The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1901-02-06
THE DEATH SENTENCE.

In the Supreme court room at the State
House Wednesday, Frank Shaw, the con-
victed murderer of Deputy Sheriff George
w. Hoffman of White River Junction was
sentenced to death by Judge Watson.
In anticipation of a disposition OF this
nesday was unusually large. Shaw was
brought in shortly before nine o'clock by
Sheriff Graves and Deputy Sheriff Jones
OF Windsor. Aside from an extreme pallor
he had the appearance OF good health, and
chatted with an attorney with whom he
was acquainted His left arm which was
injured at the time OF his capture still gives
him much trouble, and 1t was necessary for
the officers to assist him in removing his
overcoat
The story of the crime for which Shaw
was convicted of murder in the first degree
at the last June term of Windsor county
court is familiar to mo 1t WATCHMAN readers.
The respondent and Dustu Shaw, his faith
er, were confined in Windsor county Jail at
Woodstock for illegal deer shooting They
broke j ,iI and when fol owed by Sheriff
| Spofford and Deputy Sheriff Hoffman, Shaw
shot the latter through the heart. This
crime was committed in the town of Stock
br dge, and Shaw was captured several
days later near East Middlebury.
| In the lower court Judge Munson, who
presided at the trial, ordered Judgment
on the verdict OF the jury. Exceptions were
taken by G. A. Davis, counsel for Shaw.
These were filed July 10 last, and argued at
the October term Of Supreme court. The
case was given to Judge Watson who rem
dered an opinion and pronounced sentence
this morning.
The opinion by Judge Watson occupied
an hour in delivery. 1t was exhaustive,
| lucid and covered clearly every exception
| taken by respondents counsel. Citations
from other we'll known cases were numer-
GUS. and their application to the case at bar
| IL Al
| bench, bar and spectators, and especially of
| the respondent, was closely held during the
| delivery.
Among the exceptions, all Of which were
overruled, were the following: One Juror
| was excused from serving on the case be-
cause he had read of it ia the newspapers,
had formed and expressed an opinion which
he still held, and had conscientious scruples
against the death penalty.
| Evidence was admitted at the trial show.
ing the fight of Shaw after the shooting.
The State was allowed to show at the
trial that Shaw and his father broke Jail at
Woodstock.
| The testimony Of Charles Batchelder, who
drew the plan OF the spot where the homicide
| occurred was admitted, subject to the ex-
ception that the witness was not on the
| ground at the time of the shooting. The
| evidence DR., Stevens who owned the rifle
carried by Hoffman at the time he was
killed was also admitted subject to excep-
| ton.
There were also numerous exceptions to
the testimony by the respondent brought
out by cross examination and to Judge
Munson's charge.
In summing up Judge Watson said:
Judgment ought to be and is rendered
| upon the verdict"
Shaw was then ordered to stand. To the
enquiry of Clerk Smile as to whether he
had anything to say why the sentence OF
the law should not be pronounced upon
him he replied ~ have not"
Not muscle quivered as Judge Watson
then sentenced him to be hanged by the
neck until dead, within the walls OF the
State prison at Windsor on the Fl st Friday
in February, 1908, between the hours Of
one and two o'clock in the afternoon. Up
to the last three months prior to the day of
| the execution Shaw was sentenced to hard
labor, the last three months to be in SOL
| itary confinement.
AS Judge Watson's closing words, "Msy
| God have mercy on your SOUL" sou ded
through the hushed court room the re-
| spondent gave convulsive shudder and
sank back into his seat. He was taken
back to Windsor Wednesday by Deputy
| Sheriff Jones,