The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-02-08
An Avoided
Judicial Murder
BY RICHARD MARLEY

| One morning comely young woman
entered pawnshop and offered dia-
mond ring as security for loan. The
broker, after examining the stone look
/ ed on the inside of the ring and saw
the initials L. A. b. to J. 5.
What is your name?" asked the
broker.
"Julia Amory."
]. S. might mean Jane Severance, q
widow for whose murder Andrew Bow
ers was to be hanged the next day.
The pawnbroker informed the police.
and the woman was arrested.
Julia Amory upon examination broke
down and confessed that she had muir
dered Jane Severance. She said that
she had been q scamstress in Mrs. Sow
FRANCES home. had seen the ring in II
box of silver articles and jewels and
had coveted it. She had gone into Mrs.
Severances room to possess herself of
the jewels and, being discovered, had
been obliged either to kill the owner
or spend term of years in prison.
The culprit's story was probable
enough, but there was one flaw in 1t.
Why did she offer the ring for pawn
In the very town where the murder
had been committed and on the day
before the supposed criminal was TO
be executed for the murder? Being
questioned as to her motive, she con-
fessed that her main object was to
visit the scene of her crime.
Andrew Bowers was young man
about twenty-five years of age. He
had become acquainted with the wild
ow, who was thirty years his senior,
and she made ward of him. One
day she showed him box in which
she told him there were articles that
concerned him. In case of her death
he was to possess himself of it. She
kept it on the top of the stone founda-
ton to the house between two joists
supporting the floor above.
Bowers was seen with Mrs. Sever
ance just before bedtime on the night
of the murder. He claimed TO have
left her at IL o'clock. She was found
dead the next morning One Of the
prosecutions witnesses at Bowers trial
swore that Mrs. Severance had told
her that she intended to leave all her
property to Bowers. This was strong
point against him. No viii was found.
and Bowers, fearing one might turn up
in his favor in the box, kept his knowl-
edge of it a secret.
As soon as the authorities were con-
WINGED that Julia Amory's confession
was true they released Andrew Bow |
ers, but not before they had confront !
ed him and her. They took him to the
prison where she was confined and left |
him with her for a few minutes, the !
detectives keeping within hearing. |
was said between the two
at least nothing was overheard-and |
after he had been permitted TO look at |
her for few minutes he withdrew |
he told them that he had never seen
her In Mrs. Severance's home, but that I
didn't prove that she had never been |
employed there for he had never lived
at the house. and there were times
when he had not been there for
months.
After his release Bowers went to the
house where Mrs. Severance had lived
and possessed himself Of the box she
had told him contained articles that
him. Hidden under some
Did silver tableware he found will
eaving all her property to him. There
was second paper, which read as fol-
ows:
Ten years ago was obliged to send
Susan Dugan, my cook, to the peni-
entiary for stealing a valuable brooch
rom me. She was very bitter against
ne and said to me, When / get out
I'll fix you / have since lived In the
ear that she would keep her word
4 anything happens to me she will
lave caused it."
Shortly after finding this paper Bow
RS appeared In the district attorneys
flee and showed it to him. But be-
ore telling where he got 1t he asked
he attorney TO telephone the peniten-
iary for information concerning Susan
)ugan. A reply came that Susan Du-
IAN had been discharged from the ,
on a certain date that
vas found to be eight days before the
murder was committed. Her arrest
vas ordered, and Julia Amory was re- {
aased. {
The morning after Julia Amory had {
eft the prison she appeared at the dis
rict attorneys Office in company with !
andrew Bowers. She told the follow
ng story: :
Several years ago this man left the
lace where he lived to seek his for
1ne. We were betrcthed, and l prom
'ed to wait for him. When / heard of
is arrest for murder it was a great
hook to me. Being convinced of his
innocence, / laid a plan to cheat the
tate out Of a victim. He had given
lie an engagement ring without any !:
larking. | had the initials put in 1t,
he last two letters being those of
he murdered woman. Then / offered
he ring in pawn that might be &C