Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1883-04-04
Windsor.

buApuIy, W., vi VIC hiShI VI 'hc Aou
of April, 1880. Mrs. Meakor and
her son Almon took little nine year
old girl (Alice Meaker) into wagon
and started for a ride, and while rid
ing they gave her dose of poison in
some sweetened water, and held her
while she Went through spasms and
commissions which ended in death,
and then took the body to u
swamp and buried it in mud hole,
jamming it down with their feet.
Three days after the child was missed,
and inquiries instituted. On question
ing Almon he was so confused, and his
answers so contradictory, that he was
Immediately taxed with the crime and
confessed, and took the officers to the
place where they had buried the body.
Mrs. Mcaker and Almon were arrest
ed, tried and convicted, and sentenced
to be hung, Almon the second Friday
in February, and Mrs. Mcaker the last
Friday in March 1882. Almon's SEN
tence was committed to Imprisonment
for life, but no effort was made in Mrs.
Meaker's behalf. Her conduct from
the first has been such as to prevent
any feeling of sympathy which other
wise might have been felt for her as
her approaching doom drew nigh.
While in prison she has been con-
slant source of trouble and annoyance
to all around her. In her interview
with her son the day before the execu-
ton, the same disposition was prcdom-
inant. They met and parted more
like mere acquaintance than as mother
and son. The sheriff received numer-
Gus applications during the last two
weeks for admittaucc to the scene, but
was obliged to refuse most of them,
though over hundred witnessed the
execution. Mrs. Mcakcr passed her
lat night sleeping quietly, and arose
in the morning about six o'clock, look
ing quite fresh. She took a bath and
ate a hearty breakfast. At her own
request she was taken on to the gal
lows, which she thoroughly inspected
with the utmost GOODNESS, showing no
fear and remarking that it was not
near as bad as she had expected. AT
y O'Clock the people began to gather
at the prison, among them were ex-
Warden Earle of Massachusetts. War
den Dodge of New Hampshire, Sheriff
Drew Of Burlington, John Champion
of Rutland, Director Thatcher of Ben
nington, and many other prominent
men. AT 1870 the spectators were ad-
mitted into the room where the gallows |
was erected, and almost Immediately
Sheriff Amsden and his deputies APP
peared with Mrs. Meaker. She was
dressed in black cambria, with a white
ruche at the neck and sleeves. She
looked very pale, and the look in her
eyes showed the terrible strain on her
nerves and she assembled the scaffold |
firmly and was seated in chair. Mr..
Hull, the chaplain, offered a prayer,
and bowling to her descended from the
scaflold. She returned his bow, and
said, "Good bye, Mr.. Hull" Being
deaf, she was handed paper by Sher-
if Amsden asking her if she had any
thing to say She replied "No, l
haven't anything to say, only forgive
you all for hanging an innocent wo-
man. am Just as innocent as that
man there" nodding her head to-
wards deputy Locke.) She was i'm
mediately placed on the trap and the
rope was adjusted by deputy Wallace,
Sheriff Amsden held the death warrant
tetore her eyes, and shortly after dep
uty Lowell adjusted the black cap,
Sheriff Amsden's foot pressed the fatal
spring, the drop swung from beneath
her feet and in an instant her body was
dangling at the end Of the rope. Not
a struggle was perceptible. The neck
was broken and she probably never
felt an instant of bodily pain. II. w.
Stocker was the first to reach her and
held the watch while the pulse was
taken by Drs. Brewster, Rugg and
Shurtitf. She was pronounced dead
in II Ii minutes. and after hanging
30 minutes she was taken down, placed
in her coffin, and within an hour was
deposited in her last resting place in
the prison lot in the new cemetery.
Sheriff Amsden deserves great credit
for the quiet and expeditions way in
which the affair was conducted. The
coffin Msed was made for John p.
Phair, but his friends procured more
one, so this one was laid
away, eventually fated to encase the
fruit Of the gallows tree.
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