Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1853-05-28
Trial Of miss wheeler.

Trial of Miss Wheeler.
The trial of Miss Ann Wheeler for killing NJ.
w. Lace, on the 18th 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 followingin
irelationto her:
Shortly after the opening of the Court the de-
PENDANT was brought in ia custody of Sheriff Page
and seated by the side OF her counsel. She was
iaccompaniedby her father, Asa Wheeler, from
sWakemnn, Huron Co., her uncle, Daniel Miner,
from Hartland, Huron, Co, o., and Miss Lucy NJ:
Wheeler, hsryounger sister, and Mr.. @. q. Cam
field in whose family she had resided for four years
previous to coming to Wisconson. ~
The prisoner appears calm and self possessed.
An air OF subdued sadness rests upon her features
Her general appearance betokens her to be a wo-
man of strong feelings, aud firm, determined
VIII. Though She may be guilty of the deed
charged to her, and though no circumstances
should be eliclted in the trial which would go far
to lessen the enormity of the crime, stillwe adj
here to our opinion that she is far from bearing the
resemblance of that most degraded personifc
OF vice, a she deuil, or TO speak nimore refined
Language, "a fallen angel five were TO druw
IN our mind, eye, picture of cruel, deliberate,
tnnprouoked swanlon mutderess, we would por-
tray countenance far iferent from Miss Wheel
ers.s 1t isa true saying, however, that looks are
often deceitfui, and may be SO in this CASE
The result of the trial will show
She cameto Wisconsin in February, iS4s, resi-
ded at Fit. Atkinson, IN the family of Mr.! Joseph
bartholomew, until MAY of the same year She
then came TO Milwauk ee; was in the employ Of
business, where she remained for some time. She
afterward went into the employ of Mrs. Cleve-
land, on Wisconsin, st, and was about starting in
the Millinery at No. 1876 East alter ST, whenshe
committed the act, for which she is now being
tried. She is twenty-three years of age, was born
i'm Clarksfeld, Huron County, Ohio, where she
has asnumber ofrnlatiyes now residing.
The Milwaukee, papers which have come to hand
contain report Of the past three days trial.. The
story, as published in The Tribune last October,
of the killing of Lace, in the street with pistol.
esubstantiated in the testimony upon the sideof
the Government - g.: ~ q
The counsel for the defense rest their case upon
aIplea Of moral insanity, and from the opening,
of The points they hope TO establish, we extract
the following:
The defense is a species Of moral insanity. The
defendantwas not deficient in intellect; she conld
distinguish between right aud wrong. He claim
to investigate her conduct before and after
the commission of the act. This is the onlyiway
t. establish the fact which tie defense assume;
Lad the right to insist upon his points should en-
leayor 10 show the conduct, acts and writings of
the prisoner, both pro. and subsequent TO the de-
Tense, 10 show the fact of moral insanity. Attic
time of killing she was seized with a sudden and
Iuncontrollable impulse which overwhelmed her
moral and intellectual nature; was mot sure of
securing ansacquital, but he would try. = -
The jury will be convinced by the cast of the
defendants character. 1t was sensitive, proud
and ouIageons-she never knew what fear was.
They most know the facts in order to appreciate
the effect of being driven from school. She was
stung, changed in her appearance aud conduct,
capricions in temper, spent much time alone day
and night in tears was moor even without The
necessary means for food and clothing, had great
/ PRIDE and was thus even more affected. In5her
dwelling, hersmind eyed upon itself She board
i ed at Mrs. oodworths, the same house with
Lace. The latter pretended friendship, and even
/ cleveland cautioned Miss Wheeler against Lace.
once asked at The table if Lace had a divorce He
i said no; he should soon have one Lace took mart
lin dancing school dificulty in favor of ina ms
oner This Strengthened her prepossession in Ia
4 yor of Lace Her character had, up to that time.
i been without q repfoach. She had been yirtuons
i and industrious Bnt beinesin an 1iShanny and
4 disordered state of mind John Lace became her
4 seducer. 70 y =; 8 49, J - n
Afieryard she went To Lace soliciting an, inter,
view He used all pfetexis to avoid 'ber
4 as he did ait the time he was killed ME- De
Il VnIf for that nnrnoce IN, 80 sI;.
i window So
i Lace maid no attention 10 her t.d
10 him nv letter her from S;esrac
Ter he had received the last vent sho,,t
sboyvinp II mi ysad;ng II in ioons n 80
II ing Gifts corfents anI M 10 4 :, fe
showed II is, e
Il the green room in he ma Ia
upon it, saving that il was sor his Mons lIeks,
EEthat ii was mt tbe fra one be had sc,rn
j the last time he could come; similar .ct mis-
came 10 the know LEDGE IF Me- yrha ~.
purchase of the pistol, although he perhaps COLD
ng She snS wanted her Letters ana
his mouth. He was taking away from her even
the means of livelihood-thats en- the morning of
asasa gae met nm and that he seorn
sorry The anu Is not
will justify her in all these Circumstance ass
grayatipn for taking the life of her seducer All
ths maybe no legal deience-butin all legal his