Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1819-06-15

Lott Merritt, for an attempt to poison,
sentenced to the state-prison for Ia years.
Ansel futile, for an assault with in
tent TO commit rape, state-prison years
and day.
Four black boys, for petit larceny, con-
fined 10 the county Jail.
The case of Merritt excited a very
great interest, owing TO his having been
an inhabitant Of this county, and farmer
of some standing circumstances
relative to the poisoning were simply
these : some two or three years since,
Merritt was bro't before Nehemiah
Brown, Jun. ESQ. then one Of the justices
of the town OF Harrison, on criminal
charge, and by him committed to prison i:
ia short time after, Merritt got his dis
charge, aud on his way home, be swore
most bitterly that he would have satisfac-
ton of those who imprisoned him, should
he live long enough for the purpose.
From that time TO the commission of the
act, he treated Mr.. B. who was one Of
his nearest neighbours, with the utmost
GOODNESS and disrespect. At length he
made the attempt to carry his nefarious
and horrid threat into execution, by mix
ing quantity of arsenic in Rag of flour
belonging to Mr.. Brown while at the mill.
The flour was taken home, made into
bread, eaten of by the family aud within
an hour after eating il, the whole family,
consisting OF persons were taken dan
gerously ill. The heart rending scene
which was now exhibited, and the terror
and alarm which their situation excited,
can be more easily imagined than de-
scribed. 10 every part OF the house some
one was sick and calling for assistance,
but no one was found able to afford them
any relief, the cry Of" what shall we do %
was heard from every quarter. Several
days elapsed before the family were re-
stored to health. 1t was at first suspected
that the water had been poisoned; but at
length it was discovered to be in the bread,
some of which was given TO the hogs over
. night, and the next morning four of them
were found dead. Suspicion being thus
partially confirmed, enquiry was made,
Merritt was arrested, and has no doubt
met with the punishment he so richly
merited.
1t appeared on the trial that Merritt
opened the bag of Mr.. B. while at The
mill, and was seen to put something in it..
Although the whole of the testimony was
circumstantial, yet SO strong were those
circumstances, aud SO well we're they
connected, that Notwithstanding the pris-
oner had retained one of the most eminent
councillors in the state, (Mr. E. Williams,
of Hudson) who in speech Of two hours,
exhausted every argument which his pow
erful ingenuity could invent, in defence
Of bis client, aud concluded by ali elo-
quent appeal to the feelings of the Jurors,
they, after an absence of a few minutes,
returned with verdict Of guilty. Messrs,
Munro and Price, from New York, were
associated with the District Attorney as
OF counsel for the prosecution.
The prisoner was then called up to
hear the sentence of the court, which was
pronounced by his honor Judge Van Ness.
in one of the most able and feeling ad-
dresses ever delivered 10 this county on 9
similar ccasion-scarcely dry eye was
to be found except in the prisoner, who
remained wholly unmoved, without its
apparently making any impression on his
heart of steel.
Ansel futile was indicted for attempt.
ing TO commit a rape upon girl OF Is
years Of age, and her mother at the same
time. This man is, most certainly, rather
an object of pity than otherwise, as there is
but little doubt that he was insane indeed
the very circumstance Of his attempting
to commit an act Of that description in the
presence of witnesses, is of itself an evil
dence Of insanity; but from his being {
stranger, it was not possible TO procure
evidence sufficient TO establish the fact
and consequently, the jury found hin
guilty. futile states that he came from
the town of Wolcott, county of New
Haven, and state of Connecticut.