Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-10-18
AlmOn Meaker's Confession.

|, Almon L. Meaker oil Waterbury, Vt, now
confined in states prison under sentence of
death, knowing that the tim, of my execution
draws near, desire to leave " the public a
statement Of all the facts relating to the crime
for which was convicted. Alice the murdered
child, came to live with my father in May 1879,
and was murdered April, 1880. She was
years old She came to live with father by
contract with the overseer OF Charlotte. She was
not at all times kind in the family. My mother
was not satisfied with having the girl live at our
house, and complained TO my father about 1t and
wanted my father to get another place for her.
MY mother often punished her severely Twice
she stripped her from clothing, and whipped her
bare body and drew blood. About two weeks be-
fore the murder my mother told me II father did
not get another place for her, she should dispose
OF her in another way During that week one
day, was in the house and father was in the
field, my mother came into the pantry where
| was getting a lunch, and asked me II would
help her take Alice on to the mountain and leave
her there to starve | told her, no, | would
not. 1t run along a few days, and she urged
me to help her to get rid OF her. She
persisted in taking her OIL and leaving her
where no one would find her and let her starve.
proposed to take her back to Charlotte, and
have them take her back. My mother would not
consent to this My mother said II | would not
assist her in taking the course she wanted to take.
she proposed to kill her outright. She urged me
to help her do IT. and did not consent until the
Tuesday before. She continually urged me- and
said it could be done by poison, and 1t would be
an easy death will say here that II | had
thought her death would have been SO terrible
never could have consented to aid her. She made
the plan to procure strychnine, and procured it
OF druggist Carpenter, OF Waterbury village, and
paid ten cents for It, This was Friday night, the
night Of the murder. | went Immediately to MI
Bates, livery-keeper, and got team and went
over home and put the team back OF the barn.
Mother had put Alice to bed with her clothes on
and mother took her out Of the window telling
her we were going to ride My father was in bed,
Mother and Alice walked a short way up the hill
through the field and came to the road where had
the team. They got in and drove through the
street, and gave the poison on the Henry hill ="
below the street, when we put 1t in some sweet
ened water and gave 1t to her. We drove on, and
in about twenty minutes the poison took effect
and she went into commissions. My mother held
her hand over her mouth, to prevent her making
noise We started for a sandbank towards
Stowe, and took a shovel to bury her with. But
she died so soon we stopped at swamp, where
the body was shown Mr.. Anterior. | agreed with
my mother after we we're arrested (which she
urged me to do TO take all the blame on myself
and clear her; which have done, until ieel u
duty to tell the facts as above stated. No other
person, or persons, had knowledge OF the aialr
but my mother and myself. had no motive In
committing the act, and only did it--what did
| do-at the request and advice Of my mother. |
did not realize what was doing nor consider It's
consequences. ALMoN L. MEAKER
Witness, WENDELL p, RICE
WINDSOR Co. S. The above statement is made
signed aud sworn TO this 10th day OF oct, 1857,
| by the above named A. l.. Meaker before me and
in the presence Of w. 2. Rice, Supt.
W. IL. Ii. BINGHAM, Master in Chancery'