Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1843-04-22
ARGUMENTS ON THE TRIAL OF MEn-

We give our readers this week, tho following
sketch of the speeches Of Gov. Vroom and Gen.
Wall, in defence Of young Mercer. The eminent,
talents Of the speakers. as well as the exciting ma.
,ure OF the case canno, fail to make them interest
ing:
The Hen. Peter D. Vroom described the is-
sue as fearful onc--ore of life or death. He
admitted that life was taken, that IIeberton
WIS killed, and then after few appropriate
remarks, proceeded TO onalyze the evidence,
whichhe did in a mastery manner. He then
laid down the law with regard to murder, cited
several appropriate cases, and described the
prisoner at the bar asa youth who had not yet
! ther, who, he said, came to tlis country
stranger, many years ago. and perled his life
in it's defence. BY patient industry he has
| gathered around him competency, if not a
| fortune, which he applied to the education ofn
| family with which God had blessed him. You
/ have also seen the unhappy partner Of that IA
, Tiers bosom here as n witness. Their charac-
! ter you may judge, when you remember TIN,
Church cf cfPhiadelphia, md shea communion
! member. The sister Of the prisoner, gentle
! men, Sarah Gardner Mercer, MS YOU must all
| have seen, is mere artless child. You re-
collect the manner in which she met the de-
ceased, Heberton. 1t was an unfortunate
meeting. and would TO God it never had taken
place. She was walking with playmate, an
other child, whom you have seen here. fel-
low school girl She observed a gentleman
whom she mistook for a Mr. Bastdo, whom
she had seen at her brothers.. She remarked,
as an artcss girl might, "why, Mary, there is
Mr.. Bastido !" Her companion very natural.
ly turned to look both turned, and lleber,on
caught her glance. He was soon joined by a
friend, and both followed the little girls.
Mr.. Vroom described the whole Of this first
interview of Sarah Mercer with IIeberton in a
masterly manner, showing that the whole con-
dcct Of the girls was but childish, if, ~oro ="
discreet. He then described the fatal meeting
the parties and the ruin OF the unfortunate
girl, and exhibited the simplicity Of her con.
duct in strong and palpable contrast with the
duplcity, cunning and heartlessness Of her de.
stroyer. After she had been thus betrayed
gentlemen, said Mr.. Vroom, Hebe:ton promis
cd her marriage. Is tat all strange, that she
believed him. Do we not all know that fe
male clngs to that hope under such circum
stances, like drowning men cling to straws
She had no other hope than marriage witt
her betraycr and it is not strange that she Inc
sisters, and servant came TO tell her that he
father had heard of her connexion with Hebcr
ton, and wished 10 see her, whit did she do
She fled to the house of Mrs. pIdcr and seemed
to believe ,ha, her only safety lay in meetin!
IIcberton.
When the unfortunate girl was brough
home TO her hmily they naturally rejoiced ,ha
the lost one had been restored 10 them, but tn
: mother, with that instructive doubt so peculin
tou mother, feared tha, all was not right wit
5 her daughter. She took that daughter to bed
r but no, TO sleep! During that unhappy nie"
] the ruined girl poured the dreadful tale OF he
: wrongs into her mothers ear! What was III
\ consequence In the morning, Singleton wen
o up stairs and met his mother, who accostcd hir
= in these words, "Oh, my dear son, Hrbcrto
r has ruined vonr sister" What was the effeC
e of that revelation upon the unfortunate prison
c er! lie rushed wildly into his sisters chan
: ber; his mother followed and saw him elias
e his sister in his arms. Tint sister exclaimed
= "Oh, Singleton. % not kill me :" mo n
!. dear sister" he replied. II will not, for low
Y you better than do my life" 1t tsccmei as
I the lightnng's bolt had scared the brain otth
n unfortunate young man; he rushed down III
c stairs with pistol in each hand; he ut'ere
If horrid imprccations upon his father and h
Z mother-he became a ravIng madman ! NJ
d " cited several strong cases as in point, al
Il particularly the case of Ann Broderck, who !'o
is been seduced, was abandoned when the m
lher of family, and then became the murdo
ess Of her betuyer. The evidence was tdrlh'
= anayzed, the plea Of insanity was enforced, al
y the learned counsel concluded with an elcque
&c and most feeling appeal to the Jury.
THURSDAY, April 9, lsi3.
Gen. Wall for the defence, said substantial
'! the defendant here charged with an atroeio
crime, is a stranger among you. But as ior
e. as the history Of our revolution remains, Il
Is name of Mercer will be associated with all III
20 is brave and patriotic.
rhapn With