The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1843-04-07
BY THE SOUTHEKN MAIL.
BIZ SPECIAL EXPhEbS.
From Woodbury., New Jersey.
RIAL OF SINGLETON nEuCER.

| counsel
charge of the Judge has by this time been given to
| the Jury. az o,,,.cx
Mr. VnooM is still in the midst of his argument During
time he was reading the case
deeply and ously interested His face seemed to have
lost that fixed look OF resolution which has usually
Indeed his general appearance now does not seem
one Of apprehension.
Mr. VsooM contlnued-There is another ground on |
which place the defence of the prisoner with great con-
fdence- is that he had not at the time ofthe act CON-
med proper OF his reason. He went on to re-
mark at length of the sufficient for crime in
want Of reason. You gentlemen of the Jury, not
pin down your decision on the subject OF insanity upon
any particular theory, or any one book myou were
the medical witnesses examined here or from any thee
that have been attempted to be explained here what
conclusion would you come tot Not one ofthen gave
full and comprehensive definition of what insanity is One
says that there moral insanity; another, that there
may be partial insanity without deuson, and some Of
would ample down every dictate Of common sense
have been got up by ply sicisns and others the
subject Of insanity, have b9en continually changing
MIR cited history ana aa 80 a9
properly made and that numbers OF Judicial murders
have been committed in England, because the Judges
either did not would not understand what insanity is;
and in consequence OF notion that obtained
prevalence that there could not be partial insanity with
delusion He said that 1t is fully settled that
there may be insanity derang Of the reason with
the presence of deuson would not have under
stood that supposed capable OF probing into that
mysterious essence-the human mind. can see only as
you can the effects as you cam but az to the
the human mind; all can say is that fearfuly
and wonderfully made. But to return-there are symP
toms by which, when compared with the patients natu'
McIntosh prac of Med lis, holds the doctrine that we
can know insanity by it: symptoms It IS your duty
your duty acquit What are these symptoms Flush
ed countenance, incoherent Speech Wild rolling Of the
eye constipation restlessness all leading symptoms
OF insanity. know that these ptoms may sometimes
exist when there is no insanity but such cases are only
general rules There many other symptoms beside
these both of general and partial insanity Thus far we
have considered this prisoner merely man swayed by
passion; let us now look upon him in another point Of
view. We look upon him as the man from whose
upsn him now from the time the story OF his sisters
wrongs first narrated to hm-from the time that
madness took the helm ofhis reason Mr. v then went
the occasoning the insanity OF the prisoner
assuming that they ample produce such result
He said that II devoted to the cup go on from
step to stepindulging inthe destructive liquid until in
time deprves him Of the of his reason he would not be
accountable for act committed during such deprv
The witnesses testify the flushed countenance of the
prisoner-Mrs Shankand says he was SO much so that
she frightenedby it. Six witnesses testify most posi-
nessss also testify most distinctly to the glare and wild
of the prisoners eye Mr. " considered the call OF
be proved By erparts to be by the testimony
witnesses who had been in the habit seeing
persons, and who therefore, come within the defn
ton of what the calls experts He then dwelt upon
the testimony Of the witnesses who saw Mercer on the
Friday-parcuarly that Captain Lopez who saw him
at eight o'clock; Mr. Prior at nine O'CLOCK, MT An
cbenieck and MI Field who saw him at FIVE O'clock and
up each Of their variations OF MERGERS looks and ac
tons and argued that each and all OF them are strong
enough to convince plain OF common sense, who
make their minds upon what they see and hear and
not from medical books that he at that time insane
And then upon the testimony Of the witnesses who esti
fy to MERGERS conduct after the commission Of the act
while Camden and after his arrival at Woodbury. and
pointed out in his conversation statements and actions,
number of evidences insanity He SAID that there could
be but tic s To-
jury judge of this matter and most willingly DO com
NIT the question to you, knowing thet It rs sale IN your
a when he came to this pace;hs sisters
disgrace the dominant idea Of his mania place
myself on the testimony OF DR.. Lppncou as on pIa
FORM from which cannot be moved he is not only
medical himself but he had been much with the in
he had them in his daily walks; he had walked
the of the hospital for amogst them Dr.
Lppnco has given the symptoms insanity as already
detailed you and he says that in all his walks he has
those symptoms manifested in SO strong de-
gree in any sane person as in Mercer lie says also
tnued, may grow into insanity. may be an exciting
| cause of insanity; and ist his case. violent
sustained
and that both upon his own knowledge and his acquain
ancs with the Of & o "dee
between these disagreeng doctors when the life sthe p
soner at stalker Will you say that although we may
prove every symptom Of insanity except the deuson,
that there insanity I'd take away the lfeof the pr
soner1 The State have not produced single witness to
GERS condition of mind from Wednesday to Friday The
testimony Of Mr. Roberts the coroner who says that he
|
morning after the occurrence; he gave Mr. Roberts his
correct name-a this gentlemen proved that there vas
the doctrine most firmly that there must be delusion
there be insanity Mr. Vroome said that although
rcpudstsd the doctrine yet he would show that the
Thursday night he under the deuson that all his
family crazy and that he was the only sane person
among them-hat nobody else was left to take care OF
them. The next night, when Mr.. Carmen asked him
where his sister was, Mercer said she was in lunatic
asylum His sister had been crazy nor was she
lum On srhursday night he told the Waterman that
dominant idea and deusion his sister. Again, he told
Captain Bennett several times that he was the man
that he (Merce had met at the corner Of Sixth and
Chestnut streets Take these facts and the question
put to Doctor Rush yesterday, and spply them; II
should see wao saa an was no
would you no. that he was nsanef Dr. Rush said
"Yes." would,say that he was insane. If you make
this apple alton, that sae-or the pri-
| accountable being. MIR w. cited Hale's
PC. p 49, to show that man may cultivate an active
of insanity which grows into an habitua phrenzy
and If, while in that state, he commits erme he is ex
cused the GROUND of insanity He also cited the case
has decided Judge Story In this case drunken
the active of insanity, and the prisoner
was excused although the result Of fraiy Of his
own. Mr. " said it is clearly settled fact that
point out the dividing line between sanity and
insanity. And it Is in the works OF nature-who can
point to where the darkness ends and where the
light begins1 Who can tell where the reasoning faculties
tint of the rainbow terminates and the other begns7 II
you have any doubt, gentlemen, of the Insanity of the
prisoner IL your duty to acquit him now leave him
in your hands, and trust in God that you will do what
| shall to you seem just and merciful.
| Mr.. vroome having concluded, and II being
o'clock the Court adjourned to meet tomorrow morning
| at o'clock
| THURSDAY, April 8.
| MoRSrSe SESSION.
| The Court opened at the usual hour, and Mr. WALL
commenc ed his address the jury He concluded about
| ten minutes past -, making just three hours.
| the ATTORNEY GENERAL immediately followed. He
commenced with very appropriate and richly merted
compliment TO Mr. Carpenters argument, which he pro-
nounced clear, chase. conclusive, and unaDswerable
argument such has rarely ever been delivered