Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1860-04-06

The Execution OF George Ael,

Jail, namod George Acker, who murlo.,,
nm old man--one Isaac III. Gordon
tween Boonton and Montylle, on the lSs
of October last. These men had bo.,
drinking together at Provost's tavern !.
Montville, and Gordon, made foolish /
liquor, talked to his companion about SOM.
money he had-a $50 gold piece and som.
bills, amounting TO less than $50 He =
only talked about The money, but showed
His companion forthwith resolved 10 No.
sess himself of that money by murder,.
its owner. Ii was late in the ailerno,.
when Acker started for Boonton, KNOWN,
that Gordon was soon to follow along ii,
same road. He met one John Jack,o,
Norris of BARTON and young lady. II.
was seen coming out of Il saw mill with
stout club, intending TO use it, but afterwa,l
he changed his plan. In little wb1a
Gordon came along and Acker ioinedbm
At point ia the road where he could .,
long distance both ways, he seized stone
and threw it with all his might hitting Go,
don back of the ear. The man fell, an
his murderer threw him over the nsa
fence. just at this moment one Sus,
Taylor came along, and saw middEn
large man standing by the fence with sem,
thing dark at his feet, but she vas
much frightened as net TO identify the ma
or tell what was at his feet This testire
was considered almost incredible, but III
prisoner is said TO have admitted the fas
since the trial. He carried the body, al Z
der pail and hat of his victim to a cluugd
woods near at hand, cut his victims thna
and riaed his pockets. He left the Boa
there, intending 10 return at night and bu7sA
it. He now returned 10 the road, and ps
ceiying he had blood ON his overalls, L
scraped up some mud from the road toe
er it. AT this, John jackson Norris, oaG
return found him, noticed the blood on
clothes and hands, and also his excitedo
duct. Norris hat blew of, and Ad
brought it to him, and the wonder is Il
he did not kill this one terrible witness II
r was then in his power.
e Norris asked him TO ride, but he decGns
: and followed the tow-path of the canal /
h order to get rid of his bloody overalls
e rolled a stone in them and cast them Id
t the canal. 1t is supposed that in his a
e element he put the bills he got from Cd
: don into the pocket of the overalls, Al
: sunk it. The gold piece he lost Through
t hole in his pocket, and this was found u
/ same day, and restored to Gordon's fam
= afterward. Thus Acker could have real
s lied either nothing or next TO nothing !
a his murder.
s He now went tc Boonton, and of eoun
drank some. He returned to Montyia
where he lived, bought a bottle of sus
IS stimulated his courage, and after his Vi
e went to bed, he examined his pockets, a,
d found he had lost the money for which
h committed the murder. This was the Cd
., installmeIt Of retribution. lie now u
l. his house and went to hide the body Of n
+ victim. In his confession he declares it Vi
e horrible meeting when that mig he stu
Of bled against the body of his victim.
IS seized it by the necktic, and dragged i'll
- to the fence, taking the pail and hat
oil leaving some other things which were att
Is ward found. He then shouhered the III
ID and carried il to q sand-pit some rods
Is tant. This was an afterthought, al
'e originally designed TO hide it in the gc
lie near by. In the sand-pit he dug a shall
= grave with his hands, and buried him
= no other help. After several days
I'd body was found by some boy. Acker ca
Z with others, and as they were taking
T. body up, directed the attention OF L
present to himself, by thanking God
!. he did not do it.
!, lie was arrested and on the 30th Of
. uary his trial began. The evidence
entirely circumstautial, but conclu:it
- That of Norris was Overwhelming.
\ said that Acker now admits that he, ia
eral, nights prowled about Norris boDa
/, tending to put him out of the way.
!. He is a large man full six feet in SD
80 muscular, and extremely ignorant. lie
not read or write a word. He Is a I'd
- Of Haverstraw, and has for many yeas
l., very Incorporate and abandoned
81 leaves a wife and four children lie
thirty-four years old.
lie manifested great firmness during
" trial, and at times since has shown ssa
re regret, but his general demeanor hs
Is been what might be expected under
= circumstances.
- His execution was private in the ss'
its being in the Work-house yard encis
in the presence of some 500 persons
: usual in such cases, there was las
- the tickets, several thousand persons D
:" applied.
THIS is the third execution With