The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-07-01
THE VERMONT POISONING.
MRS. CIfdMPLIN'S HUSBiND's APPEtL
TO the AMERICAN PUBLIC
He Forvives his WIFE, and Leave. Deacon
Smith to the AimiRhty-His vines Confess
sion-What Might have Hanged the Deacon

Nh'th v" tht fNitnikhtI-ttts WI confess
sion-What Might have Hanged the Deacon.
To THE PUBLIC: Sorrow-strickcn. and with
prospects dark as EEypt's night. trusting in
God. the truth I'll speak for in it there il
might. Having for more than year borne
crushing load Of grief and sorrow. l cannot
bear it longer without little relief. 1t Is too
much for INV weak humanity. When think Of
my home so dcsolatc. and my children SO much
neglected. am driven almost to madness and
despair. ! would fain find relief by giving to
the world the real cause VI my grief Hitherto
l have said but little. and by the advice Of
friends have been restrained from opening my
mouth In my own behalf. and moro In behalf Of
my children. who have been the greatest suffer
crs from the hcllsh villainy Of the man who has
escaped the punishment he deserved. | can
hold my peace no longer. J will speak and
show to the world my wrongs. The evidence
shows that Ezra F. Smith is vile scduccr and
murderer and if there is power in truth may ii
bring TO him the punishment he 50 Justly de-
serves. In deep. heartfelt sympathy for the
lost wife aud mother. the living victim Of
Smiths villniuy. the mother who. in all human
probability. II forever lost to her children. | adj
dress the public. | must speak the truth. and
meet II at the bar of eternal Justice. | will not
dare no: boast " my own righteousness for
the mistakes OF my life they are many" But tt
dare to affirm that had it not been for that vile
wretch my home circle would have remained
unhrokcn aud my children would not mourn in
sorrow for their mother.
VINO can Imagine my feelings when my dear
child Lena. nf five summers. comes - me. her
lttlc "ycs Hooded with tears looks ia my. facc
anl SAYS. " wish mamma was here" | cannot
help being aroused and crying for vengeance
At other times very different feeling comes
over mo. aud | long for the quiet rest Of the
grave and for release from MY lot VI sorrow. OF
former troubles | will not now speak. only t.
n IA taff 81 Il
sacrifice ! rescued the sam" wife and mother
from tate which seemed almoet inevitable. and
restored her To- her children.
| must furnish proof OF the charges against
Deacon smith, That IL no hard matter. for
thesn.
In the spring of 1876 moved from Middle
bury into n house on East street In Nrrg"uncs
near To- Deacon smith = and became a"luaint'"
with the Smith family Nothing occurred
during tho summer TO mar the happiness Of my
home. In time Mrs Chamrlin hc'nme quite
intimate with Mrs. Smith and her daughter
and was frequent visitor ut thor house
During the following winter, lthink. an undue
fri.n lship began to exist between Smith
and Mrs. Champlin. hut nothing occurred 10
arouse my suspicion until cnrly IN the spring
OF 1877. During this time Mrs Champlin ne-
Wnr acquainted with Mrs Warner. a rrSpef-
1ole lady, who kem millinery -iore on Main
duently visited Mrs. Warmers store, often TAX
lng her sewing and spending the whole alter
noon. AMI very often Ia" evening. | frequently
stopped there ON my way from the shop after
my days work WIS dom" ami almost invariably
III
hnd place OF hus mess aud nom" 81 his own.
where lie should have been. instead OF AT that
mlnh"ry shop, rnd"ANorihS 10 VIM NJ ser
p"ht cons around u" woman thAt nndlly be-
came his victim. Mrs. Champlin had pre-
yiously cNpr 'ssrd a desire 10 work Tor Mrs
Warner, 80 that she might cal n something, as
she said. for herself and children. To this
assentei. thinking II no harm, for she and
the children were in need Of things that
! had MT been able to provid" on account # the
hard winter. having been out Of work nearly
two months As soon Ms my wife began To- work
la -Ttftl he NJ IA.
time NJ tie millinery Forenoon nftcrnoon
and evening saw him there. nege'ting his own
back on his home. wickedly invading the HON"
OF another, planning To- rob children Of their
wifi" from her husband. | Deli"v" he carri,sl
deep down in his heart the dark plot that had
its contamination in the death 81 his own Wife
- Daring the hurrylng part ~ the season Nrs;
c. stayed nj the store till quite late. often until
II O'Clock in the evening. sometimes won't 70
there. fused To- ask Mary what business he had
there. hut failed 10 get sat siactory explanation;
She had already become enciriei IN his coils. |
did think. and So did Mrs Warner lflr - sho
remarkedl. that he WAS there on her daughter
Carries account. she having Just married his
his visits Were cont nued after Carrie and Frank
went 10 lvs on the farm IN Addison, He in
yarinhlY stayed until the closing OF the store
and n myself or som" one Of tn" family were
not there TO come home with her. he oniciat"d
This frequently occurred sad results followed
unpleasant feelings, unkind words. children
relate.
1t has fallen my lot to bee poor mechanic. AMI
the path has been hard road 90 trnvel thus far
Many times | could not do AZ would. Ny wife
used to murmur at her lot sometimes. and
even think me unkind. But God is mywitncss
| loved her with as pure deep. and whole
soulcd devotion as ever existed ia the heart OF
man, and To- this day, down deep in my nmost
soul. II still lives. and she u conscious of IT,
Yet the die Is cast, AMI our fate is forever
sealed. II has been 10 myself. more than others
most strange that have chung to her 80 tena-
ciousy after having suffered 30 much from her
Perildy, ana | @'tGmp, to explain It only
our mother Eve in the Garden II Ellen
beguiled by tho serpent. for had he kept out Of
sinned." And II Smith had not invaded my
home and circle 1t would have remained un-
broken. cherish in my memory the promise
woman shall bruise the s"rpcnt's head" and
hope that IT may be fulfilled
During the summer Of 1877 the scarcity Of
work IN Nergennes compelled me b seek en-
ployment elsewhere. aud found i in Essex.
leaving my family in Nergcnncs. AT this time my
wife was in Mrs. Warmers employ. When was
absent from home Smiths opportunities for car
rylng on his villainous schemes wore greatly
enhanced. Soon my wife was completely
in his power. lie came home with her at night.
and stayed as late as eleven and twelve
o'clock. and one night until after / o'clock.
What did this mean Can i be innocence and
virtue2 MOI MOI nothing but hellish virtue.
and the Innocence Of devil! Ask my brother;
years Of age said. What Is Mr.. Smith hero 30
picions had become most thoroughly aroused.
Well, know what some men would have done.
They would have punished him with bullet. |
contemplated IT, but am glad that did not.
Even while knowing that he was destroying
my happiness and breaking up my family. |
tried To be friendly with him. will not attempt
10 describe my wites conduct toward me; only
to say that 1t was everything that man ought
not 10 expect from an honest and loving wife.
To add To- my sorrow she began 10 exhibit
want of affection ior her children. She de-
ceived them in various ways. | came home
every Saturday night rowing myself across
Lake Champlaln. and walking the long dreary
distance OF ten miles 10 Nergennos. To n
happy home and To meet the welcome Of a
loving wife, No. But 10 u home male desc
late by a foul invader; 10 n wife and mother
whose affections ior her husband and children
had been stolen 10y a clOaked villain. Smith
was decclylng his own family and lying. to
them. For instance, one day he sont Mrs,
Smith and her daughter 10 the farm in Addison.
and he took Mrs. Champlin aud lAdy
friend Of hers and went tO Button by
70 ride, and WAS gone. nearly. all day.
During the latter part 81 July {. C. Frost
spoke on " Temperance AT Nrrgenncs. The
first evening Mrs. Champlin obliged her daugh-
ter Libby To attend the lecture. and that night
Smith was ut my house till after | clock. On
the second evening OF the lecture Mrs Champ
lin pretended toH friend that she was going TO
hear Mr.. Frost, but went out riding with smith
and came homo about the timo OF the close Of
tina lopturp. y IA % eDmpleta the upcputiou.