Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-05-12
The Meaker Murder!
The Examination at Waterbury---satanic
CrueIty.--Prisoners Committed.

Cruelty.--PrisOners Committed.
The examination Of Emeline Lucy Meaker and
Lewis Amon Meaker, charged with the muir
der Of Alice Meaker on the night Of April 23d,
commenced at Waterbury, Monday. the 10th inst,
at two o'clock p NJ. Early in the day the people
Of the surrounding country began to assemble till
at noon the village presented the appearance worn
by rural communities on the occasion of some
great anniversary, or the annual exhibition Of the
menagerie or circus The respondents arrived
from Montpelier on the noon train in the custody
Of High Sheriff Tuttle and were greeted at the
station by curious crowd, each eager TO see what
sort Of creatures they were who could commit n
crime Of such unheard-of wickedness Long before
the hour for the opening Of the examination the
hotel hall was packed by crowd OF men and
women, seething in an atmosphere where the
mercury was prosecuting successful hunt for the
one hundredth degree Of altitude warning
from Deputy Sheriff Atherton that the hall was
unsafe for so large a crowd added much TO the
cheerful aspect of the OCCASION by creating antici
patons Of an involuntary excursion from the
third story, in which the hall Is situated, to the
cellar of the hotel STILL the terrors Of this warn
OF spectators. On the contrary, when the pris-
oners appeared and the court opened the multi
tude thickened to ten-fold density. spectator
seemed to voice feeling that appeared in more
countenances than one by shouting " hang them"
as the mother and son appeared in court. Labor
ing under these disadvantages, Justice George II.
Lease assisted by Justice James X. Fullerton, di-
rected the examination to proceed. States At
torney Plumley, assisted by W. p. Dillingham;,
Esq, appeared for the state, and f. 7, Palmer,
ESQ. for the respondents. Almon Meaker with
drew his former plea of not guilty, and waived an
examination.
HENRY JAMES, ID,
OF Waterbury was the first witness called by the
state. His evidence relating to the post mortem
examination was to the effect that he found the
teeth of the murdered girl slightly parted; the
tongue thrown back against the roof of the mouth
mud in the mouth; post mortem rigidity of the
muscles marked more than usual in cases OF
ordinary death; skin congested; lips drawn back,
indicating commissions; no Commissions worthy of
note; scalp and brain congested; blood vessels
gorged with blood, spinal cord congested; no
signs of apoplectic cause of death; several old
chalky places on lungs, the latter much congested
liver congested entrance to stomach corroded
outlet congested. The summing up was to the
effect that there was no natural cause for death.
About eight ounces Of the contents of the stomach
together with that organ itself, were put into a
glass jar, sealed up and sent to Burlington.
RUDOLPH A. wITTHAUs
testified that he was chemist by profession; had
attended at the University of Vermont during the
last three years as professor of chemistry, and
has made some fifteen or twenty examinations in
cases of poisoning during his experience. These
facts being accepted by the court as proof of his
ability as an expert, Professor Witthaus pro-
ceeded to testify to the reception and identified
ton of the package forwarded to him by DR.
James, which package contained the stomach and
contents taken from the body OF Alice Meaker.
Having separated the stomach from the con-
tents and treated each separately, he applied
to the residuum obtained by the chemical pro-
cess employed in such cases, the tests relied
upon to disclose the presence of strychnine
These are the frog and the color tests Having
introduced a small quantity of the residuum OF
the girls stomach into the body of a frog, the ami.
NAL was placed upon table Ia a short time a
rap upon the table caused a slight tetanc spasm
in the frog, and after another rap occasioned
intense contraction of the muscles of the ami
mails legs. These spasms are the direct result Of
the presence of the alkaod, strychnine. The ap
plication of certain chemicals to the residuum OF
the stomach, II strychnine were present, would
produce violet color, or with large quantities Of
strychnine blue; but this color lasts only short
time, soon passing into red and then into a
dirty green. Judged by these two tests the pres.
ence of strychnine in the stomach OF the muir
dered girl was conclusively proven; the quantity
the professor could not tell. No other poison wa,
found in the stomach.
DEPUTY SHERIFF FRANK H. ATTENTION
being sworn and asked as to his knowledge Of
Almon Meaker the question and the introduc.
ton Of Mr.. Atherton's testimony was objected t.
by Mr.. Palmer on the ground that Almon Meaker
having waived an examination, was not on tria
and any evidence tending to criminate him, or his
alleged confession to Mr.. Anterior, could not be
used to implicate Mrs Meaker The state main
tanned that it was not the intention to use the
confessions or admissions OF Almon Meaker IL
prove Mrs. Makers guilt, but they had right
to introduce this evidence to prove the fact of the
murder, and by it to establish Mrs. Meaker'.
guilty connection with the crime. The court
ruled that the evidence was admissible We pre-
sent only those points in Mr. Atherton's testi-
mony which have not already been published and
which tend to prove that Mrs. Meaker is til,
principal in this dark drama OF crime. On that
Monday evening, April 27th, Mr.. Anterior hay
ing pressed Mrs Meaker for truthful explana
ton of the disappearance of the girl, she stated
hat had a. Of L.l IA.
23i, at seven o'clock The next morning, Alice
not appearing, she sent the little brother to cal
her, who, quickly returning said Alice was moi
there. She then went TO the bedroom, which Is
| on the ground floor, and is entered only through
the bedroom occupied by herself She found tn,
bed looking if the little girl had left it in til,
night Her clothes were gone, and she supposed
she had got up in the night climbed out OF the
window and ran away. This. she said, was al
she knew about it, This conversation took place
about half-past nine o'clock in the evening
Later in the night, when the chain of crcum
stances was tightening around them, Mrs. Meakei
called Mr.. Atherton into the parlor, She there
| told him that the child was in Canada, and she
would go next day and bring her back II he would
let her But she could not tell where in Canada
and Mr.. Atherton expressed his fears that ther,
had been foul play, and told her she would fee
better to tell the whole truth, II the child was
dead to bring her back and give her decent
burial Here Mrs. Meaker broke down, and in
great agitation said, 81 can't tell the whole
| truth. You don't know what they would do witt
| me II | did" She then opened the door and left
the ROOM From this time, about half-past ten
O'Clock, till midnight, Mr.. Atherton, in connec
ton with Mr. Euntley and Mr.. Palmer, was en-
gagged in efforts to ascertain the fate of the child
| by inquiries addressed TO Almon Meaker at Mr.
| Huntey's house. To the question, " Did you
| learn from Almon Meaker that Alice had died o
poison?' the defense renewed its former objec
tons, which the court oyerruled and the mair
| facts of the confession came out. While Mr.
| Anterior was receiving Almon's confession In
Mr.. Huntley's kitchen at midnight, Mrs Meakei
came in and Alnlon stopped talking. Mrs. Meakel
exhibited every symptom of great distress Sh'
was asked by Mr.. Anterior to 90 out, which she
did, and as she left the room said to Almon, "Yor
had better keep still; IL you have anything Il
say, say it on the stand" Almon, having com
pleted his confession, promised to go with Mr.
Atherton and find the body, and at half-pas
twelve o'clock they returned together to Mr.
Meaker's house to get Almons oyercoat for the
night ride Mrs Mealer. with loud cries anC
groans that could be heard in the road, wanted t,
know II Mr.. Anterior was going to take Almor
away. Almon answered, 81 am going with Mr.
| Atherton" Mrs. Meaker exclaimed, "AlmoI
can't go. am the guilty one, take me- Sh,
expressed her fear that MIR. Atherton would no