Two brothers named Bowne, and a brother-in-law named Colvin, living in Manchester, Vermont, got into an altercation one day in a field, and the brothers beat Colvin so severely with hoes that he fell bleeding profusely, and the brothers were afraid they had killed him.

The brothers at night went to look after Colvin's body, but it had mysteriously disappeared, much to their surprise. The Bownes were generally suspected of having murdered him, but nothing was done until some seven years afterward, when some bones, thought to be human bones (and afterward found to be sheep bones), were found partly burned; this and other evidence caused the arrest and trial of the Bownes. One was sentenced to be hanged and the other sentenced to imprisonment for life. The chief evidence was a confession of guilt by the younger Bowne who was sentenced to prison, though the elder stoutly denied the accusation. While the two brothers were in jail after trial, a man residing at Polhemus' Mills, Ocean county, happened in New York City and met with a paper containing an account of the trial; while reading it he became convinced that the man said to be murdered (Colvin) resided near him at Polhemus' Mills, with Tabor Chadwick. He sent word to the Vermont Sheriff, who came on privately to Polhemus' Mills, identified Colvin and took him back, arriving at Manchester only the night before the day appointed for execution of the elder Bowne. The villagers at the hotel were earnestly discussing the trial, some justifying it, others condemning it, as no dead body was found, and some insisting that Colvin would yet turn up alive. While thus debating, the stage drove up and the Sheriff and Colvin got out. The latter was instantly recognized and his arrival caused the most intense excitement; guns were fired, bells were rung and people ran through the streets crying, "Colvin has come." The jailer, upon refusing to liberate the prisoners without Judges' orders, was brought to submit by a cannon planted in front of the jail. The younger Bowne, in explanation, said he thought they really had killed Colvin, though he could not account for the disappearance of the body, and he was told he would not be hanged if he confessed. Colvin, always after was partially insane, and returned to this county where he died. He fancied he owned everything around him - otherwise his insanity was hardly observable.

There are people in Ocean county, yet living, who remember Colvin. In the New York Tribune (about 1855 or thereabouts, I believe,) was a long account - two columns - of this Colvin affair taken from the lips of one of the Bownes last living - forty years after the trial. I understand the case is reported in "Greenleaf's Vermont Reports." It must have occurred near sixty years ago.