Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-02-05
AN APPALLING TRAGEDY AT
LYNDON, VT.
A Monster Murders his Father and
Mother, attempts to Kill his Wife
and Commits Suicide.


Lyndon, on the first inst. A young man
killed his father, aged so, his mother, 73,
and then killed himself The scene Of thu
murder was near Red Village, about two
miles east of Lyndon Village. Levi II.
Wilder and his wife, the aged couple, who
were murdered, havelonS resided in Ign
don, and have borne a good reputation.
At the time of the murder tic Family con-
sisted of these old people their son Siias,
aged 50, and his wife, aged about %.
On the morning of the murder when
when the family arose, the young man
made some remark to his wife about the
staps on his overalls, which she had short
ened few days before. She replied that
it could be easily remcdied, whereupon
the mother, overhearing the remark, said
that she was glad that she did not fix the
straps. He replied that she need not
trouble herself, as she did not do it. He
then went to the barn to do his chores,
and his wife prepared their breakfast. On
his return he sat down to breakfast alone,
the old people and his wife not being in
readiness. He ate very little, and his
wife as she was pouring his tea, noticed
that his hand trembled aud that his eyes
bad a strange, wild appearance.
After drinking his tea he remarked that
"This thing has got to be settled" and
went out into the shed. His wife, think
ing his actions peculiar, followed him
and met him returning with an AK. She
caught hold of him and asked him what
he Nas intending to do. lie replied, ''You
get out of the way or will fix you'' The
father then appeared and said: "What
are you about?" and took hold of the AK
also.
The young man then took knife from
his pocket and opened the small blade,
saying: eff you will not let me use the AK
I'll use my knife" and struck his wife in
the right breast, causing a Sigh wound,
and then struck her again over the right
eye, inhicting u wound which, though not
serious, partially stunned her, so that she
did not realize what was going Oh for q
little time. The mother becoming alarm
ed seized the dinner horn, rushed out OF
doors and sounded it to alarm the neigh
borS.
1t is supposed that the young man after
stabbing his wife attacked his father and
cut his throat with the knife, then hearing
the horn, picked up the AK, rushed out tc
the corner of the house where his mother
was and killed her with the AK; that he
then came back, found his father in tht
kitchen and killed him with the AK. Mr.
! Henry PCrry, the nearest neighbor, upor
herring the horn looked out from his barr
toward the Wildcrs, saw the young MAJ
strike his mother with the AK and heart
him exclaim, "There, lie there, -
After killing his fatheryoung Wilder went
up to the shed, where his wife was JUS
recovering consciousness, and exclaimed
''For Gods sake, Fan; l havn't killed you
have II" He then ran from her TOWARD
Mr. Perrys, and he heard him say, "It't
all settled now"
Several neighbors soon arrived an(
found the mother dead by the corner o
the house. Surprising that the murdere
was in the house, and knowing that h
had weapons to defend himself with, they
were afraid to enter. About 10 A. NJ. DR.
CahoOn arrived, who with Mr.. VIM
Houghton went boldly into the house ant
found The old father upon the floor, dead
with the ak imbeddcd so firmly into hi
head that it required vigorous effort b,
Mr.. Houghten to remove it.
Search was then made for the youn!
man. At length he was fouHd in the barn
dead, hanging from the beams. He ha
evidently gone upon the high scafold
tied the rope to beam and around hi
neck, and then jumped off.
The fend accomplished his work mos
effectually. He struck his mother tire
times, settling the AK into her head O.
either side, just above the ears, and in
ficting blow upon her neck which sever
ed her head from her body, two SINAI
pieces eff skin only holding it. The fathe
had besides the cut on his neck, whic
laid bare his windpipe, two deep cuts i
his head with the AK, reaching from tn
crown Of his head down below the eye
int each Of which mans hand could b
inserted. The young man had a sever
knife. cut in his throat, which shows tia
he first attempted suicide by cutting hi
, throat, but failing in this, sought a nor
certain method.
1t is difficult to account for this tripl
;. tragedy. There seems to be evidence {
his having q passionate nature, and thu
there has been an increasing ill-will 0
his part toward his mother since his ma
riage, which occurred little more than
year ago, and that the mother has bee
displeased with his wife and found fau
with her somewhat, as is quite common
ly the case under such circumstances. II
: has been subject to epileptic fits for SON
years past, and'ha recently been takin
!, medicine which has stopped them. 1t
: hard to believe that the man could I
solve upon such a flendish and unpatur
scheme Of murder in q mere fit of ange
yet some of his neighbors state that |
has made threats in times past that eff
were not for the law there would be les
> Wilders in the world"
There has been some difficulty in ii
family about the property. The fatht