Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-11-15

GENTLY by imprisonment for life 1t was an i'm
portant fact in his favor that the drag-net of the
law had been unable to find any other crime that
he had committed and the unanimous testimony
OF his acquaintance was that he was harmless
and inoffensive child. Nineteen years old in
point Of time, in point OF intellect he was not
more than ten.
Judge Thompson OF Irasburgh said that he was
in favor OF the abolition of capital punishment
but that was not the question here. The men,
bers Of the house were called upon TO decide this
case upon their oaths, having solely rs their
guide the law as it was upon the statute book
and az 1t had been laid down by the courts. This
law, he was sorry to say, upon full review and
consideration OF the facts in the case did not JUS
tify Communication. 1t called for the punishment
OF death. Judge Thompson then read the history
OF the murder as it was detailed in the columns
OF the Argus and Patriot at the time, and argued
that all the circumstances, Almon's false state
ments, his getting Of the poison,-all his acts
proved that he was man Of at least ordinary in
teigence and it must be said, OF horrible sang
froid
Mr. Stanley Of Leicester favored the bill be-
cause he thought the ends Of justice would be
better served thereby He thought imprson-
ment for life would be sufficient punishment for
one OF such a weak mind. A careful considers-
ton of the case had brought him to this conclu-
sion. Mr.. Priest Of Barre thought his opinion
might be of value to the house from the fact that
for many years he had had charge of young
people. He proposed to consider the case with
candor and without emotion. lie had known
young people of fair education who were easily
governed by others and gave an instance from his
own experience. He thought this similar case.
In order to do what 1t was conceded Almon did
he must be either devil ncarnate or child In
intellect. He believed that as to that crime he
was child-like, and not fully responsible for the
deed which he did He was heartily in SYM
patty with Communication.
Mr.. Markham OF Bethel favored Communication.
Mr.. Sherburn OF Rochester believed the death
sentence should be inflicted. Mr.. Edison Of Men
don believed this was a case for mercy Mr.. Dix
of Montgomery favored the bill. Mr.. Noble of
St. Adams read the statute as to what constituted
murder and then argued that under that statute
Almon was guilty Of murder in the first degree.
Mr.. Plumley Of Mortified made the closing
argument for Communication. In beginning he al
luded to the fact that he was the states attorney
OF Washington county and prosecuted Almon
Meaker and his mother to conviction. He re-
buked the light and hippant manner in which
Of the state papers had treated the effort for
Communication, and said that the editors Of these
papers did not know OF what they were writing.
He was authorized TO say that sixteen out of the
eighteen members of Washington county were in
favor Of Communication As for himself, he had
come to the conclusion that Almon's case was one
for mercy after full investigation, after an ac-
quaintance with the case from the very first, after
having seen Almon and his mother, and studied
the character Of the boy as carefully as he was
able. He read the letter OF Judge Redfeld to the
committee in which he said that he was thoroughly
impressed with the idea that the mother dominated
the will and largely controlled the action of the
son, and said that Judge Redfield was not
coddliDg sentimentalst, the stigma which had
been cast by some upon the friends OF commu-
tation. Mr. Plumley said that 1t WAS not isolated
pieces of testimony that should determine the
question. The real test was this Did all the cir
cumstances tend to show that on the whole the
boys guilt was OF a less degree than the guilt Of
the mother? He believed it was, and 80 much
less that he was not deserving OF death Mr.
Plumley drew a terrible picture OF the old
woman's cruel spirit and the dreadful life OF
/
little Alice. But savage as she WAS he said, she
pretended to be Christian, and Almon from his
boyhood had heard her pray and read the Bible,
and had been taught by her to read the Bible and
pray himself. This religious phase was an import
ant one in understanding Almons status. There
was no doubt that Almon's weak mind had
been made to believe by her that it was his reli-
gious duty to obey her and that little Alice would
be better off dead than alive. Under his mother s
baleful influence his weak mind consented to the
murder, not understanding the magnitude of the
crime She was his mother; he had never
dreamed Of disobeying her, and he aided her
in this terrible murder, unparalleled in its
horror, after an unavailing struggle to dissuade
her, He closed by an effective appeal for mercy,
and gave a most graphic description Of the awful
nature OF the doom to which he would be destined,
II committed for life, MI Plum
ley made an eloquent address and he was listened
to intenty throughout.