Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1876-02-09

fact that while Sllas was killing his moth
er the father came from the shed, along
to the side door, and entered the Kitchen
where SilaS returned upon him.
Then having made sure of his worl,
Silas went TO the barn, fastened the doors
behind him. cut his own throat. climbed
upon the high beams, secured u rope
about Il role over the centre of the floor,
put Il moose about his neck, and jumped
off. The fall must have been seven or
eight feet. This completed the tragedy
The wltc's wounds are believed not to
be serious. She was able to be removed
to her fathers house, and cOnversed freely
and intelli@cntlv about the whole matter.
AS she is the only living witness of the
most of these terrible scenes, and as She
has been in this household us wife of the
murderer for the last sixteen months. her
testimony and impressions are of more
value than nciThborhood rumor, although
the previous character of the man must be
| taken into account
In answer to the question of what sort
of Il boy and man this Silas has been, the
universal reply of those who had always
known him was-uglv, passionate, and
sometimes revengeful. In answer to the
question if he had ever shown violence to
father. mother. wife or ncighbOr, no one
had ever known such an instance. Mos,
all say, however, that he had threatened
the family. In one of his ugly moods the
neighbors claim that he said: " If il was
not for the law, the Wildtrs would be
| scarce about here" This threat is pretty
we'll authenticated. 1t is quite evident
that there was some bitterness between
the son and parents. and especially did the
mother ra>p him after he brought his
wife there.
a widowed sister of the murderer has
said-not since the murder, bat during
the last two ycarS-that She WAS afraid
Slas would Kill the old folks The best
testimony atlirln> these expressed fears of
hers.
The wifcs story is that after Silas be-
gan To have eplltptc fits. some years since
his mind became gradually affected AZ
ter particularly hard fit last fall. the
medicine was char ged, and she thinks it
affected him unfavorably. She asked the
mother some time ago if she did not notice
that Silas was growing forgctful She in
sists now that he had been growing more
sober and moody for several weeks past :;
that his gait seemed unsteady, and that in
several ways he acted unlike his former
self She persists in the statement that he
was kind to her. and her conviction is that
he did not intend Io harm her on this f,-
tai day. and would not have done SO, only
aS she attempted to turn him from his
bloody purpose. His remark rs he passed
her at the wood she'd would seem to
strengthen this theory. Bat nothing will
change the mind of the neighbors that the
cause Of this terrible affair was pure. un-
adulteratcd uglincss.
The wife tells this incident to sustain
her theory of insanity Sila> was already
getting out timber and lumber to buld Il
present season. The wife now saws she
had heard him say more than once that he
should never live to 20 into it.
The scene at this quiet farm house on
Tuesday. bcggars description. and was one
at which stout hearts quailed We will
not cmbeli-h 1.-THE simple facts. as we
appalling The nciyhbors gathered
around. an inquest was held and then
tender hands tndeav0rcd to prepare the
mangltd, Cua,tlv corpScs for their last
resting place This WAS done carefully
and tenderly; and by dark, this monster
of crime was laid beside the victims of his
wrath, or frenzy-;lnd those victims, too,
his venerable father and mothcr-the
ones who gave him life and watched over
his infancy in sickness and in health, as
tendcrl, and carefully foI aught we know,
rs any parents have done, or are Yet
doing.
The neighborhood of thi, cSmc has not
been always reputable. The east part OF
Lvnd used to be what is termed tough.
There is not 50 much liquor drank there :ls
formerly. but Il large share of the popula-
ton are not either religious on chui CHI
gocrs. Hunting and fishing nave been the
favorite way of spending the Lords day
by the Young men and boys. and many OF
the older ones did little better. Some of the
baser crimes have been enacted on attempt
ed in this locality. But a few years since
there was a rape ease in this ncighborhool.
1t was in such an atmosphere as this that
Silas Wilder @rcw up. We refer to these
things rcgretfullv, and only because they
are fact, and matters of history; and
every fact should be known in the attempt
to account for this dreadful atf,tr And
then we doubt not many viii find it we'll
nigh impossible.
There is universal satisfaction that the
man took his own lif,-thc only regret W,
hear expressed is that he did not DO the
| last Job first Cu}fd0njuR.