Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-11-25
VERMONT NEWS.
MRS. MEAKER SENTENCED TO BE HUNG.

.NNuaSii Nho waterbury Cullu mufQereSS. The
decision was that the county court committed
no errors and the Judgment was affirmed.
The States Attorney moved for Immediate
sentence. On being acquainted by the clerk
with the decision of the court and asked il
she had anything to say Mrs Meaker protest.
ed her innocence and hoped the Judges would
be merciful and let her 20 home. (The pris-
oner is very deaf and communication ia had
with her in writing) Judge Ross then de-
hvered the sentence, which is that Mrs Meak-
or be confined in the state prison at Windsor
until the last Friday of March, 1883, the last
three months to be passed in solitary confne-
ment, and then to be hanged by the neck till
dead. The murder for which Mrs. Meaker
is to be hung was committed April %, 1880.
Full particulars of the horrible crime were
published in our columns at the time and will
be recalled by our readers. The Meakers.
father, mother, the sou Almon, aged 10. and
one or two other children, were n low class
family living ON the outskirts of Waterbury.
The little girl, Alice Meaker, frail delicate
child, half-sister of Mr.. Meaker. was sent
from the Charlotte poor farm to live with the
Meakers. Mrs. Meaker conceived a violent
dislike for the child, and one night after she
had gone to bed she was taken up wrapped
In an old gown and an old sack tied over her
head, and she was taken by Mrs. Meaker and
her half-wtted son Almon, and driven for
miles along lonely road, compelled to drink
strychnine, and after her death in commissions
her body was thrown into muck pool.
When enquiry was made about the murdered
child the evidence was SO damaging that
Almon confessed and told the whole story He
and his mother were arrested and on trial the
boy pleaded guilty and was sentenced to be
hanged In February, 1882. Mrs. Meaker
pleaded not guilty and jury was empaueled
and the trial proceeded, lasting ten days, the
jury bringing in verdict of guilty The
prisoners counsel demanded separate trials,
but Judge Redield overruled the claim and
required both respondents to be tried togeth-
err. To this ruling counsel for the defence
took the exceptions argued last week and
which the full bench refused to grant. 1t is
needless to say that Mrs. Meakers crime is
one of the most fiendish and malignant ever
perpetrated in Vermont.
DEATH OF HON. A. b. GARDNER
Ex Lieut.. Governor A. b. Gardner died
at his home in Bennington Centre on Wednes-
day evening of congestion of the lungs, after
a brief illness. Mr.. Gardner was the most
prominent figure in Bennington, a man of
| commanding presence, and was widely known
and respected. He was formerly prominent
in the political affairs OF Vermont had held
the offices of Judge Advocate General, Bank
Examiner, Speaker of the Vermont House of
Representatives and other important state,
| county and town offices. He was the ac-
knowledged leader of the Bennington county
bar, president of the Eagle Square Manufac-
turing company of South Salisbury, and
vice president of the Bennington Battle mon
ument association. His age was G2.
EPISCOPAL CHURCH CHOIR FESTIVAL.
| The third annual choir festival Of the
| Episcopal choirs of the diocese of Vermont
was held in Christ church, Montpelier on
| Thursday of last week. The church choirs
| of Burlington, Bellows Falls, Bethel, Island
Pond, Miidebury, Montpelier, Mortified,
| st. Adams, Vergennes, Woodstock and
Windsor were represented, the chorus num-
| boring 40 or 10 voices. S. Is. Whitney of
| Boston conducted. The festival was opened
with an address Of welcome by the rector of
the Montpelier parish. At the afternoon ses-
sion the services consisted of evening prayer
and an address on the History of Ecclesas-
| tical Music from the Earliest Times" by the
Rev. Charles L. Hutchins, of Medford Mass.
| The musical programme comprised the usual
| chants, with an opening and closing anthem
and Bakers TIE Deum. In the evening full
cathedral service was given. with addresses
by several of the clergy. After the evening
service a pleasant reception was given at the
residence of Hon. Chas. Dewey to the clergy,
chorus and members of the parish.
| 10 NiBOAOuhAg Puhhllb PAo-
ject for permanent exhibition grounds and
buildings. Half the needed S25, 900 capital
has been subscribed and leading residents
are taking hold with a will. The organZa-
ton will be called the Champlain Valley e1-
hibition society, and a lot of 35 acres is be-
ing negotiated for, with the purpose Of open
ing an exhibition of machinery, agricultural
products and fancy goods next year.
The temperance crusade wakes warm in
st. Adams. A largely attended meeting
Monday night Endorsed the action of the Cit
liens Committee in their past work, and
adopted resolutions to the effect that the most
earnest, persistent and vigorous efforts be
taken to enforce the prohibitory law.
John Roach, II years of age, was instant
ly killed at Fairhaven Thursday morning by
falling 50 feet down pit at Hughes quarry
The Jericho cheese factory the past sill
months has made 2, 400 cheeses from 316,0 0t
gallons of milk.
Charles King, tramp. has been sentenc
ed at St. Adams to serve 107 days in the
House of Correction.
John Ryan, about 20 years of age, wa
killed at Fairhaven on Thursday morning o
last week, by the premature discharge OF
gun. He was found sitting on box in hi
barn, dead, shot through the breast, with hi
gun resting between his knees. 1t is suppos
| ed that he leaned over WINE the gun wa
| cooked to fasten his shoes and unintentional
ly discharged the weapon. He had gone GU
to shoot a troublesome cat.
A Syndicate" of leading citizens ha
bought the Lamoille Citizen and the New
aud will consolidate the two papers.
"A large farm house and two barns, OF
the Jeptha Conant place, in the northwes
part of Stowe, were burned early last Thurs
day morning. Three horses, five COWS, tire
hogs a large lot of hay and farm tools wer
also destroyed. Loss heavy and INSURANCE
light
-Ex- Gov. Proctor and a son and daughte
sailed for Europe on Wednesday for three
months absence.
In addition to his magnificent gift TO tn
Burlington Home for Destitute Children, Johi
p Howard has given the trustees of tn
Episcopal diocese of Vermont title deeds b
1900 acres OF land in Wisconsin and Minneso
ia. The income from the sale Of the LIANT
will be used to support the diocesan mission
in Vermont Still further than this, it is an
nounced that Mr.. Howard has given $40, 0O
to Vermont university to be used in remodel
ing the college buildings. The work will b
begun next May. Mr.. Howard's gifts to tn
university the past year aggregate $40, 900.
Gov Farnham has appointed Herber
Brainerd of st. Adams and DIR. Il. A. Outtin
of Lunenburg fish commissioners for nv
d.