Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-12-08


early and came In to listen to the debate.
The bill was killed, 1871 to A.
Mr.. Howard Of Whiting. who was speak
Ing when adjournment was taken Friday.
gave way to Mr. Webster OF Swanton.
who moved that John ID. snellman NJ
Rutland, one Of the counsel for Kent
when he was tried in Rutland county
court. be allowed under rule 25 to adj
dress the House.
Mr.. Spellman reviewed the history Of
the crime. the arrest of Kent, his escape
from Waterbury. and his trial He re-
ferred expressly to the testimony intro
duced Mt the trial bearing upon the men.
tai condition of Kent. given by DR.. D. u.
Grout, superintendent OF the State hospi-
tai for the insane at Waterbury. DR.
Wasspn an assistant superintendent at
the hospital, and DR.. Shirris. an expert
alienst oc Montreal, who was called in
the case
Mr.. Spellman also called attention to
tho testimony introduced at the trial.
showing insanity OF Kent's ancestors In
closing he made an mrassioned appeal
to the House not to permit the news to
be flashed to the world that Vermont has
sent to his death an insane man Mr.
| SpellrlIn was questioned at length and
answered all
PLEADS FOR IENIFNCY.
Mr.. Howard Of Whiting. who has
led the forces in support Of the bin
to commute. urged tho House ia stnnd
up and meet tho Issue like men, Mr..
Howard argued along the same lines
az did Mr.. Spellman, particularly as to
the mental condition OF Kent He DO
lieved If the law enacted by the pres
ent Legislature allowing Jurors to
qualify @ verdict of murder In the first
degree had been in force when Kent
was tried he never would have been
Sent enced to death. If Kent was not
nsaner he was on the verge of insan-
ity Mr.. Howard urged that Jurors
may err on the question of guilt or
insanity. and pleaded with the House
to give Kent the benefit of the doubt
Commute his sentence and he will be
no further trouble or expense to the
State.
Mr. Peck of burlington asked sew
eral questions of Attorney General
Sargent, who was present. Among
them. II the State provided all that
counsel Of the respondent asked for
in the way Of witnesses. and the re-
ply was that II did The attorney
general said that Doctor Shirts was
employed both for the State and for
the respondent He was called by the
State in rehuttal Judge Peck also
questioned the attorney general as to
the direct and circumstantial evidence
in the case. The attorney-general ex-
planned at length the modus operandi
for a murder trial. applying the same
to the trial of Kent showing that
every protection that the law could
give was thrown around him He
then went into detail as to the evil
dence introduced in the case and in
the middle OF his remarks an ad-
iournment for dinner was taken.
When the House recovered this after
noon Attorney General Sargent resumed
his remarks He read from evidence
taken at the trial showing that Kent
was in the vicinity OF the crime at the
time It was committed.
NO REASON FOR INTERFERENCE
Mr.. Bryant of Ludlow said whethe
or not the Legislature has the constitu
tional right to commute this sentence, :
, has the power. Still no newly discovere'
evidence has been brought out. and NJ
l reason Is shown why the Legislator
a should interfere. Kent was an abnorma
e man, but no expert alienist at his tria
declared him insane. That ought +
y settle the question for the Legislature
n Shall We because Of sympathy overtur
S the action OF the courts. and tend to pu
o their work and opinions in disrepute? h
I asked.
v He read a letter from Superintendent
e Lowell of the State prison at Windsor
e denying that ne had ever said Kent
insane.
Mr. stone of WhlnnE.ord again raise
the question ~ the ccnst;tutionality q
;. the Legislature Interfering with a deaf
sentence. and read from the constitutio
3 OF the State in support Of his contention
He spoke Of conditions existing l.
Wall!ngford after the crime was com
mittod, how women cared not be left n
home alone and dared not leave HON
without an escort. He again urged thu
the third reading Of the bill ne refused
Mr. Stone also read several extracts fror
' the charge delivered to tho jury this
tried Kent. given by Judge F.. L. Water
man. the presiding Judge.
Mr. House Of Berlin in behalf o
, the pure women Of Vermont urged tn
1, House to kin the bill and leave tn
responsibility of kents death wit
tho courts, where 1t belongs. Nj
Ives OF Mt. Holly spoke In favor q
tho bill.
HOW The VOTE RESULTED.
The yeas and nays were domando
and the vote resulted: Nays is
hill was refused. The yea and ma
vote was us follows:
Yeas-Bailey Baldwin. Barton
Bates, Bean f Newport, Beebe, Bee
man, Bell, Bowles, Brown, Cameron
, Corliss. Cory, Cutting of concor'
Dodds, ellis of Brookheld Feste
Goodwin, Han, Hayes, iianeitin
. Howard of Roxbury, Howard of Whit
, ing, Hutchinson Ives, Jones, kenned
of Wiiiiston, Leary, Martin of Brook
limo, Maun, McHugh, Miller of Bethe
Mills, Nelson, Phillips, Reed, hc
Ryan, sheehey, Sherwin, sternberi
Webster, wood, Young of Westhei'
I total, "A.
Nays-Abbstt Alderman, Ailard {
Colchester, Allard of Whitinghar
y Allen OF Ferrisburs, Allen of Yves
r ford, Amey, Andrus, Ballard. Barre
Barrews, Battell. Bean OF Maidston
Bsmis, Bentley, Billings Of Barno
= Billings Of Woodstock. Bisho
e Blanchard Of Readsboro, Biancha'
r Of West Windsor Bond, Bowe