Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-03-19
Edward Tatro, Murderer.


NEXT MONTH.
Three Vermont murderers suffered the
extreme penalty of the law, last year, and
there are in the States Prison at Windsor
two more under sentence Of death-Hayden,
the brutal wife murderer, whose doom is
postponed until next year, and Edward
Tatro, who is TO be hung on Friday, April
end. The following brief account of the
crime for which he is to suffer (taken from
the Windsor Journal may be of interest to
our readers at this time. Edward Tatro had
worked on farm for Mr. Charles W. Butler
of Hishgate and had lived in his family for
three years previous to the murder, and was
considered as quiet and inoffensive young
man. On the night of the murder, Friday,
June Cd, 1876 Butler, who was going to the
Centre Village, about two miles distant,
asked Tatro to accompany him, but he did
not wish to go, when Mrs. Butler said she
would go; but her husband thought she had
better not. Tatro had been drinking hard
for several days previous and said he felt
sick, and would stay with Alice-Mrs. But
ler Butler started for the village abou:
o'clock and returned home about o'clock,
went to the barn and put up his horse, went
into the house. and finding all dark. started
for match and tumbled over something on
the floor which he supposed was the hired
man, Tatro, asleep on the floor; but his
horror can be better imagined than described,
when, upon lighting lamp, he discovered
the mangled and bleeding remains OF his
wife, in a pool of blood, her head beaten to
almost a pomace and her brains oozing out.
There stood the axe, covered with blood,
several bloody sticks of wood and broken
chair, with his gun on the floor. MIR. Butler
Immediately started for assistance, but was
soon met by Tatro and some of the neighbors
whom Tatro had aroused, after committing
the terrible deed, telling them that tramp
was at Mr. Buffers and killing Alice. He
claimed to Mr. Butler that as he was going
up stairs to bed, and had got undressed, Mrs.
Butler came running up, and man after
her; that the man turned upon him and
knocked him down stairs, and then he ran
for help, he talking all the time in the most
rambling manner Tatro had on nothing
but SHIRT, which was torn and bloody.
and his hands and legs were all covered
with blood. An inquest was held over the
body, and the evidence was SO convincing
that the Jury were but u moment in coming
to the conclusion that Edward Tatro was the
murderer, and he was Immediately arrested
and taken to ST. Adams Jail, where, in 3 few
DAYS, he send for his mother, and to her
made the following confession, which We are
credibly informed is correct, although he
modified it somewhat few days afterwards,
thus relieving it of some Of the improbable
features
THE CONFESSION.
| cut the hole in The wall l think that was the
day before the murder; | dug the hole with the
shears the day after the boy Willie Fortune left:
On the evening of the murder, about a quarter OF
nlnc Mrs. Butler WAS lying On the bed down stairs.
| went IN there and sat down In u chair near me
bed | felt sick nj nv stomach, probably from the
effects of some liquor had previously drank, and
She got upand prepared me some saeratus and wa
ter went up stars after took the saleratus and
water; went nv room and turned down the
quilts 10 my bed, hut did not take OH my pants
Mrs Butler soon came up stairs and went 10 her
room ; l heard her when she came up. Then l
went in there and found her sitting on the side OF
the he'd. We talked u few minutes and sat down
BY the side of her and pulled her over back On Inc
bed. she jumped up and ran out into the otner
room (Meaulng the large unoccuped room where
the first struggle took place. She picked up
chair that near the stove and threw Il al me- l
threw the the chair back III her and she threw II
at me again. Then took 1t and struck her anu
Knocked her down; broke the chair all TO pieces
there; don't remember OF hitting her but once
n was dark | must have broken the chair upon
The tIoor She got up and went TO the head of the
starr. There we had a hard tussle and both strug-
plrd along down stairs. In the dining room she got
nm and ran out through the kitchen into the wood
shed and got the axe | stood by the kitchen stove.
| told her 10 behave herself and would She
threw the nj me. l threw ii back
near the water pail, where she stood.
She threw 1t ut me again. left II there where II
fell. She to the wood-hON and got stick OF
wood and threw IL at me IL hit me i'll the palm OF
my hand rs | raised II To ward of the blow, then
struck me over the eye. picked up the stick and
struck her with II and Knocked her down. picked
up the axe and went for her and struck her WIN H.
then went and got the gun which was in the kitch-
door. did that for blind. The gun was not used
at ALL then went out the front door and ran over
10 MIR. Fortunes.
In answer TO questions Tatro stated: did not
hear Charlie coming when went out: didn't hear
any one. did not mean to Kill the poor woman
when struck her with the axe.
At the trial he plead not guilty, on the
ground that he was so full of liquor that he
did not know what he was about, and that ne
had no remembrance OF committing the deeu-
| lie had fair and impartial trial, anu was
ably defended but the evidence was SO con-
vincing that the jury brought in verdict Oh
murder in the first degree. Ills counsei TOOK
exceptions, and they were fully considered,
but Judge Rcdfield overruled all inc ooJee-
tions brought, and in january, 1873, he was
sentenced in the following words;
THE SENTENCE.
..That Won. Edward Tatro he hanged by the neck
unt YOU are dead on the rst Friday in April. 1885,