The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-10-13
Mistaken Identity.

Sixty years ago the northern part of Ver-
mont was almost an unbroken wilderness.
East of Lake Champlain at that time was
but one track or trail leading from the La
noble valley to Canada, forty miles distant.
This was only blazed path, trod only by
the slow OK or weary foot traveller. 1t
passed through narrow, low meadow and
along the banks of the sluggish Dead creek.
Once in perhaps a mile some settler had
made his little clearing. Three or four
times year came the clock peddler, then
tin peddler or the dry-goods peddler, each
with his wares strapped on his back, ready
for any trade that would give him a few
pennies gain. One of these, an old German,
carried costly laces and silks, and. when re-
turning to Montreal after selling his wares,
was supposed to have large amounts of
money with him. Every one knew him,
and expected him at certain intervals.
Suddenly his visits ceased and after six
months or more parties from Montreal who
had furnished him goods on time com
menced to search for him. Slowly they
traced him, till somewhere in the low alder
swamps, just where East Fletcher now
stands, all trace of him was lost. He had
called and sold goods at one house, and was
never seen on the opposite highlands, where
he must have passed had he continued on
his route AT that time it was not the
fashion to run away with whatever money
could be collected, hut rather the chances
were Ifldl men nOluInS OIueI people )
money were honest; therefore the peddler
was looked for near where he disappeared,
rather than in Europe or Canada. The
agent from Montreal called al each and
every house; and of course the one who
could tell the most, or rather make the most
plausible guess, was counted the smartest.
Two years before n sort of an Americanized
Dutchman had come from the Genesee coun-
try, in New York and with his wife and
several children had settled on bit of level
plateau ON the mountain side, quite up
from the road, or track, rather. When first
coming there he was abjectly poor, often
for days at a time without food, except a
partridge or such fish as could be caught in
Dead creek. Now it came to be remembered
that about the time of the peddler's dis.
appearance he had commenced to spend
money very freely for those times, for but
very little money was then in circulation
and it was known that he had parted with
both gold and bank-bills. After much de,
liberation it was decided to arrest him, and
in his shanty was found not only consider
able money, but also the peddler's pack and
a small amount of goods. Van kaisin was
taken TO st. Adams, and was the first one
ever tried for murder in Franklin county
From all over the state people collected tt
witness the trial. Van Kaisin could not ac-
count for the money, but stated that he
found the pack and goods in the path. After
IA trial of more than two weeks the jury
finally found him guilty OF murder and the
Judge sentenced him to be hanged after al
Imprisonment of six months. AS the time
drew near to carry out the sentence Van
Kaisn made full confession, stating that
he had killed the peddler with an axe, and
had placed his body under the roots a tree
blown down by the wind that he had cut of
the the tree AT the stump, which falling back
to its original position had completely
buried him and left no sign. He described
the place accurately, and on digging dowr
through the decayed roots, bones wer,
found, doubtless those of the peddler, bu
the burial was so well done that it was de
cided not to remove TEEN, and in due time
Van Kasin was sent over To the "othe
side" to join the company of murderer
who had gone before. " For five winters
the snow made pure white monumen
over Van Kaisin's grave, and for five sum
mers the blue birds and robins had chirpet
beside the neglected sod. The wife anC
children were scattered-gone. The neg
lected spot where rested the bones of tn,
man who confessed himself a murderer wal
looked upon only by the birds, the sunshine
and Qt may be) Gods thoughts And tn,
world moved on. Each actor in the trag
edy felt that he had performed well hi
part, and the little settlement slept tn,