Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1843-04-08
Evidence on The Trial Of Mercer.

man stark raving mad at the time he shot
Hebet,on. The testimony Of a number of witness
proves this mos, conclusively. The general i'm.
preston is th,t he will be acquitted. The follow.
ing is part Of the testimony delivered on his trial,
describing the safe of bis mind
Eliza Jane Quinn, sworn-I am the sister of
Singleton Mercer Mr.. Baslido was at my house
on the 18th of December my brother had small
patty Of gentlemen there il was his birthday, Sa.
rah was there; she was in the front parlor Mr..
Ba'tido was in the back parlor the folding doors
were partly open, but the ladies' were not in the
room with the gentlemen I have seen Mr.. Heber-
ton he and Mr.. Bastido might very easily be mis-
taken for each other; was at the house spoken
OF; Singleton was in Q very distracted state when
wen, in, be put his aims round my neck and
burst into tears his head on my shoulder sfer
few moments he began to rave pushed me a.
way; said If did not leave the room he'd kick
rne ou', had said nothing given him no cause
he became very violent that got the gentleman
| to take care of him one said they had better
get Mr.. Cozens, the police officer. Singleton asked
me to send for my husband I sent, but my hus-
band had gone up town he came in some time
after, and without him saying anything Singleton
ordered him out Of the house his features were
completely changed he behaved in a very rude
manner after my father returned from the 'squires
office, left the room shorty afr,r that (corrobo,
rates previous Witnesses to Singleton Mercer's
other behaviour y DO not believe he was sane;
have seen insane persons have seen two insane
persons, one was and dear relative | at>
tended her until she died ; it was my husbands
mother, she died insane; his eyes had much Wild
er appearance than either.
Jacob Bennet, sworn--I am one Of the Captains
Of the City Watch | saw Singleton Mercer about
L o'clock on the night before the occurrence in
an Oyster Cellar under the Adelphi Buildings,
Fifth below Walnut; | went into the cellar in cons
sequence of information from watchman Davis
Singleton Mercer sitting at table I looked
at him a moment he got up in the act Of folding
letter in a hurried manner he came towards me
and said you wi h me last night at the corner
ofSixth and Chesnut street replied 'nn, you are
Mistaken" he Immediately turned round and cali
led for wafer and more paper; at the same time
say ng you shall be paid fr all have : set down
, ag'iL commenced writing looked at me again
go, up and came towards me repeated you was
with me last night at Sixth and Chesnut stree
a gentl, man alongside of me who knew him intro
duced me TO him told him my name and office :;
, he then went back to the table he set down and
ag in repeated that which he twice before said to
me the gentleman ag tin told him who was he
then asked me 10 retire to a distant part Of crl>
lar with him; and commenced telling me of the
disgrace Of his sister the narration appeared very
painful to him and ! told him | was acqua Mt,
with the facts he placed both hands upon nv
shoulders and said his sister. his fathe his mother,
were all crazy my family is ruined am the on
y one left to rejres. their wrongs tht Heberton
, had done this thing; a prosecution had been
brought against him and he was attempting TO es.
cape ; his trunks are now on the opposite side Of
the street at barber's shop his manner became
4, very wild ; his counenance was haggard there
was something about him | cannot at all de-
scribe; left him and went to the gentleman
~. who had introduced him to me +; said to him the
:, man is not in his senses, you must try and get
!, him home the young man with him said they
had been trying to get him home all day that he
n had not been home since the morning previ
A Gus | said you wish to get him home, can
n soon 10 that for you he said no, don't make use
h Of any violence fyou d. he will shoot us then
J.. asked is he armed if so, will arrest him at any
:, rate the answer was | don't know that he is;
then said would try and persuade him to 60 thence
> did so he said no. he woull never go home till he
knew where Heberlon had gone to. that his home
- was des royed he said he knew he couldt go
wtaout his trunks and he wns determined to watcl
- them about that time black man came down
there some little STIR and the conversation wa.
- stopped ag lin asked him to go home told hin
, | would take his place, and watch the trunks i
If they attempted to take the trunks away would
- inform him he said he lived loo far off, | could
y no, inform him in time fund il was vain to at
. tempt TO get him to go home something hai heen
f., ii ab nj Bloodgood'. and said 60 there tha, i,
10 nearer, and can send You the information; think
it about that time be called me sglin apart and
again told me bis history again told him to G,
e 10 BloodgooIs, take nights rest and he wOuI,
s. feel better in The morning-sftey good deal 0
is persuasion he said if you will pledge you
N word aud honor as gentleman that you will no
permit those trunks to leave that blTher's shop,
will go to Bioodgoods; gave him that pledge
ct tina, relieved him very much. and he said in live
20 ier than he hal shown before, "coIHe boys
e. lets take a drink :" declined drinking, and tolC