Arkansas intelligencer., 1843-04-29
From the New York Spectator.
Trial of singleton Mercer.

This trial was commenced at Woodbury. N. ]
on Tuesday, but little difficulty having been found
in emPannellng a jury. Twenty -sevon juror,
were called, ten Of whom we're challenged am
five excused on account of illncss-the remaining
twelve were sworn, without preliminary inquiy
as to bias or opinion.
The case for the prosecution was opened bydr.
Carpenter, after which the several witnesses to
prove TIE homicide were examined, to wi, Mr..
Van Dyke, who accompanied the decease from
Philadelphia, James Curn and Philip Dani!s who
wele on board the ferry boat, aad DR.. Mnntfort,
who examined the body.
On Wednesday, Mr.. Roth, the captin of the
terry-boat, Mr.. Roberts, the coronf, and DR..
Fisher, gave their evidence. The ytlmony. CIV
en- by these witnesses was in substtce precisely
what we published at the time of II fatal occur
renee and need not be repeated. The only add,
tlonal facts of any importance yre that deceased
had pistol about his person. And that Mercer
acted wlldly-not to say crazl when taken IN
to custody. The case for f prosecution was
then closed.
The opening for the defefe was made vester-
day morning, by Mr.. Broye, the following re-
port of whose speech we fpy from the Herald.
1t will be seen that facts here alleged of
character not before msf sfioned
He said he should a/down the law, and state
the facts on which thS prisoner relies for his de-
fence. He said that pung Mercer OF fra
giIe frame-of biliof ftemperament-highly ner-
vous-much afIlicty with constipation, which
leads directly to Intnity. In his youth he was
afflicted with crouj Mr.. Browne here went on
to detail the his,oj of Mr.. Mercer, precisely as
we have given ittready. The youngest of the
family is only oven years of age. When he
spoke of Mrs. Nrcer, the mother, young Single
ton, the prisoer, wept bitterly. He said tina,
Sarah was mv, modest, unassuming, but of no
great strengSof understanding. She has never
been to thftre, nor ball room, nor to any 9TH
er place of hblic amusement in her life.
| He gavs Hutchinson Heberlon very black
character Mr.. Browne next said that somewhere
about thffrst Of the year Sarah Mercer went to
pay yit to the house of a Mr.. Osborne, a house
carpentr. He failed, and his wife connected her
self VIII a woman by tho name of Hughes to
keep boarding house. Mrs. Osborne had some
dauSters. Ono of them was SICK and Sarah
Meier and one of the daughters went out to ge,
soe grapes which the sick girl thought she could
eas In the street these girls first saw Hutchinson
| tberton, who was fine looking person. Sarah
fstook him for young Spanard by the name
ltf Basiido, whom she had before seen, and who
bears strong resemblance to Hebcrton. She ad-
dressed him, &C.. as we have before related. The
next afternoon, Sarah was sent out on an errand,
and again met Heberton at the corner of Pine
They walked from there to the corner of Pine
and Queen street, near where her father lives.
which is in Queen st. on the North side, q few
doors east Of front ST. She met him again-when
he told her his real name-and made love to her
She was foolishly fascinated with him. We come
now to an important interview between them
This was at house in Eliza beth street, as we
have before stated. In this room there was a bed
and Sarah objected to s,opPng-wanted to isave
the house. Heberton turned the key in the door.
aud refused to let her go. He proceeded then to
take from her her bonnet and her CLOAK, and threw
her on the bed. He then took off his cloak, and
she Jumped up-and he caught her and threw her
on the bed again-at the mo time showing her
q pistol, and telling her that unless she submitted
to him she would her family again.
She became uiarmed-fainted- and he committed
a rape upon her person.
But you shall have her own story from her own
innocent lips. We shall also produce other wit
nesses who heard her screa ms at the house in f.
izabeth street. Mr.. Browne said it had been told
him that he did not understand his case, hecause
he was going to sustain the character of Sarah
Mercer. But he confident her character
coulu not be lmpeached, and that any attemp, to
lnJure her would recoil upon those who made it.
lie spent an hour with her in that house, and she
hnaliy promised to meet him again, and she did
meet him again. And during all this time her
parents supposed she was at her married sisters.
On the 9TH of February some one told them that
their daughter had been seen walking with He
6crlon. They sent round there to have her come
home, but she ran away to Mrs. Pidar's, house
of bad repute.
Her friends could nowhere find her. Singleton
became deeply interested in finding his sister.
On the 7th of February Heberton was arrested
and taken to the office Of Alderman Mitchell.
On that night, through the aid of Mrs. Pidar, Sa-
rah was restored to her friends. That night she
slept with her mother, and on that night her moth.
er got from her the fatal secret. The next morn.
ing Singleton discovered it all.-ho hear rd il from
her own lips. lie became bewidered-
tot,ered, and fell from its throne-and Sipuleton
was an insane man--totally unconscious of ruh,
or wrong. He several times ATTEMPTED 10 take
the life of his sister with pistol. But her friend,
protected her. Overtures of marriage were pro
posed with Heborton, which he refused. and Kin.
geton became mad. He roamed the streets i'm.
aglnng that voice was continually dinuino in
iis eais-"kill him! Kill him! Kill 6im!''
In the afternoon Mr.. Browne resumed his nd.
dress and was still speaking when the HeraId's
letter was closed. He was presenting to the iury
what he deemed the law applicable 10 the case,
taxing the ground that under the dreadful provo
cation operating uDon the occusad L.; u,,