State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1831-1836, 1836-02-23
THE CASE OF REBECCA PEAKE

! THE CASE OF REBECCA PEAKE
We find in the Orange County Demo
crat report of the trial of Rebecca Peake
for the murder of her son in law, Ephraim
Peake, in August last. The report is not Il
very lucid one, but we have cleaned from il
the following particulars:
The prisoner is somewhat advanced in
life and the second wife of Mr. Peake OF
Randolph. MIR Peake had several children
by former wife as had also Mrs. Pcake by
former husband. Difficulties having a
risen i'll the family, Mrs. Peake was desir-
Gus OF separation, and proposed to her
husband to set out TO her a third of the
property on which she might live with her
children. To this he would not accede.
but in consequence of some embarrass-
ments, conveyed his farm to his son E.
phraim, who came to live with him. This
occurred about year ago, and at that time,
Mrs Peake freely threatened vengeance
against the whole family. In July she went
to Royalton, under pretence of attending
one of the Rev. Mr. Burchard's revival
meetings. While there she purchased an
ounce of arsenic, protcssedy for Dr.Tower
of RoXbury. She carried the arsenic home
and kept 1t in her trunk more than month.
About the middle of August she put a
quantity into the salt cup, and while pre-
pairing hash for dinner sprinkled the poison
upon IT and served up the dish for the fam
ly, consisting of the husband his two chill
dred, Fanny, and Ephraim the deceased.
All three were Immediately taken sick with
the symptoms OF poison, but would doubt
less have soon recovered, if the wife and
mother had not renewed her experiment in
the afternoon by drugging them with pois-
oned custard. The result was that old
MIR Peake, his daughter and son were seiz-
ed again with violent sickness; the last died
and the former, though escaping with their
lives, have entirely lost the use of their
limbs through the influence of poison
During the sickness of Ephraim drinks
were administered by Mrs Peake or pre-
pared by her for him, which were UNI
doubleday poisoned. 1t would seem that
three times he was made to drink diluted
arsenic, while lying helpless on mis- bed
Mrs Peake, who caused all this trouble
was very careful to eat none of the hash or
custard; she represented that she was I'M
well and had no appetite. But no sooner
did the others show symptoms of sickness
than she too complained of being Sick
Her symptoms kept pace with theirs, and
the cunning woman expressed great deal
concern lest they had all been poisoned to-
gelher Her artifice was too clumsy to
deceive, and in the end she confessed her
guilt with all its circumstances The only
excuses she offered were that "she was
crazy" I" the Devil made her do it," The
defence of this bad woman on trial was
insanity. As every one must see, it could
not avail her. She was found guilty, and is
now under sentence of death.
1t is said that strong efforts are making
to procure pardon for this woman. We
know not the grounds of the application,
but it is certain that the reported trial dis
closes no reason for interpositon between
her and the gallows.
One part of the proof which we should
have mentioned before, is too singular
to be overlooked. Several witnesses spea-
of this wicked old bag as being respectk
bic woman and good neighbor! What a
satire is here on responsibility