The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-02-29
Matthew Carlyle Convicted Of
First Degree Murder
WITHOUT DEATH PENALTY
Former Fort Ethan Allen Trooper Killed
Andrew c. Fox, Another Soldier
Story of Slavery Days Told in
Court at Burlington.

burlington, Feb. 29.-Matthew Car
lyle, former trooper at Fort Ethan
Allen, was sentenced to life imprison-
ment in the penitentiary at Atlanta,
Ga, by Judge J l.. Martin in the United
States court here to-day for the slay-
ing OF Andrew c. Fox at Fort Ethan
Allen on October 10 1911. The jury,
to whom the case was given late yes
terday afternoon. came in at o'clock
this morning with verdict of guilty
Of murder in the first degree, without
capital punishment. The prisoner took
the verdict calmly.
The trial was most speedy. having
Tuesday afternoon. The prose-
eutIon finished its side Yesterday morn
ing. and the defense began, bringing for
ward the plea of insanity. 1t was shown
tbat Carlyle's ancestors in a direct line
had been violently insane To show
this, the attorneys for the defense went
back 70 slavery days and brought out
testimony concerning Carlyles grandfa-
tier and grandmother, both ON his fa-
Tiers and his mothers side. Testi-
monv was given showing that Carlyle's
grandfather 1n his mothers side had
been a raving maniac and that it had
been necessary to keep him chained to
an iron post IN a room unclothed for
the most part because he could be re-
strained i'm no other way. The testi-
mony further showed that Carlyle's
grandfather and grandmother on his fa-
ther's side we're violently insane and
that Carlyle also had two uneles and
an aunt on his fathers side, who were
mentally unbalanced.
The witnesses who were called to
prove that Carlyle was insane when
he shot Fox also brought out the heart
interest side of the ease 1t developed
that Carlyle's mother and father, "who
were divorced twenty years ago, had
beer brought face to face again in the
federal courtroom and that Carlyle's
stepmother, who is his fathers Sec
one wife. was also in the courtroom.
This testimony developed quickly and
it aroused the interest of the spectators
with equal rapidity. Carlyle's former
sweetheart was also in court.
A Story of Slavery Days Told.
The history cf the Carlyle family was
Gegun when Mrs Josephine Carlyle took
the stand. She created surprise by
stating that she was the second wife
Of Carlyle, the elder The latter's first
wife, Mrs. Narcissus Carlyle. was sit
ting near Carlyle in the courtroom. Car
lyle's father. Edward Carlyle, sat apart,
but the three appeared to be ON friend
ly terms Carlyle the elder, according
to testimony that developed later, had
nor seen his first wife or his son in
twenty years. Both women, and Car
Ii les father, testified in the respondents
behalf. The story. when completed, gave
one reason to believe that possibly Car
lyle had been mentally unbalanced when
he shot Fox. In substance it is as
follows:
Many years ago white plantation
owner kept rs slave black woman.
No marriage ceremony was ever per-
formed for these two but several chill
dren were born to them. OF the num-
ber Matthew Carlyle's father, Edward
T.. Carlyle. was one. His mind was
sound but lie had two brothers who
were feeble minded, and sister who
was violently insane His mother and
father. the plantation owner and the
slave. both became violently insane. Ed
ward CARLYLE married and his wfe's
father was also insane. To them was
born Matthew Carlyle. When the lat
ter was about five years of age, Ed
ward Carlyle separated from his wife
and left Matthew Carlyle in her charge.
The bov wandered away. joining the
,rmy and finally was arrested at Fort
Ethan Allen for the murder of Andrew
9. Fox Carlyle the elder had married
again in the meantime and had lost all
race of Matthew. his son. One day
1arlvle the elder saw an account in the
newspapers of an attorney having been
appointed to defend CARLYLE in muir
Ter trial. He inquired who the man
va, and found it was his own son. He
.ame to Burlington and saw his son
,pain for the first time in twenty years.
H., second wife came with him and
lis first wife had also been summoned
20 that the three met in the courtroom
where Young Carlyle was to be tried
or his life.
The foregoing story was related by
1dward E. Carlyle. The witness was
moved to tears when he spoke of his
mother. She was of African descent,
ie said and had been freed by the
n aneipation proclamation. He had sew
raj brothers and sisters, he said, and
e could remember the acts of frenzy
ommitted by his mother and father
When they later became insane and also
" a sister, Janet, who showed strange
mental symptoms. Two other brothers,
e said. had been weak minded Mr..
'arlyle testified that when Matthew 1.-THE
espondentl was a small boy he had
hown symptoms of a strange disease
nd would throw himself on the ground
I'd foam at the mouth and act like
n animal