St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1903-06-10
The "Limits" Of the Old HaverhiII Jail


EDITOR CALIFORNIAN:
What was said in the last CALIFORNIAN
about the Limits" OF the old Danville
Jail caused me to look up what Arthur
Livermore has said about the old Graf
ton county Jail in his "Haverhill Corner
Seventy Years Ago." The period referred
to was about 1920. These records are
of a condition OF business life which has
so long passed away that the present
generation hardly knows of it even by
tradition. There are few people living
in Haverhill Corner who can point out
the Jail limits" of which Mr.. Livertnore
speaks. The present Jail, standing un.
used in that village, is not the one Of
which he speaks. but successor, erected
about 60 years ago.
"A different character, though a well
dressed person, living apparently at ease
and without any kind of employment,
made his daily appearance in public in
those days. His walks were strictly
limited within half mile OF the Jail, in
side which limit, whether for health or
enjoyment, be was much abroad.
I'm brief, he was one of a class rather
numerous in those days, termed "jail
BIRDS" unfortunate gentlemen who had
been imprisoned for debt, but by giving
bonds to keep within the prescribed dis
tance from the prison, were set at large.
After while the gentleman referred 10,
settled with his creditors, married very
nice young lady employed as an amanu.
ensis in the registry of deeds, and disap-
peared from Haverhill. A granddaughter
of theirs is at this writing public singer
of some eminence.
There were at that time number OF
jail birds at Haverhill Corner, most OF
them apparently laboring men, whose
established character for honesty enabled
them to furnish the required securities,
and thus to obtain employment enabling
them to live.
Imprisonment for debt was defended
by some. sensible men, who thought it
acted as restraint upon imprudence, as
well as an aid to the poor man requiring
credit. He could obtain it by means of
this sort OF lien which the creditor held
upon the body of the debtor. But one
very serious mischief of the usage was
that many enterprising and useful men
toreseeing their inability to meet their
payments, absconded to avoid the disas-
ter of their failure.
Imprisonment for debt was gradually
| alleviated, and in 1910 absolutely abol-
ished, excepting always pre-existing con-
tracts. which the constitution of the
United States did not permit a state to
impair, as it would do by weakening in
| any form the creditors means of entorc.
ing them. Consequently, for a number
OF years after the repeal, the process ran
against the body of the debtor whose
control antedated it, and | remember
one unlucky man, as late as 1S4S, whose
case was not comprised in the several
ameliorating statutes designed for the
relief OF debtors, and who was held in
strict confinement until he paid.
Prisons are stages at which a consid-
cradle class OF adventures are arrested
and not few end, and that check and
eddy OF passion results many times in
scenes and traditions very interesting"
The old Danville Jail received in its
time many noted criminals, and victims
of misfortune. Can no one give us some
"reminiscences otthat structure, its appear
ance and general plan? Bristol Bill was
confined there, and came near making
his escape. 1t also held another noted
individual, General William Barton, a
revolutionary hero, from whom, think,
the town of Barton is named, and who
was confined in that Jail fourteen years
or more for debt. He was released at
the time of Lafayette's visit to Vermont
in 1925, either by the Marquis paying
bis debt, or by using his influence in his
behalf, l have forgotten which. What
were the facts in the case?
F. P. WELLS.
Newbury, June S, 1908.