The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1910-12-08
G.. @. Hard.
TEL. 23-3.
BENNINGTON oOUNTY's REPRE-
sENTATI,Es IN MONTPELIER.
A Close-to.Hand View by the Jour
nails special Correspondent at
the Capitol.

\ tIosr-tD.hand view Dy tiic Jour
nails Special Correspondent at
the Capitol.
Montpelier. Dee. 5-The legisla--
iure made considerable progress last
week toward adjournment and the
rate that business was disposed OF
on Wednesday and Thursday led
SOME to think the work might be all
finished by next week. Speake
Howe was one OF these. II is hard
ly probable however. that this can b
done and II final adjournment can b
had Ia time for the members 10
reach home for the Christmas Dime
IL will be fortunate for all concern
ed The volume of work turned off
last week was not fair basis on
which to estimate the length OF tim
II may take TO dispose OF the re-
naming business for the bulk OF II
was OF minor Importance such AZ
private corporation bills. legalizlng
appraIsals and grand lists and lik,
measures that go along without de
bate. There are many measures
still TO be disposed OF that viii
AXE time. just as the bin 10 com
mute the sentence Of Elroy Kent
awaiting hanging for the murder
of Della Congdon In Wallingford, ot
cupied the whole forenoon Friday
and is still undisposed Of
This bill was reported adversely
by the committee and for a while
looked as though the House WAS go
ing To let the report settle 1t. AT
the debate progressed and II began
to dawn on the members that the
final responsibility for the taking
of a human life was resting on their
shoulders sentiment began to change
10 that II vote had been taken al
noon just before the House ad
lourned Kent's life would probably
have been spared.
Those whe were opposed to com
mntlng the sentence at the very
start raised the question of the con
stitutionelity of the right OF tn,
legislature to take any such action
a
members who did not relish the
idea OF their vote sending maj
to the gallows could satisfy theii
conscience by the argument thai
they had no right to interfere with
a decision OF the courts
Mr.. Wall Of Dorset, was really
responsible for an unusual pro.
seeding when he stated that h
Hid .ot believe the House was com
je.ont to pass upon the eonstltu
tional question that had been rails
I'd. He got right down TO bras
tacks and said he wanted to know
whether or not Kent was insan,
when he committed the crime, OF
before IL or after IL and seyera
other pertinent things before he
cast his vote. This led to motor
% have Attorney General Sargent
&plain the case 10 the House The
aftarpap o.narai ut.,aI tbat K.nf
had never been adJudged insane by
any court and that the defenc,
when ne was tried was insanity. Mr..
Sargent would not venture an opin
ion on the constitutional right OF
he legislature to commute the sen.
tenee
During the debate Kent was char
acterized ali the way from an un.
fortunate degenerate 10 rattle.
snake and devil Some strong ap-
peals to sentimate were made and
80 hours and quarter the
feelings OF the members were SC
wrought upon that II was with a
Sigh of relief that a motion to put
he matter over until tomorrow was
adopted The delay Is likely 10 bt
favorable to Kents chances Of es.
Gaping the gallows. II he docs nos
he eill probably be the last person
10 hang Ia Vermont. for with the
passage OF the Amey capital pun
'shment bin II u not thought that
any jury viii be likely TO impose
the death penalty This is alsS
likely 10 be the last commntatiot
ea&e that Win harrow up legisIa.
ire for the proposals OF amend
ment 20 the constitution take awal
lhe right Of the legislature. Il 4
really has the right, to interfere Il
sach cases
The conference committee on thi
trustee process mnddle.ot which ihi
senate members are Senators cush
man, Archibald aud Dale. have heil
one meeting which was mainly de
voted 20 each side telling the othe
aaal Il thought about them Il
the stfainrd relations over this mat
ter Vas probably necessary pre
iiininary 10 et,ing doWn 20 buslnes
sne Il Ia likely some progress vii
be made At the neat sitting Bot
sides wiii have TO coneeds some
tAlIg II any change 10 the prssen