The Delaware herald., 1854-04-26

WSt.-I cannot say that ever did do not
think l ever heard him complain.
An. Ap.-Was he not medically employed
many years in your fathers family; and did not
your father esteem him very highly in that c.
pacity!
Wit.-IIe was employed by my father for a
great number of years, but he did not cure him,
for he died of the disease at last.
An. Ap.-You said he, my client, made your
wife drunkard; now witness, upon your cath
do you venture to say this!
Wit do, sir, and will give you my rea-
An. Ap.-Reasons will not answer, sir, YOU
must testify to facts. Do you know that he
made her drunkard!
Wp.-Well sir, / know this; that when I
married her, she had no relish for intoxicating
liquor, not even wine; but when our eldest child
was born, the prisoner was sent to visit her. and
the only thing administered was some strong
sling. And then after my fathers death, when
he became her regular attendant, he persuaded
her 70 take bitters, and syrups, made strong with
brandy, till she came to relish spirit and was
very frequently intoxicated. These are the
facts, and these facts are the reasons why say
he made her drunkard
An. Ap.-Wltness, have you not been much
IN the practice of frequenting the public house,
and TIL you and Mr.. Alcohol had the difficulty
about the payment Of bill which you had run
at store, were not frequently seen in his COM
pany!
! Wit was, it is true, but had not then
learned his bad character. AS soon as discoy-
cred this, declined all further intercourse with
! him.
An. Ap,-Well sir, did you not for a length
OF time encourage your sons TO frequent the
company of Mr.. Alcohol; and did YOU never
. fO ifo
VIII have, but did not know him as well |
do now
An. AP.-But had you not been told that he
was dangerous companion for young men!
wat had, it is true; but | thought those
who told me were prejudiced. Inow regret my
folly.
An. Ap.-IIas not Mr. Alcohol been several
times at your house quite recently; say within
six months
While has, but it was not at nv request
my sons invited him.
An AP.-You can sit down, sir
The next witness sworn was Mr. Sobermind.
Att. Gen.-Mr. Sobermind, do YOU know the
prisoner at the bar!
Wit do sir, very well.
Att. Gen.-Please then to tell the court what
you know of him.
NIt-Well, sir, can truly say know moth
ing good OF hlm. In my younger DAYS used
to keep his company very constantly, and MANY
has been the bad scrape into which he has led
ine. was not yet twenty-one when nv father
died, and left me a very snug little property
In year or two after, formed intimacy with
the prisoner, and such life as he lead me now
at the tavern, then at the store; the horse-race
or the theatre; tremble, sir, when think of
iohf hoe Ia Ill
at the card table, and whole days at the nine
plE alley. My property in this way was soon
gone, and came to utter poverty before | quit
MS company. Many has been the dollar he has
lost for me at the gaming the horse-race,
OF the cock-hght. At last, sir, not only lost
my property, but my character also, for be-
came vile drunkard, and have often lodged all
night on the ground in the open air, when too
much intoxicated TO seek a shelter. | finally
shook off the company of the prisoner, and re-
fused to go any more to his haunts; and since
that time | have been slowly regaining nv
health and character and property. | hope |
never shall associate with him any more.
Att. Gen.-Did you ever know any other |
Young men beside yourself involved in the same
difficulties, by reason of their keeping the COM
pany and following the counsels of the prisoner!
wit have, sir, great many; and some |
OF them are now in state prison, and several |
have been hanged
Att. Gen.-Please tell the court the manner
IN which the prisoner proceeded in his acts of |
seduction and villany.
Wit.-Well, sir, he would sometimes give
them advice in cases of cold, of fatigue, or of
exposure at other times he would persuade
them to supper at the public house, or at an
oyster-cellar; at these places he would propose
an innocent game of cards for diversion; then
ne would urge them to go to horse-races, and
there they must drink with all his particular !
friends. These are some of the many ways he !
mas devised and practised to seduce young men
and obtain their property. When their money
was gone, and want came upon them, their idle |
habits forbade their attending to any labor, and
their frequent fits Of drunkenness had DESTROYED
their sense OF shame, 80 without difficulty thew
engaged in acts of theft or highway robbery.
and thus ended their career in prison or ON a
gallows.
Att. Gen.-Do you know anything in regard
to the charge against Mr.. Alcohol, of causing
DIVISIONS and strites among families!
Wlt-Yes, sir, / do | have seen MANY
families where peace and love and happiness
aDonnded, till the prisoner came among them
and after he had made few visits, there arose
confusion, and discord, and envy, and jealousy.
and every evil work. In such families have
always remarked that very soon after the
husband and father began to frequent the
company of the prisoner, he began to be
tretful inpatient, peevish, fault-fnding, and
quarrelsome; and as the intimacy increased and
habits of idleness and liberal expense gain
ed the ascendancy, and the man plainly saw
his affairs becoming more and more involved
the more morose, and idle, and extravagant he
became; lorded it with an iron hand over his
wife and children; often quarrelIing with the
former, because his property was wasting, and
charging 1t to her want of economy a sense of
unjust treatment and a sure Knowledge OF the
real facts, often in her mind produced recriTni- I
nation; mutual accusations were in little time
followed by blows ON his part, and tears and 1
egony on hers, till in very many instances have
seen the civilauthority obliged to interfere. and
either imprison the wretshed man, or bind him