St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1878-03-22
La Page Hung.

THE END OF HORRIBLE MONSTER.
Joseph La Page was hanged in the
state prison at Concord, n. H., Friday
morning for the murder Of Josie Lang
maid at Pembroke, N. H., October 4,
1875. A number of spectators were
present, including state and prison Off
Gals, and several citizens of st. Albaus,
vt. More than 1000 applications had
been made for tickets of admission, $50
being offered in some cases for them.
The prisoner was brought from his cell
about | | O'Clock, accompanied by Rev.
Fathers Barry and Millett, and pre-
scented the same sullen manner which
has generally characterized him since
his sentence. The gallows was the same
on which Pike, Evans and Major were
executed. After the reading of the
death sentence, the prisoners arms and
legs were pinioned, the black cap was
adjusted and, with '.God have mercy
on your soul" Sheriff Dodge touched
the spring, and La Page dropped into
eternity. In Is minutes he was pro-
nounced dead and after an autopsy by
the physicians the body was given 10
friends of the family for burial. Josie
Langmaid, La Pages victim, a lovely
school girl of IL, started for the village
academy, her path lying through piece
of woodland, and she never returned.
Her headless and otherwise mutilated
body was found in dense swamp at
some distance from the roadside. With
murder had been coupled lustful out
rage, and the mutilation was evidently
to cover rape. A number of arrests
were made, among them that of Bill
Drew, who narrowly escaped lynching
by the maddened villagers. La Page
was the last man to be apprehended,
letters from st. Adams, VT, where he
had been arrested for the murder of
Marietta Ball and discharged, placing
the officers on his track. He was CON
victed in January, 1876, and, new
trial being granted, convicted again
early in 1877. Thursday night he con
fessed to numbering Miss Langmaid and
Miss Ball. Dropping on his knees, he
sObbed out, Il kill gal kill two gal"
and the mystery which has always sur
rounded Miss Balls murder is thus re-
moved. The latter was outraged and
killed in much the same way that Miss
Langmaid was, while returning from
her school duties one afternoon in July,
1874. La Page has also been accused
of outraging and leaving for dead one
or two women in Canada, where he for
merly lived.
THE ST. ALBANS MURDER.
Of the murder of Miss Ball, the st.
Albans Messenger says La Page con-
fessed to this He left the hay field
where he was at work about Il quarter
past three in the afternoon, went oyel
through the woods to the place where
the murder was committed, concealed
himself 10y the roadside as was described
at the time and awaited her appearance.
He sprang out and threw himself upon
her, struck her until she was uncon-
scious, and after he had placed her body
where it was found, returned around on
the east side and north end of the pond
(all of which route is concealed from
view aud then approached his house
from the northeast, which is exactly
the direct route from the scene.
He did not enter into the details of
the manner i'll which he committed the
crime, nor tell whether the scratches
subsequently seen upon his face, and
which he then pretended were caused
by ivy poisoning, were made by his
poor victim or not. He denied having
worn a mask, and disclaimed any knOwl-
edge of any, but he confessed the OBJ
ject of his attack, and the same was
true as to Miss Langmaid.
His confession of the murder of Miss
Langmaid was more explicit, because
the warden could help his imperfect
English by asking questions, being
ia mi liar with all tho latails Tho ,l;o
gram that he drew was at once recog-
nized us being accurate, and the same
is true of the locality in st. Adams.
The warden says that after having
unburdened his mind he seemed to be
much more at ease, talked about his
execution and asked how many specta-
tors would be admitted and if any and
how many from St. Adams. He seemed
penitent, and while confessing, wept
bitterly but before morning, having
dismissed that subject, he talked about
other matters, asked obscene questions
and talked like the vulgar monster he
was. He was very solicitous that his
confession should not he given to the
public until after his death. He charg-
ed the warden to that effect several
times, and the last thing he said to him
was, f.Don't tell of me till I'm dead"
The world is well rid of him and
ought to have been before his last
crime.
Mrs. La Page made the following
statement;
Mr.. Jordan this evening read to me
the printed confession of my late hus-
band. am glad that he made clean