Year: 1879

murdered in her mothers house. This chain of cir
cumstances seemed very strong. and suspicion
quickly settled on Buzzell. The body of the muir
dered woman was buried. and the entire neighbor
hood turned out to attend the funeral the nature
of the crime and the good qualities of the victim
clothed the event with an extraordinary degree of
terest in that portion OF the State.


CHARGED CRIME.


Buzzell was taken into custody aud charged with
and expressed himself willing to undergo the
fullest investigation. 1t was known that the day
tant leaving at half.past ave p. M. for his home.
where he claimed to have arrived few minutes past
seven. going by the Mountain" road. which would
not carry him within two miles Of the Hanson
house. He went with hofse and gig. and was seen
on this road by one or two individuals. The
time when Miss Hanson shot from
five to fifteen minutes past seven. and the
theory of the prosecution was that Buzzell
shot his victim after the return from wolfboro.
preliminary hearing in the case was had at Wolf
boro Junction. when his wife corroborated his testi-
der. There was also at work for him his farm at
this time simple minded youth named Charles w.
Cook. who had been In his employ. of and on, for
term Of work when the tragedy occurred. He also
testified in Of the testimony of suzzel
warrant Buzzells IS discharge. and he remanded
to Jail to await the action Of the Grand Jury.


The evidence against him was purely circum-
stantial. There was the motive to get rid Of her.
which one else could have; the fact that besides
meant to ruin him hi lar and W get his property there
were marks of a mans feet in field near the Han
house which corresponded with tracks made
by BuzzelPs boots, and also marks of the butt OF
gun and carriage wheel tracks on the road to the
Hanson house. which must have been made by
Buzzells gig; and besides all these the conflicting
stories which he told about the gun and where he
took it. Very generally it was known that he had
large gun at the time of the murder, which had
been missing since, and indeed no trace OF It has
ever been found although the most persistent
have been made by the authorities to discover
-. TRIED AND ACQUITTED.


Buzzel was brought up for trial at the May term
ptv,Npv frr he xt,.L
charging him with murder in the first degree The
feature the trial the bitter fight of the lawyers
examined and the case given to the jury. After an
absence OF two and half hours q verdict OF ''Not
The general opinion was that the jury wanted to
bring in a verdict of not proven. and the accused
went home suspected man. He paid the expenses
of his trial and resumed work on his farm. 'Nt


-f 100 A sTARTLrNG CONFESSION. 'af 'll~


Soon after Buzzells acquittal several incendiary
fires occurred in the neighborhood. the author OF
which could not be detected The town officials hired
two Boston detectives, named Cohen and Conway.
aas bx to work n Il The n
the 2Sth of April 1877, these men arrested Charles
W. Cook, who used to work on Bazzell,s farm. They
what was still more startling confession Of
the murder Of Susan Hanson. both deeds
b. Buzzell. These developments naturally created
the widest excitement in the surrounding
into positive convictions. The County Solicitor
sent for, and to him young Cook gave the following
statement:-"The day prior to the murder Buzzen
following day. after telling me that his suits with
Miss Hanson were to be tried soon, asked me If
would kill her. This refused to do, but consented.
after some parleyin to bring his (Buxxelps gun,
after o'clock that evening. to large elm tree
near the house of one Charles Coleman. l met him
there the appointed time He came up by Church


ills house with horse and gig The horse was quite
gave him the gun and told him was going back.
He said he wanted me to go up with him to the Han
son house, and think told him again was going
H.. aidf hat had hnffa up xutf hi,.i
knew when my head was level. He used other
threat then He started along and I accom-.
panied him. We stopped on little hill
and he hitched the horse to tree by the
side of the road and then took the gun loaded
We went up the hills and pastures leading
the Hanson house, to little knoll where the barn
used to stand, shout three rods from the house. I
think he then asked me II would kl her aud told
said he would give me $500, and that he had wit
nesses who would swear that we were not on the
road We then went to the front side of the house,
looked into the windows and saw SUSAN her brother
and mother and little boy Buzzell wanted me to
shoot, and said had got to do it or he would blow
| my head off. was very much afraid he would. He
levelled the gun and told me to fire it. took the
sWay the gun ana went to bed After the arrest of
Buzze for the murder. his trial and final discharge
| for want of evidence the whole matter pressed SO
parties about it, and made statement of the facts
| 10 the Attorney General of the State and also con-
Buzzell." tf


| THE SECOND TRIAL.


|
was indicted principal and Buzzell as accessory
before the fact and day OF trial Set The question
which he acquitted was argued at length
| aud it decided that he tried principal
there obstacle in the way Of his being tried
again accessory. Cook testified substantially
/ what was embraced in his confession. only more in
detail. Buzzel himself did not take the stand and
testify in his behalf although he could have
done so. When the State rested Its the coun-
| sci for the defence moved verdict OF acQuittal
| This was refused, to which counsel excepted and
| hen ask he q he iurv hat
the absence of the prisoner at the time OF the
mission OF the principal offence was an essential
element In the charge in the Indictment that in
order to warrant verdict OF guilty such absence
must be proved by the evidence in the beyond
reasonable doubt; that a person could not be con-
vcted the charge in the Indictment by proof that
he present aiding commanding; that all pres
principals in the murder that IL the parties
met to each other in the felony and proceeded to
! the place where the crime committed, and both
were principals neither could be accessory to the
other. The Court refused to do this, but instructed
the jury instead that they believed the testimony
| charged in the indictment. The jury retired, and
several hours elaboration brought in verdict
| of guilty of murder.


Buzzell sentenced to be hanged July 10, 1879.
Exceptions were hled and very strong made
| out by respondents counsel. He argued that Buzz
ze had already been tried and acq uitted the
same evidence Cooks testimony excepted, which
would have been admissible under the former in
| dictment. The counsel urged that If Buzzell should
| be executed in pursuance OF the sentence 1t would
add another to the. long list Of Judicial murders
Wulcn the history Oh the past proved TO nave been
made by succession OF tribunals, having judges
of profound learning and spotless integrity, and,
! however much such transactions had been lauded
at the time tho learning and integrity of the tri-
bunas had not prevented their conduct from being
viewed with horror Indignation and contempt by
ceeding generations ana, while counsel claimed to
feel great respect tor the Court they nmated that
the Justices might not be very much wiser better
than all the great and good who have adininis
tered the law i'll the past and made mistakes in
dealing with human life. They argued that the mo-
tion to order verdict for the respondent should
have been granted because, when the case was up
for trial at former term OF the court IL did not
| appear when where Cook induced or COM
PEELED to kill the deceased. II Cook testimony was
true the murder was the direct result. not of any
thing that had passed before but solely OF threats
and commands then and there made and making
the prisoner the principal and not accessory and
evidence for the state clearly showed that any
offence had been committed 1t the offence
charged IN the Indictment.


| DETEcTIvEs CONSPIRACY.


But the most extraordinary portion of the was