter, and Stephen
lad been seen to strike him with q
lub and knock him down.
In a short time Jesse confessed
hat he and Stephen, with their fa- |
her, after Stephen knocked him
own, had carried him to the old |
ellar and cut his throat with a |
ackknife. He further stated that
he next year they made away with
most of the bones of their victim.
tephen after a time admitted the
ruth of Jesse's confession and ac-
ually signed a written confession.
IN this they were convicted and
entenced to be hanged on the 2Sth
f January, 1920. They applied for
of the sentence, and
s some believed their innocence ad-
were inserted in vari-
us papers for Colvin. Not long aft
rward letter appeared in the New
ork Evening Post, signed by Mr..
hadwick and dated Shrewsbury,
!. j., Dec. 6, 1919, stating that a
lightly deranged man named Rus
III Colvin had been there five years
sfore. This was generally looked
pom as hoax, but James Whelpley
New York, who knew Colvin, re-
lived to follow up the clew and ac-
tally found Colvin at the house of
lillian Polhemus, at Dover, N. j.,
here he had been since April, 1918.
Mr.. Whelpley took him to New
ork, the common council gave him
cans to proceed to Vermont, and
, arrived at Manchester on the 22d
~ of December.
The whole place was in state of
lid excitement. People gathered
from all the surrounding country
see the dead alive. A cannon was
ought out, and Colvin was saluted
ith discharge of cannon and
,all arms, Stephen Boorn firing
g first piece. There was much dis
ssion as to the motive for the con-
ssion, some attributing it to the
'ect of imprisonment, general
ri of panic and terror and others to
Q injudicious advice and exhorta-
ms of clergyman. Wonderful ,
Tents and Startling Incidents"