The Illinois free trader and LaSalle County commercial advertiser. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1841-1843, 1843-03-10
DreadfaI scauc,ion nnd nIurdcr.

ferry, in N. Jersey. a letter in the N. Y ork Fri.
bune furnishes this summary of the case.
On Tuesday and Wednesday last, con.
siderable talk was produced by The sud.
den disappearance of young and hand.
some girl, aged about Is, named Sarah
Mercer, the daughter of Thomas Mercer,
33 Prune street, one of the most wealthy
and respectable men in Southwark. A
young man Of This city, named Hutchin-
son iteberton, was arrested on suspicion
of being concerned in her abduction, and
taken before alderman Mitchell, a, the in
stance of the girls brother, who threaten.
ed him with instant death if he refused.
but was discharged in consequence of the
girls return to her parents on Wednesday
evening.-lt was ascer,ained, however,
that Hcberton had seduced the young
: girl, and that she had gone to vile house
where he had been in the habit of meet.
ing her.
Miss MERGERS absence, as well as her
return, according to all statements, was
voluntary. The anguish of the family, al,
The knowledge of the dshonor that had fall
len upon the daughter, no tongue can tell
nor pen describe. TO wipe out the stain
so far as il was possible so to do, a mar
riage was proposed to the seducer. This
was declined on his part, and the brother
ofthe seduccd then challenged him. This
was also declined, The Infurialed bro
,her. stung almost TO madness, determined
not to be banked in his reyenge.-He
watched the movements of lIeberlon, and
having asccrtained that he was to leave
the city on Friday afternoon or evening in
carriage by way of Camden, he manag-
ed To discover the same in the street, when
he employed one OF Vamselver's vehicles,
driven hv young man, TO whom Mercer
gave instructions. pointing out the carri-
aye, To lose sight of it on no condition.
but to keep close To it, and, wherever i,
went, to follow after it, In this carriage,
in company with lleberlon, was seated
his legal friend and adviser. Jas. -. Van
dyke. Esq, from whose office he deccas-
ed had lief! with the avowed object of pre-
venting meeting with the mis- guided and
excited Mercer. After having driven
through several streets, the carriage enter
cd the ferry boat john Fitch, then wing
at Market st. wharf Mercer, following
after. leaped from his vehicle unobscrved,
aud concealed himself behind box on
board the boat, armed with one of Colts
six barreled pistols. Shortly after the
carriage was driven on board, with the
blinds drawn up, and when within few
yards Of the Jersey shore, Mr.. V. got out
of the same, walked around, it is presum-
ed, to see that all was safe, when Mercer
approached the carriage and fired four balls
INTO 1t IN quirk succession. One of them
proved fatal, taking effect under the left
shoulder blade, and penetrated the heart
ileberton was conveyed to Cakes tavern
in Camden, where he expired in few
minutes. The murderer was arrested,
and upon his person was found the pistol,
two barrels of which snIl retained their
charge. His conduct during the remain
der of the evening is represented as having
been wild and frantic, evidently laborng
under the most intense excitement.
The parties in the above lamentable dra-
ma are of the most wealthy and respecta-
BILE character OF the MERGERS | have
partly spoken; and will only add that the
name of the murderer is Singleton Mer-
Ger, for the past two or three years clerk
in the store Of Carson aud Newbold,
South Wharves, moi get hceniy gears of
age, fond of society and the wrrld. The
murdered lleherton was the son Of the
late Dr. Heberion, an es,imable man, and
who died possed of great wealth. lie is
also related to the Mcssrs. Heber,ons,
merchants, MauhewNewkirk, and hume
rous other wealthy and respectable cili-
zens. He was about ,wen,y-six years of
age, feet 10 Inches high, and was con-
sidered one of the handsomest young men
in Philadelphia.-He formerly wore a
mus,ache, hut had il shaved Off on We'd
nesday last. He resided with his widow
ed mother, Ann Heber,on, Ninth street,
near Arch, where his li(eless body was
conveyed on Saturday afternoon about
four o'clock.
Young Mercer was taken by the sher-
1T OF Gloucester county tn the Woodbury.
Jail. to await his trial for the dreadful deed
he has committed, about one o'clock yes
terday. accompanied by two cousins and
an attorney. He appeared perfectly calm
and collected.
n M, nan c,,,;t,.