The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-12-07
KENT MUST HANG
WAS THE VERDICT
House of Representatives in Dramatic
Scene Refused to Commute Sentence
of Condemned Man.

Elroy Kent is to be hanged by the
neck until he is dead. So said 1877 mem.
bers of the House Of Representatives yes
terday afternoon, after one Of the most
exhaustive fights ever made in a legis
lature to save the life OF condemned
man. All day long until 4 o'clock, the
members struggled with the question with
the forces for and against Communication
apparently fairly evenly divided But
the turning point came when Attorney
General Sargent, after having devoted
some time to the question of kent's san
ity, showed with relentless logic, by the
testimony in the case, that Kent and no
other could have committed the killing
OF Della Congdon. As he went into some
Of the atrocious features OF the crime
and pointed out that they stamped the
deed as the work OF man OF hent's
mental calbre and, added to that the
threat made by Kent that he would COM
nit the lesser crime, which was coupled
with the greater and the admission that
he killed the woman because she made a
noise, the effect of his words were plainly
apparent on the House.
The scene in the House was one that
in all probability win never be repeated
in Vermont. The feelings OF the mem
bers, which had been wrought upon all
day, were at high tension as they
listened to the attorney generals pre-
sentiment of the case, which was done
calmly and dispassionately, as was be-
fitting his position and the solemnity of
the occasion. That laughter followed
the remarks of Mr.. Ives OF Mount Holly
simply showed the strain the members
were laboring under, and they apparent
ly welcomed the moments relief afforded
BY his rather feeble sallies There was
no disposition to shut off the debate,
and every member had the opportunity.
to express his views 10 his hearts con-
tent, so that the people OF the state,
who may not agree with the decision ar
rived at by the House, can rest assured
that if ever a condemned prisoner had a
fair show for his life it IS Elroy Kent,
And when the vote was taken, there
was no dodging, Not member was
seen to leave the hall, and while some
Of the responses We're rather feeble the
members stood mp to their disagreeable
task in man fashion. The casting of the
first few votes was followed with almost
breathless intNest, until the preponder-
anee Of the noes grew so large that the
result was no longer in doubt. The mem
bers of the Senate, who spent most o.
the day in the House, were almost as
much relieved as were the representa-
tiyes when the case had been finally
disposed OF, for they realized that il
would not come TO plague them.
There were "A votes in favor of the
bin committing hent's sentence TO life
imprisonment. The yea votes were as
follows: Bailey, Baldwin, Barton, Bates,
Bean of Newport, Beebe, Beeman, Bell
Bowles, Brown, Cameron, Corliss, Cory,
Cutting Of Concord, Dodds, Ellis OF
Brook6eld, Foster, Goodwin, Hall, Hayes,
Hazeltine, Howard of Roxbury, Howard
OF Whiting, Hutchinson, Ives, Jones,
Kennedy Of Williston. Leary, Martin OF
Brookline, Maun, McHugh, Miller of
Bethel Mills, Nelson, Phillips, Reed,
Rice, Ryan, Sheehey, Sherwin, Stern
berg, Webster Wood, Young
During the course OF the debate. Rep
resentatiye Bryant Of Ludlow read Z
following bill from Warden Lowell Of the
state prison: 1T has been brought to
my attention that as an argument in
favor Of committing the sentence Of
Elroy Kent, now confined in the Yer
mont state prison under sentence OF
death, have been quoted as saying
that Kent was insane and should not
be hanged. / wish TO deny in the strong.
est possible terms that | have ever made
any such statement. 1t is not my wish
to express any opinion in regard TO what
should be done with Kent; that is for
others than myself to decide But
deem it my duty to deny that | have
ever stated that Kent was or is In
sane