Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1853-06-16
TriaI or rIiss MheeIcr.


killing ]. w. Lace, on the lllh Of October last,
in the street at Milwaukee, was commenced on
Monday last. The trial appears to excite much
interest in that city. The Sentinel states the
following in relation to her:
The counsel Tor the defence rests their case
upon a plea Of moral insanity and from the
opening summary Of the points they hope to
establish, we extract the following:
The defence is species Of moral insanity
The defendant was not deficient in intellect
she could distinguish between right and wrong
He claimed the right to investigaye her con
duct before and after the commission Of the act
This is the only way to establish the fact which
the defence assume-had the right to insist up
on this pomt-should endeayor to show the
conduct, act and writings Of the prisoner both
prior and subsequent TO the defence, to show
the fact Of moral insanity. Al the time of the
killing g.she was seized with sudden and uns
Comfortable impulse which overwhelmed her
moral and intellectual nature-was not sure Of
securing an equittal, but he would try. &
The jury will be convinced by the cast Of
the defendants character /! was sensitive,
proud and courageous-she never knew what
fear was. She was stung, changed in appear
ance and con 'uct, capricious in temper, spent
much time alone, day and night in tears, was
poor even without the necessary means for food
and clothing, had great pride, and was thus ey-
er more effected. In her dwelling, her mind
preyed upon itself. She boarded al Mrs.
Woodworlh's, the same house with Lace. The
latter pretended friendship, and even m thing
more-he talked of marriage. Miss Cleveland
cautioned Miss Wheeler against Lace once
asked at table if Lace had divorce. He said
no he should soon have one. Lace took part
in the dancing school difficulty, in favor Of the
prisoner. This strengthened her propose S,
sion in favor of Lace. Her character Fad, az
to that time been without reproach, She ad
been virtuous and Industrious. But being il
an UNHAPPY and disordered state of mind,
! Can Lace became her seducer.
Afterwards she went to Lace, soliciting an in
tcrview He refused, and avoided her, even
in the street. He used all pretex4s to avoid
meeting her, as he did at the time he was Kill
led using Mr.. DeWolf for that purpose, in look
in at Hopkins window.
Lace paid no attention to her repeated ap-
reals 10 him by letter, to save her from dis
grace, and after he had received the last letter,
he. went about showing it and reading it in
saloons, DC, speaking Of its contents, and tel
ling who it was from showing it also even 10
young ladies-also at the green room in the
theatre, and made comments upon it, saying
that it was zone Of his piOus cks'-that it was
not the first ono he had "come," or the last
time he could ''come similar click" This
came to the knowledge of Miss Wheeler.
ba hai "
and The purchase Of the pistol, although he
perhaps could not show it.
She wanted her letters and she wanted to
stop his mouth. lie was taking away from her
even the means of lyelihood-that on the
morning Of the death Of Lace she met him, and
that he scorned her she killed him as she
confesses, and is not sorry for it, The senti-
meut of the community will justify her in all
these circumstances of aggravaton for taking
the life Of her seducer. All this may be no le-
gal defence but in all legal history it has oc-
CURED, and there are records Of many acquit'
tails on such evidence but the plea of mora
insanity is legal one, and that he hoped to
establish. He would show further, that in the
spring, soon after her expulsion from dancing
school and her acquaintance with Lace, she be
came entirely changed-was heard to cry fo
successive weeks, nightly.
She would talk with herself abusing hersel
beat the stove, prayed incoherenty. sung anC
walzed in the room while alone also that she
made deliberate attempts to commit suicide
She had been heard TO say that she had procu-
red poison, and that she bought it at Hatch S
drug store that efforts had been made toget
The poison from her, which were successful
she also made further attempts upon her life
From what the jury had heard him read and
from the testimony he should bring, they could
not doubt the fact of moral insanity, in the de-
fendant; and an intimate friend thought Miss
w. to be partially insane throughout the sum
mcr ina, she presented the pistol 10 her flien(
and said that she procured it for sport or pro
lection that one hour before the homicide
she had been playing with the girls at worl
; for her.
The jury not being able TO agree upon a veI
: dict were discharged and new trial ordered
They stood 10 for scquital, for conviction
!!
Mrs. SrowE IN PAms--The literary ladie
Of Paris have decided, itappears, to give mag
nifcent reception to the authoress Of "Uncl
Toms Cabin" The order Of the day unani
mousy voted, gives the details of the honor
which have to lie accoid,d her. A deputa
ton of the Partisan literary woman will go
the port where she dsembarks to meet he
! During her stay in Paris all these ladies wi
! be on duty, four at time with the illustrou
stranger, TO keep her company. talk for he
write at her dictation. thoroughly inform her
y the mems ard usages of Paris, and be he
cicerone in her promenades and visits. Tw
: banquets will be offered her ; one on her arr
;, val, the other on her departure. There wi
u be none but ladies at the table. The service
I will be performed by male domestics, white nt
G groes. A ball will be given in her homo
/ Men will be admitted there, for unfortunael
j. there are circumstances when woman cam,
II disnense with them. lastly the illustriol