Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-12-01
The DnxburN Murder.
CONVICTION OF MRS. NEAKER FOR THE
POISONING OF ALICE MEAKER.
An ACCOUNT OF THE Trail.

CONVICTION OF MRS. NEAKER FOR TUE
POISONING OF ALICE MEAKER.
An ACCOUNT OF THE TRIAL.
The trial Of Mrs. Emeline Lucy Meaker
came to an end last evening with = verdict
of guilty of murder In the first degree-a
verdict in accordance with Justice, and
eminently satisfactory to the public-espe
cially the women, whpse maternal hearts
were wrung with the cruel death of the
little victim, Mrs Meaker's deafness pre-
vented her from hearing the announce
ment OF the verdict, and it was cOmmuni-
Gated to her in writing by Mr.. Smile, the
county clerk. As soon as she compre-
hended it she began sobbing and moaning
in pililul manner. After being re con {.
Quoted 10 the Jail she behaved so outrage
ously that the sheriff had to put handouts
upon her, and lock her in cell. She will
probably be taken to the state prison.
Our last weeks report left Sheriff Ather-
tons upon the stand He con inued his
testimony on Wednesday morning. He
said that on the Monday night after the
murder when we went over from Mr.
Huntley's house, Mrs. Meaker was at
home; found her standing in the floor;
requested her to sic down, as wanted to
talk to her about Alice and her disappear
ance; she said the little girl went to bed
about O'Clock Friday night; in the mcrn
ing she sent in HIley, the brother of Alice,
and he reported that she was gone; she
rushed in and found the bed tumbled, bul
the girl and her clothes gone; he said
that was all she knew about it; Alm"n
and Nellie Meaker were at home when
went in; the time was about half-p tst 8;
at the time OF this conversation Horace
Almon and Nellie were present. | asked
her what her family consisted of the
Saturday morning before ;she said, Almon,
Hiey, Mr.. Meaker and herself; no one
else there to breakfast; the next converse
ton with Mrs. Meaker was in the parlor a
few Minutes afterwards, after the CONVEX
sations wi h Nellie and Almon Nellie re-
quested me to 90 into the parlor to see her
mother; went in; Mrs. Meaker said she
could tell where the little glrl was; she
was all right, and in Canada; she would
bring her back if would let her go; told
her | thought the girl was dead, and she
had better tell the whole TRUTH she said
the girl was in Ctnada, but could not tell
where; she cried and said, MIR. Athcrton,
| can't tell you the whole truth; you don t
know what they would do with me;
Nellie came round, and opened u door in
20 bed room; | asked Nellie where the
girl slept that night; Iasked Mrs Meaker
the same question: Nellie took IL light. and
we passed into the room occupied by Mr.,
and Mrs Meaker; we passed from there
into small room; she showed me the bed
and the room the room is in the north
west corner OF the house. only one window
ont, which is on the west sIe towards the
road; Photographic views of the Meaker
house shown witness and he explained the
Surroun' ings to the jury) after going
| into the bedroom asked Mrs. Meaker il
she and Mr.. Mraker slept there that
night she said Mr.. Meaker went to bed
about 8 o'clnck; aud She went lale, some
where between 10 AMI II. | think; | ask
I'd where AImon was that night; she ) nd
he went TO the village, TO Mr. Dev,il
we then passed into the kitchen; Mr..
Meaker said Almon went there and got
some toIac1u, which he showed to me
then had conversation with Amon IN
! the kitchen; soon after AlmCn ami | went
into the pprlor and had conversation; then
went to Huntleys and hid couver,alIou
with Huntley and + F. Palmer, wen,
back and gol Amon; afterwards had con.
verSaton with Almon in the sitting room
of h. w HuntIey; the next conveis ation
was with the family at Mr.. Meakrr's not
far from half past II O'Clock; wen there
with Almon to get his overcoat; Horace,
| Mrs. Meaker and Nellie were there; Al.
| M inok his from, tl,a 81.
| side of the kitchen from the door: Mrs
Meaker seemed to feel bad; Almon said
g Mother, have told the whole truth
nothing is kept back;' the old lady en-.
braced him, called him her darling boy,
and said | mustn't take him away; said t.
take her that she was the guilty one; Hor-
ace said would bring him back, would
do as agreed; Alm"n started, and as he
| went out of the door he said to his mo- her
that he had told the whole truth. not lie
left in his mouth; Mrs. Mcaker took on "A
good deal
went to Mr.. Hunley's, and procured
some wraps and coarse sucking, and start
| ed to 90 up Waterbury river; took AlmOn
Meaker and +, f, Palmer E>q | drove
to Waterbury village first, and on the hill
stopped and Mr.. Palmer got out; from
| there drove to my own house and from
there to Waterbury river Amon drove
went to the Waterbury river up near the
John White place; | didn't direct him
where TO drive; when | got up about hall
mile from Little River bridge near the,
Baptist meeting house, Almon drove up to a
fence; hitched the horse on left hand sid,
of road; | followed him back about two
rods; went toward low swampy place,
where water wtS about ankle deep; III
that point he pointed out place that un
covered, and found body; it was place
where there had been muck cut out; there
Was pile of alders there, and IL post
thrown on top, which | removed and felt
round in the water and found the body;
took the body out and carried it out where
it was dry; requested Almon to help carry
it out where team was left; | took the
shoulders and he the feet; laid it down
near the buggy; | did the body up in the
wraps; | then took my whip and measured
box to buggy; could not get body into
box; then requested Almon to get into
buggy; put body into buggy beside him;
body between us, the head on his shout
der; he had his arm around it; then drove
to DR.. James, and then to Meaker place.
got there about quarter to four in the
morning; found body at two O'Clock; it
was wet night; II cloudy night, with IA
moon; where we found the body it was
about half mile from Little River bridge.
toward Stowe; about one-fourth of a mile
to Mr. John Whites. but the place can
be seen from any house; the body was
partly on the left side | think; carried
the body into the parlor, and laid it down
on floor; | delivered it to DR.. james;
the wrappingS had not been taken from
the body; was present when they were
taken off; the body had on little calico
dress, II little sack, (head done up in sack
when found). chemise. drawers, shoes, bu
no hat; Qhe clothes shown to the iurv7;
hey are in the same condition AS when
taken off; have kept them in my charge
ever since; delivered the mug mentioned
to DIR. Wilthaus; found it in the Meaker
house, in IL small buttery off the kitchen
two or three days after; | carried it home
and kept locked up Till | delivered ii to
DIR. Wltthaus; nothing put in it while
had it.
Cross-examined by Mr.. Palmer, the