The Vermont Tribune, Ludlow, Friday, January 29, 1886 General State News 1/29/1886 NEW TRIAL FOR MURDERER MEYER In the Supreme Court at St. Albans, last Saturday, Judge WALKER delivered his opinion in the case against Oscar MEYER for the murder of KRAUTZ, in 1881. The respondent's exceptions are sustained, and he is granted a new trial. This decision was a great surprise, as the general expectation was that the exceptions would not hold good, and that MEYER would be sentenced at this term. The ground upon which a new trial was granted is substantially that in the absence of any direct proof of malice on the part of MEYER toward KRAUTZ, if the jury had been more particularly instructed as to the difference between murder in the first degree and manslaughter under the Vermont statute, they might have rendered a different verdict, and the Court gave MEYER the benefit of that doubt. The prisoner listened closely to the opinion of the Court, and evidently enjoyed the respite given him. He has confessed to the killing of KRAUTZ, but claims that he got into a quarrel and did it in self-defence. The case will probably come up again at the April term of the County Court. Even had MEYER been sentenced now he could not be hanged for two years, and his theory is that he will not live that length of time. Transcribed by Ruth Barton -- Ruth Barton [email protected] Dummerston, VT