Old Events of Salisbury

History of Salisbury, Vermont
Written by John M. Weeks
Published in Middlebury, Vermont by A. H. Copeland in 1860

Crime

The first instance of theft of much notoriety, was that of Joseph Andrews, who, in the night, by means of false keys, entered John Deming's store and took a quantity of goods; sometime during the same night he also unlocked Mr. Deming's stable and stole his 6tallion, whereby he made his escape.  He was soon overtaken, however, and brought back, and afterward, on trial at Middlebury, was found guilty, and sentenced to have a piece of one of his ears cut off, to have the letters H. T. branded upon his forehead with a hot iron, to mark his crime, and to receive thirty-nine lashes on his naked back at the public whipping-post.

All these punishments were inflicted in the most summary and zealous manner by John Chipman, who was high sheriff of Addison county at that time.  This took place sometime in the latter part of the last century.

Subsequent to this, but one case occurred which required the execution of these cruel, inhuman and barbarous laws.

It was in the year 1807 or 1808. A young man of respectability, and of highly reputable connections, (as it was afterward ascertained), fell into bad company, and was so unfortunate as to pass a counterfeit bank bill, of the denomination of five dollars.  The crime was proved against him—and, being a stranger here at that time, was unable to procure bail, and finally was sentenced to receive thirty-nine lashes upon his naked back.

William Slade was high sheriff, at that time, and officiated at the whipping-post. Several other criminals were whipped at the same time, in the labor of which the sheriff was assisted by his deputies.  To see three strong men relieving each other, in the fatigue of whipping these boys till the blood ran down their backs, would astonish the present generation, and is a sight which we never wish to witness again.  Since the state prison was completed, (in 1809) many of the old and more barbarous laws of the state have been repealed, and imprisonment and hard labor for a term of years, according to the nature of the offence, have been substituted for the revolting public infliction of punishment, of the earlier days. Only a few instances of speculating in counterfeit money have been detected in this town, and in these the business was done on quite a small scale; but the offenders were convicted, and made to suffer the just penalties of the law in the state prison.  The grand jury has found bills against two of our people for the crime of perjury. In the one case the bonds were forfeited and the respondent went clear, and in the other the respondent went to trial and was acquitted.

The one indictment and trial for manslaughter we have already noticed, which also resulted in the acquittal of the respondent.

The offence (properly a crime) of selling intoxicating liquors without a license, has been quite general, as the dockets of the county court plainly show.

Probably other instances of crime have occurred, which, though noticed by the grand jury, have not been made public.

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