Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-11-26
VERMONT NRMa.
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THE NEARER MURDER TRIAL.

Lewis Almon Meaker and Emeline Meaker,
his mother, were arraigned at Montpelier on
Monday for murder by poisoning little Alice
Meaker ct Waterbury, last spring. The for
mer entered plea Of guilty Of murder in the
first degree. This was intended to shut out
the testimony of the officer TO whom he made
a confession duplicating his mother, the re-
spondent's counsel thinking it impossible TO
convict Mrs. Meaker without this evidence.
Lewis appears cheerful and not TO realize the
situation In which he has placed himself.
On Tuesday the state finally succeeded in
connecting Mrs. Meaker with the murder of
Alice. Mrs Pickett Of Waterbury testified
to seeing Mrs. Meaker in a wagon with AL
mon and little Alice at nearly p. NJ. Friday
night when Alice was killed. the team being
headed in the direction Of the place where
Almon said poison was given. This is the
first witness who has identified Mrs. Meaker
as the person in the team with Almon and AL
| ice A. H. Anterior, the deputy sheriff who
ferreted out the murder, took the stand and
started to tell what Mrs Meaker told him rel.
ative TO little Alice's disappearance when he
went TO interview her Monday evening before
the body was found. Respondents counsel
| objected, claiming that he used undue influ-
ence to get Mrs Meaker to tell the story
| Prof. Whitthaus of New York, who made a
chemical analysis Of the viscera of the muir
dered girl, was very positive as TO the person
whose viscera he examined having died from
strychnine poison.
THE CENSUS.
1t is now said that the complete census
returns Of the State show the total population
to be 332, 2SG, which is less by ., 100 than was
reported some months ago. This takes away
more than half the supposed increase in ten
years. It now appears that the gain from
census to census was only half of per cent.
| The number Of males has increased more
than twice as much hs the number of females,
the sexes being very evenly divided, as there
are 99l females to every 900 males The
native population has increased, and the for
eign born residents have decreased. There
are now less than Al 900 foreigners in Yer.
mont, or only little more than u per cent.
The colored people number but lob, Of
whom II only are Indians and half breeds.
-Heman Hopkins, Jr. of Montgomery,
has sold from his fine herd of thoroughbred
Durhams, four heifers and three bulls, to A. NJ
Winslow's Sons, the celebrated breeders, oil
Kankakee, ILL.,, at a round price. Good judy
es of neat cattle pronounce the herd of Mr.
Hopkins among the choicest in northern Yer
mont.
Otis p. Clay Of Chester Depot, for many
years past proprietor Of the stage route from
there to Londonderry, died on the 14th inst
of erysipelas, after some ten days sickness.
Francis Martin of Windsor has a cal
that has developed rare abilities for catching
fish. Seldom does a day pass that Tabby
does not bring to the house three or foui
fish. few days ago she astonished Mr.
Martins family by bringing in sucker tina
measured more than a foot in length, and, a.
if not satisfied with the exploit, she immedi
ately returned TO the stream and added two
large dace to her string.
Michael Griming Of Burlington, aged 80
fell dead while sweeping the snow from hi
steps last Sunday morning.
A lighted lamp was knocked to the foo
by one of the pupils at the Roman Catholic
school in Winooski last Friday, and the cloth
ing of sister, one Of the teachers was satu
rated with the burning fluid. Before thu
flames could be eXtinguished the woman wa
so badly burned that she died the next day.
-Eben Woodland, an aged citizen of So
Royalton, committed suicide the other day b,
choking himself with handkerchief.
The Woodstock NJ f. church has beer
presented with fine cabinet organ by Hon
Frederick Billings.
On Saturday last, Sylvester Perkins o
Proctorsville was oilng his planning machin,
while in motion, when his coat-sleeve wa
caught by the revolving cylinder drawing hi
arm into the machine, and completely sever
ing it midway between the wrist and elbow.
The wife of James Lille of Orwell wa
thrown from her carriage on Sunday after
noon, and was SO badly injured that she liveC
but three hours She was 80 years of age ant
leaves seven children, the oldest 10 years, tn
youngest five months.
"A little Ryegate boy repeated his verse
in Sunday school, and the teacher, to illus
trato the principle involved asked him wha
he should think il he should see man on tn
street drunk, noisy and qusrrelsome. %
should think he was a Democrat" Responded
the little fellow
Mr.. and Mrs. Eben Jones Of st. Johns
bury celebrated their golden wedding Nov
| 10th.
-Galusha Meanwhile, employed at C. p
Harris & Co. 3 steam mill at Rutland, was &C
cidentally killed, Tuesday afternoon, by com
ing in contact with the fy-wheel Of the en-
gine. His head and body we're frightfull,
mangled. The unfortunate man was abou
50 years old, and an inventor of considerable
repute.