Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-03-22
The Waterbury Murder.

Another offence against human life, SO
shocking in its enormity that all could wish
TO feel, for the credit Of human kind, that 1t
was the work of irresponsible lunacy comes
to attract again the public gaze with unen-
viable fixedness to the locality where the
murder of Alice Meaker is still fresh in the
minds Of the people. The circumstances of
the killing, as near as they can be unrav-
eled from the testimony of the boy and girl,
the only eye witnesses of the murder, the
history of family affairs, the beliefs and
theories of individuals familiar with the
parties to the tragedy are summarized in the
news columns Of this journal. In the be-
wilderment of the first burst of the awful
intelligence of the murder, insanity was
jumped at as the only adequate explanation
of the unnatural deed. The fact that the
murderer had been for short time an in
mate of an insane asylum very naturally
served to substantiate the popular belief that
the man was insane. But for this single
fact the insanity plea would hardly have
been raised in the murderer's defense. This
fact gave it FEASIBILITY. The belief among
those who have known the murderer, among
tradesmen and others who have dealt with
him and have had opportunities to judge by
this test of his mental status, is that before
this tragedy he was rational and response
BILE man, and he was so regarded by them.
It is true there are those who attribute the
murder to an insane freak. 1t is also true
that others who freely accepted the insanity
plea at first are now believers in the respon-
sibility of the man, whatever his idiosyncra-
sizes may have been, and that his deed was
murder proceeding from causes other than
lunacy. In the town where the crime was
committed, even among those who are in
clined to believe that McCaifrey was men
tally deranged, there are regrets that the
killing Of these women does not now receive
a careful legal sitting. Six months hence
testimony now fresh in the memory OF
individuals, especially of those young chill
dren, may have faded out or become OBJ
secured, if indeed it is not buried in the
grave. The mental condition Of the muir
derer at the time of the murder can far bet
ter be Judged now than after six months
confinement in an asylum. The case can
hardly be called one Of prima facie insanity.
Considering the euormity of the deed and
the injury which may result to law and Or
der by following course Of procedure that
may have the appearance even of dealing
lightly with so terrible an affair, no consid-
erations of expense, certainly, should inter-
fere to postpone what justice and humanity
and reason seem to demand should be done
at once.
1t has been stated on good authority that
McCaffrey was not insane when he was sent
to the asylum two years ago and it has been
stated on equally good authority that he was
discharged from Brattleboro before his ma
MIA was cured. These matters should be
definitely cleared up, and if it appears that
this institution by prematurely discharging
them is virtually giving maniacs certifi-
cate of sanity, under cover of which they
are turned loose upon the community to
bury, the matter should receive the attention
of the Lawmakers. And if a crazy man of
this dangerous character has been at large
and intelligent men have been fully con-
WINGED of his insanity, as is now asserted,
and heard with apprehension his threats of
murderous violence without taking meas
ures to have him sent to place Of safety, it
may be wholesome to have this fact legally
proved. 1t is possible, however, that there
may be a great deal of luminous hindsight I"
in this as in many other less serious matters
but on one subject there is just now strik-
ing unanimity of opinion that all people of
"illaranged minds should be shut up,
and that when one OF these cranky indvid-
uals chances to break out and kill his wife
and aged mother he should ever more be re-
strained of his liberty. There would seem
to be in this tragedy suggestions for some
wise legislation next fall.