The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-03-31

Probably no crime ia Vermont ever created
more interest than the Meaker murder, which
fact is partly owing to the atrooousness OF the
crime and also to the knowledge that the
primary mover in tho case was a woman,
There resided in the town of Duxbnry, VT
family By the name of Aieaker, consisting OF
father, mother, son and daughter, and little
girl, Alice, half-slster of MIR. MeakeF. Alice
was taken from the poorhouse at Charlotte at
the age OF s, and had resided IN this family
about one year before the murder. The town
was to pay for her care $780, aud she was }
remain with them until she was Of age. Mrs
Meaker seemed 10 dislike the child from the
hrst, often beating her and whipping her In a
most brutal and inhuman manner, aud for no
adequate reason. The little girl was a very
precocious child, it is said, and was quite use
ful about the house. Friday morning April
~, 1880, 1t was noticed by the neighbors that
Alice was missing, and suspicion was excited
that all was not right The authorities were
notified, and Almon Meaker and his mother
were questioned IN relation TO Alice's where
abouts, but they stoutly denied any knowledge
OF the girl, giving contradictory stories as TO
where she had gone. AT last the son, Altnon,
told the sheriff he would tell him all about the
matter II he would not disclose. He said that
ne and bis mother took Alice to q swamp and
buried her; that on the day before he had pur-
chased some strychnine, by his mothers
direction, TO poison Alice with. He then
said: The next day went 10 livery stable
the team back Of the barn Mother had put
Alice TO bed with her clothes on. and mother
took her out of ths window, telling her we
were going to ride. Ny father was III bed.
Mother and Alice walked short way up the
hill, through the field, aud came 70 the road
where had the team. They got IN and I
drove through the street aud gave the poison
on Henry hill, below the street. when we put
II in some sweetened water and gave il to her
We drove on, and, Ia about 20 minutes, the
poison took effect and she went into conyul-
sions. My mother held her hand over her
mouth TO prevent har making noise. We
started for san ndbank towaFd Stowe, and took
a shovel 10 bury her with but she died so soon
that We stopped at q swamp, where the body
was thrown into a hole where they had taken
muck from, and then / stamped upon the body
to prevent it being seen." The mother and
son were immediately arrested and arraigned,
when Almon pleaded not guilty, as did his
mother. The trial lasted some 10 daye and
both were found guilty Of murder in the first
degree. The nUu WAS sentenced TO TO hanged
in February, 1888, but hts sentence was COM
muted 10 imprisonment for lifs hy the last
Legislature. Exceptions being taken Ia The
case OF Mrs. Meaker, She was not sentenced
until the December folio cling. She has atoutly
denied ell KNOWLEDGE Of the matter from the
first, aud says that her son will rspsnt on bis
dying bed for the deed be has doHe in impli-
eating her. She has heen in Windor state
prison since June, 1880, ard until week
since. fegned insanity. making the walls re-
sound with her fearful screams and yslis. She
would attack ber attendants and threaten
them with fearful vengeance IL they did not
let her out. Being A muscular woman quick
In her movements, her actual attacks were not
SO easy TO resist. By her conduct she lost the
sympathy OF those who were once her friends
and her husband and daughter refaged to visit
her, and now even deny har last request, to
have her remains taken home for burial.