Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-03-31
TIGHT ROPES.
A Harvest Day for the Hangman.
Mrs. Meaker Calmly SURVEYS the Scatfo'd
Upon Which She Was Hanged ate~
Hours Afterward-She Brave
B Meets Her Fate.
A COLoRED GENTLEMAN SUSPENDED

WINDSOR, VI, March 3O.-Mrs. Meakers
execution, which took place at 2 P. NJ, Is
the first instance of the hanging OF Wo-
man since the erection of the prison IN
1sos Since 1870 Ward, Welcome, Jatro,
Msgoon, Greveline Phair, Hayden and
Carr have been hanged here, and to-day
Fmeline Meaker was added to the hst'
Last night she gave the first sign OF weak
ness in an interview with the chaplain, ,and
he expressed hope that she would confess.
Before she retired last night she knitted
few rounds on a pair Of stockings. Soon
after midnight she went to sleep and re-
.posed calmly until daybreak, when she
rose and put on a neat dress OF olack
csmbrick with q white ruche around the
neck, which the matron had made for her.
She said; IL will not need any crimps 10.
day," as she combed her long locks out
straight and let them depend from ner
bullet-shaped head. After eating hearty
breakfast with evident relish, sne sald;
Now / want to see the gaiiows;
She was then permitted to go into
the ward where she talked Of her
fnneraI which she wished to take
place at Barre, her native town, and
seemed TO take strange pleasure in be-
Iieying that she would be among her
friends and relatives after death. None
had the heart to tell her that her husband
and daughter had forsaken her, and that
her body would be laid in the prison lot at
Windsor. IL am perfectly happy now,
she said to the chaplain, as ne walked p1GA
into the prison with her; II am periectly
satisfied to meet our Lord. he Will not oe
ashamed TO have me in heaven ureaC
crowds came in from all the country
around, and the town had more l1e ap::
pesrance of circus day than day OF
death.
Mrs. Meaker eat hearty dinner. Her son
Almon was left in his cell. Mrs. Meaker's
arms were pinioped before she left the cell
and the procession moved to the gallows
where she was seated in chair and evil
IDENTIFY did not like the crowd. After prayer
by the Chaplain the Sheriff handed her a
psper with these words: "Emeline Meaker,
if you heve anything to say, why execution
of the sentence should not take place, you
have now opportunity" This was oone
on account OF her deafness. She was calm
and pale, and sat with closed eyes. ZOO
bye, Mr.. Sull, have nothing more TO say,
ONLY forgive you for hanging me" Her
legs were then tied, she standing all the
time. She showed no signs, no trembling
She said: MAY God forgive YOU all" The
drop fell at half-past l. After hanging
thirty minutes, she was taken down dead.
She died with scarcely a struggle. The
body was buried in the prison cemetery
this afternoon.
The Crime.
The crime for which she was condemned
seems to have been one OF Causeless hate.
Mrs. Meaker was woman OF terrible and
uncomfortable passion, and when Alice
Meaker, a weak girl, niece OF her husband,
was brought from the poor house, she
vented her spite on the child, punlshing
her terribly and finally urging her son
Almon to aid her to hide the child in the
mountain to starye. Almon refused, but
after weeks of urging bought ten cents
worth OF strychnine and secured a horse
and wagon. The girl was lifted out a
rear window, led to the road where the
wagon waited and the poison was given her
in sweetened water. She died in terrible
commissions, as the party reached a
swamp near Stowe. and her body was
thrown into the mud and grass and stamped
out of sight by Almon. These are the facts
as given by the son in his confession on
which his motheE was convicted. The Leg
slature interfered in AlmOn's behalf after
the Governor refused to do so, and COM
muted his sentence TO Imprisonment for
life. The Meakers were small farmers, the
husband and wife living on very bad terms
with each other, and changing their resi-
denCe frequently on account of Mrs. Meak-
er's quarrels with her neighbors. The
young girl was slight and frail, and during
the year after leaving the Poor House was
made 10 do all the housework for the
family