THE BOORN MURDER CASE
707
pearance. He insisted that he owned the of clearing him. Jesse at length confessed farm of his employer. With his wife he that Stephen told him that he (Stephen) declined to have anything to do, merely gave Russell a blow and laid him aside remarking, "that is all over with," though where no one would find him. Upon this of his children he appeared somewhat fond. we sent for Stephen, who was brought here. After a short time Colvin expressed a wish Jesse now said that his former confession to be taken back to New Jersey, which was was not true; but nothing could now con accordingly done, on December 29, and he vince the people that Colvin was not mur died there a few years subsequently. dered. During their commitment much A new trial was petitioned for in each exertion was made to get a confession from case, upon the ground of newly-discovered them. Stephen wrote a statement of what evidence, and upon the petitions being he said were facts, in which he acknowl granted a nol pros was immediately entered edged he killed Colvin, deposited him in in each case. Thus ended one of the most the place where the knife and button were remarkable trials in the annals of criminal found, and that he took the bones from that jurisprudence. place and put them under his father's barn, It is worthy of note that no corpus delicti which was soon after burnt, and the body was proven. Another error upon the trial principally consumed. It appeared in evi seems to have been the admission of the con dence that several had promised to sign fessions. There can be no question of the for their pardon if they would confess, at innocence of the respondents. Stephen was the same time telling them that there was the first one to suggest, when every other no doubt they would be convicted upon the hope had failed, that Colvin be advertised testimony that was then against them. A for. The confessions, if, indeed, Jesse ever person in jail with them for perjury testi made such a one as was testified to by Mer fied to a full confession of the murder made rill, were probably framed for the purpose of to him by Stephen and Jesse; and it was so making the crime manslaughter or justifiable artfully framed, so corroborated by other homicide. The following extracts from a facts, that it had great weight with the court letter of one of the examining magistrates and jury, though it appears now to have may serve to shed some light on the matter : been wholly false. But he has his end "Much was said to Jesse, to get the facts answered; he has got bail by the means, and from him; he was told that if he should con gone off." BURLINGTON, VT., November, 1905. fess the facts it would probably be the means
