Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-06-18
TRIAL OF WILLIAM 3. sAssCER.

CRIMINAL CoURT.-The Court having appointed Satur-
day last for the commencement Of the trial of William b.
Sasse charge Of murder the prisoner was brought
into Court about eleven o'clock in the morning and duly
arragned upon Indictment Of four counts lie stands
charged with having administered Sygclniae yirulent
poison, to person named EneliHe Johnson Understood
to have been his paramount several occasions prior
the 18th day OF Septembar last, and that day
grains more Of the same drug, whereby she died.
Sasscer has been in confinement since December last,
but, notwithstanding this his appearance in Court on
Saturday was that of wekept man. free from mental
suffering and socitude His counsel Aessrs BRAD
LEY, CARLISLE, and RAToLIFF. On being asked if he
pleaded guilty or NOT guilty. he replied not guilty"
The whole regular panel Of arymen gone through
WITH and the usual questions put them to expressions
Of opinion on the subject the existence of any feelings in
their mind liable TO prejudice their Judgment in the
case, their IDEAS about saP;A~a prnishent. and bsr
peoapiary cheney, W. heng No~th es0o currency
itht ssr~ty OF wS&hin&t0n. Far the larger portion
thus Questioned disqualified Of these
points; the prisoner challenged six more so that on
y three out Of the twenyseven Of the panel present in
Court were able pass the rigid scrutiny. These
Messrs Samuel Lewis John Scrivener, and James Fulla
love- The bailis of the Court then dispatched
bring in candidates for the not prepossessng duty of be-
ing mewed up perhaps two or three weeks at midsummer
in hot rooms day and night; and at length succeeded in
collecting nine in the of the day In order
to allow the jury the opportunity of spending Sunday
with their families only eleven jurors sworn the
twelfth being left till this morning. Before jury could
be obtained eight peremptoy challenges made
by the prisoners counsel.
The jury consists of the following gentlemen Messrs.
Samuel Lewis, John scriyener, James Fualove, w. NJ.
Shuser, George D. Spencer, Peter F. Bacon John Wag
ner, W. G. Harper, James L. White, w. p shedi, Geo.
C. King; and James Barnes is yet to be qualified
The again taken up Monday morning al
usual hour Mr. Barnes, the twelfth juror, having been
excused by reason Of i'll healtl Mr. O. H Bestor
substituted for him, and duly
The Indictment was then read again to the jury,
and the prisoner pointed out to them.
Mr.. Nelson Robertson witness under subpoena from
the Court having failed to obey the appear
Saturday evening last attached and held in prison
in this county. Mr. FENDALL submitted filed statement
the Court in reference to it, which discussed and
subsequently withdrawn from the files by order of the
Judge Messrs BRADLEY and CARLISLE having represent
ed the hardship Of the the Court remtted
the attachment, holding him only under the subpoena,
upon his personal representation that his disobedeuee of
the subpoena ensued from his being sick and unable to
attend
The witnesses cited for the prosecution number four
those for the defendant thirteen OF those for the
prosecution the most important Mrs. Eliza German,
mother of the deceased Emmelne Johnson, and Drs NJ
" B. Began and Flodoardo Howard with the remainder
of the members of the deceased's family
After being sworn, the witnesses ordered to keep
Of Court till called that their testimony might be
taken apart.
Mr. District Attorney FExDALL opened the case by
marking the depth and Nervousness Of the crime charged
against the prisoner the bar OF all species Of murders
that by poison had been deemed the and bases
and ancsnty in England disalowed the benefit Of
trial by jury.
The victim Of this crime was woman Of more than
ordinary personal attraction but unfortunately her
tai and morn and attainments were too feeble
withsanu the stern cnPtafiono with which Il had
her fate to be assaed She married in early life
who had disregarded the obligations he had contracted
and basely deserted her He went to California Having
heard that he died there, she engaged in second
nexion which proved fortunate than the first for
she became again deserted wife, Two years before her
death she first became acquainted with the prisoner His
acquaintance grew into criminal intercourse with
all its concomtants Of sorrow and shame. Between his
wife and his mistress, the prisoners situation the
farthest from desirable.
Mr.. FENDALL spoke Of the procurement of medicines to
produce abortion and then adduced the circumstances
attending her death the 10Th of September last These
chiefly the cry she uttered from her room of being
stabbed her great agony her urgent desire that the at
tending physician should bleed her, and her refusal
dvulge the name Of the person who furnished her the
poison because she under great oath.
Mr.. FESDALL said that 1t would be proven that two
evenings previous the prisoner had purchased syche
from apothecary for the alleged purpose Of killing
dog this was duly labelled poison, and was enclosed
within cover with the death shead mark impressed upon
it. Previous purchases Of the article would also be
proved.
Mr. FESDALL then said the evidence would be circum-
stantal and dated length its relative value
and reliability.
The first witness called the mother Of the deceased
Mrs Elsa German She deposed TO living 7th street.
in house of Mr. Bogans the 10Th Of September last
Had lived there month her daughter Emmeline with
her. At sundown the 10th she her daughter, who
appeared 10 be well usual. She was in her ewn
room cleaning her teeth About o'clock Emmene went
out in q hack and remained away abot fifteen minutes
the hack came back and drove away again Witness did
see her daughter get in out of the hack did
she see who else was in it. The next time she her
daughter was about o'clock in great agony in her
room She slept in the back above the basement
witness and her husband and slept the room above
her. Emmene had two children, years Of age,
the other about three.
| About o'clock witness heard door slam to and a
scream. She got out Of bed, and without leaving the
room called to her daughter below. She still heard
screaming, and being afraid threw open the window and
haoed murder This brought her husband and son home
from across the street, who entered Emmelnes room
When witness ventured down stairs several in
the ROOM and her daughter stretched the bed
her back in great agony Witnesses husband was rubbing
Emmelne who desired doctor 10 be sent for to bleed
her first being taken till she died. Winesss husband had
gone for medicine under the doctors orders Emmene
died before he returned with il.
Mr.! FESDALL here proposed to suspend the examina
ton Of the witness for the present. and recall her after
examining others. This produced a discussion
between the counsel which brought out decision from
the Court that without laying down any general
rule to be always applicable in future yet in this par
tcuar case the examination in chief must be continued
throughout, and not by piecemea this necessa-
to give effect TO the order for keeping the witnesses
separate
Yrs. Eliza German resumnR said She did not know
when deceased first became acquainted with the prisoner
In the winter Of lS505l Emmeline lived in the First