Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1881-02-28
EXECUTION OF EDWIN c.
HAYDEN.

was shot and fatally wounded by him
on the 3lst day of August, 1876, at
which tine he shot and dangerously
wounded Maj. G. o. Brigham, brother
in-law. A brief account of the murder,
the trial and the subsequent efforts of the
friends and counsel of the doomed man
to prevent the execution of the law, will
be of interest to the readers of the
MONITOR, the most of whom are already
acquainted with the main facts in the
case: Hayden was born. in Cincin-
natl, Ohio, but was brought up in
Montpelier, VT, Gen. P. ?. Pitkin
being his guardian. He obtained
a fair education, was bright, rather
wild and ugly, but had a pleas
ing address. Being of rowing and
uneasy disposition, he drifted to differ
ent places and engaged in different oc-
cnpations until he CHANGED to make the
acquaintance of Gertrude Spaldlng of
Rock Island, (Stanstead,) P. @. Mrs.
Hayden was the daughter of the late
Levi Spalding of the place mentioned,
who was a successful business man and
from whom Gertrude received large
estate. Hayden sought and won the
hand Of Gertrude in marriage. 1t soon
became painfully evident to her, that
what her friends had known and sus-
pected in regard to his drinking and
passionate habits were true, but it was
too late. She was married in 1871 at
the aged of Is, Hayden being % years
old. The marriage was opposed by the
Spalding family. Hayden went into
business in Boston, having received
$4,000, possibly more, from his wife.
During the great fire he was burned out
and afterwards failed. Some time after
wards he and his wife returned to Stan
stead, where they hired and run hotel
for some months. Not succeeding in
this, he moved on to farm, mile of
the Plain, living on the farm year or
more. His habits were growing worse,
and his treatment of his wife was at
times cruel. Witnesses state that he
not only beat, kicked, confined in clos
cts, but repeatedly threatened to shoot
her. In December, 1875, his conduct
becoming SO terribly abusive that hi'
wife could not endure it-their property
at this time being squandered-she de
termined to leave him and did so, going
to reside with friends in Boston anC
elsewhere. In deciding to make sep
aration, she told her husband that when
ever he would reform and would provid,
her comfortable home, she would agar
live with him. In the spring of 1875
Hayden made arrangements with Capt
j. K. Gilman of Derby Line, owner o
the hotel at St. Leon Springs, to serv
as clerk, table waiter, etc., at the Springs
He went there and during the season
kept tolerably straight, for him, but oc
casionally obtained liquor and went o.
spree. While under the influence 0
liquor he was always inclined to
quarrelsome and ugly and not unfre
quently got into broils and fights.
During the summer his wife came t
Derby Line and made her home at he
brothers, and, few days previous t
the murder, had come into the family {
Maj. c. o. Brigham, then boarding an
living with his wife, sister of Mr.
Hayden. at the Derby Line hotel. Dui
ing the last days of August, Hayden lei
st. Leon. and arrived in Stanstead 0
the 30th inst.
1t appeared that he was greatly il
censed at his wife because she woul
not live with him, and from stat
ments and evidence, it seems that |
had determined that he would shoot h,
unless she consented to live with hi
again. When he arrived in Stanstea
ne was the worse for liquor. The san
afternoon he went to the Line, called {
Mrs. Brigham, inquiring for his wifi
whom he shortly met on the stree
During the afternoon he had three int
views with his wife, Mrs Brigham b
ing present with them. He was pa
TALLY intoxicated, rude and even threa
ened shooting on that day. He tried
have his wife give him her furnitur
saying be wished to hire and furnish
hotel; he also sought by entreaty al
importantly to have private intervie
with her, which she persistently refuse
About six o'clock in the afternoon, viii
Hayden was talking about shootin
Maj. Brigham arrived, and Hayden
ing somewhat nonplused. shortly Il
the rooms and returned to Stanstea
He spent the night there, but return
to the Line and the hotel early in t
morning. During the forenoon he soug
an interview with his wife, but was a
vised by Mr.. Brigham not to visit
in his unhappy state and plight; /
during the interview Mrs. Hayden h;
pened to open the door and Academia
confronted her husband. They had
brief conversation. and after so
parleying on his part, she babe