Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-03-12
A FAMOUS CASE.
O'rom the Randolph Herald

The Bennington Banner and Reformcr
contributes an interesting chapter bear
ing on the subject of capital punishment.
it being a review of the noted Boornes
case, which so deeply stirred this State
and, in fact. the entire Country-ncarly a
century ago. stephen and Jesse Boornes
quarreled with their brOthcr-n-law. Rus
sell Colvin, and one OF the brothers felled
him with a club. Colvin disappeared. 1t
was supposed he had been murdered. and
years atterward, some of his personal Of
fleets and a number Of bones were found
near the scene of the quarrel. The broth
ors were arrested and confessed that
they had killed Covin and secretod his
body. Both were convicted and sentenced
to death. The Legislature Of 1919 conf
muted the sentence of one. hut the other
was to he hanged. The latter then with
drew his confession and maintained his
innocence. hut no attention was paid to
it. The day of execution had almost ar
rived and the gallows had even been
raised when, to the surprise of all. col
vim reappearcd alive and well. He had
recovered from the blow and fled in fear
OF his life, but was seen in New Jersey
and induced to return in time to save
the neck of his assalant. The bones
found were those Of some animal The
case rested on circumstantial evidence
and on the confessions Of the supposed
m'lrdercrs. which were perhaps natural
under the peculiar conditions. The case
shows how faulty is human Judgment
and how serious n matter ii is for the
state to inflict the death penalty. 1t
necessarily raises the question. is it not
better to err in the direction of lenicncy
than to run the risk of making a hideOus
mistake Other instances are on record
where innocent men have gona TO the
scaffold. What wonder that men fight
shy of service on iuries and. when sit
If I 81.
an almost unaccountablc weakness in
passing men to the gallows.
RISE OF THE VERMONT FARMER.
t'rom the Lyndonvnle Journal)
The Vermont farmer has entered upon
a period of the greatest opportunities for
his calling since the golden agricultural
days of the Civil War, unless all appear
ances prove decoitful. A trip through
the state at large with an eye to the
farming interests will convince even the
most skcptical of a revival of prosperity
and Wcll-bcnE. Barns are generally
found stocked with horses, sheep and
cows to their fullest limits. making pas
turags conditions for the coming season
entirely different than only a few wears
ago, when pasture ranges for miles in
extent could be thoroughly secured with
out hardly seeing a specimen of live
~
growth of weeds and bushes Farmers
who with much toll and "pinching'' in
unfavorahlc conditions, had barely sue
ceedcd in owning the farm and stock
free and clear, found 1t a tough struggle
To fight off a yearly balance on the wrong
side of the ledger, now report a snug
income laid aside each year, Others with
AN unremitting and discoura ging wrestle
with the mortgage on the farm for many
years, have now the old enemy on his
back. thoroughly subdued and conquered
II is now either the poor farmer or the
farmer with only half a chance who to
use the homely but familiar expression,
does not make both ends meet" few
words about the causes OF this agrcul-
tural revival Admittedly favorable tariff
legislation and the recent stringency in
the coal and beef markets hava been n
direct help to the farmer enabling him
to get increased prices for most of his
produce, but the leading cause is. what
may be termed "a change of heart in the
farmer himself. Recent developments
have taught him and his sons that
shrewdness. industry and calculation
have as high a market value on the Yer
mont farm in the West, or in the
strange and crowded conditions OF large
cities and there is less speculation as to
the dividends. lie has found and betaken
to himself the advantages of electric
lights mail deliveries and other appli-
ances, which put external conditions on
a plane with life at the town As to the
things that add TO the enJoyments. graces
and refinements of life nusicales, dra-
MATES and societies for social, literary
ana religious Improvement, he is alive
10 the fact that they may be made quite
as enjoyable within the circle OF his