Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-06-07
Horrible Murder In Highgate.

Again are we called upon to record a brutal
and revolving murder, undoubtedly Of the class Of
the Ball and lsngmaid tragedies, the details Of
which are Of the most revolving character We
are indebted To the st. Adams Messenger for most
Of the following account Mr. Charles W. Butler.
who lives about two miles north Of Highgate Cen
ter, Friday evening went to the village to do some
business, and left his wife, Alice, and his hired
man, Edward Iatro, at home Between nine and
ten o'clock Mr.. Butler returned home and found
the house dark. lie went into the house and
stumbled against something which he thought
was the hired man lying ON the floor. lie
lighted a match and there met his sight the life
less remains Of his lovely wife in a pool OF blood.
in the most INITIATED condition her head beaten
almost to n pumce, and her brains oozing out on
TO the floor There stood the axe, covered with
blood several bloody sticks of wood on the floor.
chair broken to pieces, and his gun lying on the
floor. Mr.. Butler started for assistance but soon
heard voices approaching him, and Edward Tatro
came mp with some Of the neighbors whom he
had been after He claimed to Mr. Butler that
as he was going to bed he had got up stairs, and
as he took off his pants, Mrs Butter came running
up stair and man after her that rs soon as he
J.,
knocked him down stairs, and that he then ran
for help.
Mr. Butler came to the village and called upon
the Constable, j.. Sheridan, who, as soon rs he
arrived at Mr.. Buffers, arrested Tatro Justice
Lewis Christian then summoned jury and held
an inquest over the body; and from the evidence
the jury were not more than one moment in COM
ing to the conclusion that Alice Butler came to
her death at the hands Of Edward Tatro. II an
pearcd that the aifny commenced up stairs.
where was found stick Of wood covered with
blood, and a chair broken and blood on the walls
The body lay in the kitchen, near the back door.
where 1t is thought she made an attempt to es-
cape Almost the entire skull from the ey - To
the base of the crown, WAS complete pumice 1t
Is thought that the assailant struck her on the
head with the fiat side Of the axe still there were
scalp fractures that showed different blows
Tatro's shirt was torn almost of Of him. and
was very bloody, which he claims the tramp did
His hands were badly chapped and he could not
wash them so that the blood could not be seen In
the chap-cracks. lie claimed To have been
knocked down twice and thrown down stairs. bnt
no marks Of violence conld be found upon his per-
sou except light scratch ON his neck There
was quite large quantity OF blood found on his
wrists and arms, and his legs were badly spat-
tered with blood, which appeared to have struck
him with force
The deceased was young and lovely wife, es-
teemed by all who knew her. She was about
twenty -one years old, and had been married about
four years, but had no children. She was a
daughter of the late Augustus Mead, of swanton.
Edward Iatro is frenchman, and will be
twenty-one years old next August. lie has been
a sort of plofigate young man, but has never
been called q bad boy, and has never been known
TO he caught In any had scrapes He has u wild
owed mother and several brothers and sisters. 1t
is difficult to assign the reasons for the crime, but
it is thought that he attempted to violate the per
son OF the unfortunate woman, and failing, muir
dered her to avoid discovery
Tatro was arranged before Justice Christian on
Saturday, and fully committed to await the action
of the grand jury. His stories are contradictory,
and public opinion waves very strongly against
him.