The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1914-06-24

N'cA SOiouSttu III tnlS COuillTy
was that of the Boorn murder case In
Vermont, in the early part of the last
century. Readers of the popular novel
by WillSie Collins entitled THE Death
Alive" will find therein the complete
story of the case, for the novelist
founded his well-known tale on the
remarkable incidents connected with
this trial and it's outcome.
In September, 1919, the grand jury of
Bennington county. Vermont, indicted
Stephen and Jesse Boorn for the murder
which 1t was alleged had been commit
ted on May 10, 1912. The Boorn house
hold consisted of a husband, wife, two
sons, daughter and a son-in-Iaw and
the latter's two children. The home
was near Battenkill river, in Manches-
ter The parents stood we'll in the COM
munity but the sons were of a rather
irregular character.
Colvin. the son Flaw, was a rather
eccentric fellow. who would frequently
leave home mysteriously and would give
no account of where he had been upon
his return. In May, 1872, while his wife
started off on one of these mysterious
tours and failed to return. His contin-
ued absence gave rise to inquiries Sus-
picion of foul play, based on ciroum-
stances trivial in themselves, speedily
gained ground. Near the time of his
disappearance, one of the Boorn broth
ers stated that Colvin was dead, and
the other that they had put him where
potatoes would not freeze"
The hat Colvin wore at the time of
his disappearance was found near the
Boorn place, as well as other articles
he had possessed. Amos Boorn, an un-
Gle of the brothers, stated that he had
dreamed that Colvin came to his bedside
and told him that he had been murder
ed In a cellar hall about four feet
square, over which a house had since
stood. Then the barn on the Boom
place burned down, giving rise to sus-
picion that the body might have been
concealed beneath, and some bones were
dug out by dog from beneath q hollow
stump. which, upon examination. were
pronounced human.
Suspicion became a certainty and as
stephen Boorn had recently moved to
New York state, Jesse was arrested on
complaint of the town grand Juror. and
was examined on April 27, 1919. seven
years after the disappearance of the
This examination last
ed three days. At this preliminary trial
every bit of evidence was displayed, and
four physicians swore that the bones
that We're held as evidence were those
OF a human being. However. one of
them later examining skeleton at his
nome, acknowledged that he had erred
ana retracted his statement, and finally
his professional brothers agreed with
him that the bones that had been found
were not human.
At this public sentiment against the
accused abated and in all likelihood
Jesse Boorn would have been released
had he not, urged thereto by his jailers,
told tho story of a fight between Colvin
and his brother, Stephen. in which the
latter had struck the brother-in-law
with a club and he believed he had kill
ed him. but could not state what had
become of the body.
stephen was at once arrested in Dem
mark, Lawrence county. N X. and on
May is was brought to Manchester.
where both brothers were promptly
bound over to await the action of the
grand jury Upon his arrest. Stephen
steadfastly maintained his innocence,
even when confronted by his brother.
But after both of them had been in
dioted, many persons of influence pre-
vailed upon them that they should con-
fess as the case against them was hope
less,
The trial commenced on October 81.
and closed tho following Saturday
night. The chief judge was Dudley
Chase, an uncle OF Salmon Chase who
later become chief Justice Of the United
States. Owing to want of space In
the regular courtroom. the trial was
held in the Congregational church. In
the meantime Stephen made a confess
sion. in which he told how he had MUIR
dered his brother-in-la how he had
buried the body then dug 1t up. dis
posed of some parts of it. and finally
buried it under the barn.
The evidence in behalf of the re-
spendent was confined mainly to an ef-
fort to weaken the effect Of the CONFESS
sion BY showing the stranG outside in-