The Delaware herald., 1854-04-26

on life of wretched want till the mother found
resting place IN the grave, and the children
! were put out as servants or apprentices.
| Att. Gen.--Mr. Sobermind, do Won know anu
thing of the fact charged in the Indictment. thai
persons lnstlgated by the prisoner have commit
| ted suicide?
Witt do, sir. ! have seen several sucb
cases, and know them to have been persuaded
10 the act by the prisoner, because [ saw him
operating to induce them to do it.
Att. Gen.-Will you favor the court with an
account of these reasons!
| Wt-He began by persuading them, that
| tner characters were ruined; their properfv
dlsslpated; their families and friends rendered
miserable by their presence; and finally. that
| they were considered outcasts in society, and
| that they might as well die as live. and % he
removed from all the evils they suffered hero in
this life. And then to aid his suggestions, he
would urge them to drink; and three or four
instances have seen, where the victims went
direct from the bottle to the fatal place of self
destruction.
Att. Gen.-Have you ever seen the prisoner
Stahulng by one who had committed suicide.
when he was found!
Wt.-Worse than that, sir; | have known
MN to be found hanging to the skirt of the dead
|
MN down. And sir, | once saw a mother take
the prisoner in her arms, and caress and en-
brace hIm, when he had been found in the posi-
tlon have just described, hanging to the BODY
of her dead son.
AIT. Gen.-llave you ever known anv one
under the influence, and by the persuasion of the
prisoner set ire to a building and destroy it!
wilt have, sir, heard of several such in
stances, but never saw but one. That was the
case OF lad who had been much in the COM
Pany OF the prisoner, who repeatedly urged him
10 hre the barn Of a person who had offended
hlm. The boy refused for time. but one NIGHT
he and the prisoner were together, and the bow.
resolved to do it, He was arrested ON suspicion.
confessed the deed, and was sentenced to state
prison for fourteen years
Att Gen.-l have done with the witness.
CrOSS-eraBlination.
An. Ap.-Mr. Sobermind, YOU saw Won have
once associated with my client. Mr. AIcoLol
and that you was much attached t. his soc .ety:
did he not on all occasions conduct himself 6tn
peaceable and orderly citizen, and did Won see
nm engaged in any riots and broils, disturbing
the public peace!
Witt did not say, sir, that he was riotous
or dsorderly himself, but that it was almost his
universal practice to cause others TO be so: and
dld not say either that hismanner and appear
ance We're not lnslnuating, and calcuated to
please the fancy; tor herein conceive his great
ART lies, and because ne so pleasant and agree
aDle' ana under smiling face can hide VEN
ohous heart, he Is So much more dangerous
Had he come to me in rough and bojsterous
manner, should never have associated with him
never knew him to appear to any one in HE
real character, but always in disguise or with a
promise OF something he was ne,e. able to
perform.
An. AP.-Well, sir, you say that you and my
GIieht nave once had a serious disagreement,
Has the difficulty ever been settled?
Wt.-We had no disagreement, sir; that is.
we had no words or blows. | saw that his COM
pany would never do for me, and so | left it
lie never so much as asked me the reason:
neither do ever think it necessary to tell him.
An. Ap.-You remarked that he had lost most
OF your property for you at cards; had YOU no
hard words about that!
Wlt.-Not any sir. BY my own folly put
myself into his power, and when saw what
was done, l merely determined to leave him,
and grow wiser from the past.
An Ap.-Well, sir, you said that you had
known the peace of many families DESTROYED
by my client; what reason have you for charging
family brolls and contentious upon him!
Wt.-The very best of reasons, sir; for before
he came among them all was peace, but so soon
as he was admitted, ,discord prevailed. Andthen
nave seen the same families, which were ever
at variance when he was present, live harmo-
nlously when he was expelled And, Sir, L
speak experlmentally upon this subject, for till
associated with the prisoner; | never knew
what 1t was to be angry with any of my family: !
out when that acquaintance was formed we
hardly knew what peace was; was always dis |
contented, unhappy, peevish, and fretful; every
Ihlng went wrong, slmply because | was wrong |
hyseH AS soon as left associating with the |
prisoner lost those feelings, my natural cheer
tulness returned, and now no man lives more
pleasantly with his family than myself ~
An. Ap.-Did not nv client ever repav or
compensate you for part of all the property
you say he lost for you!
Wt--Nots cent, sir, not cent.
An Ap.-Hou can sit down, sir.
Inc next witness sworn was Dr. Rhubarb.
ATT. Gen.-Dr Rhubarb, are you acquainted !
with the prisoner at the bar!
Witt am, sir; have known him well for |
1iteen or twenty years. perhaps more.
Att. Gen.-Well, sir, please tell the court
what you know of his course of life
WITT can say no good of him, sir. The |
nrst time ever saw him, was in the house of
ohe Oh my patients. lie had been called in be- /
cause the family had heard some of his friends
say ne was eminent for his medical powers. 1t /
was severe case of the infammatory rheuma-
Iism, and he nearly killed the patient.
Att. Gen.-Do you consider him as possessed
'f any such powers, doctor! I
Wlt.-No, sir; do not think he ever cured
a single individual; while am sure he has kill
ed thousands and hundreds of thousands. 1t is
my serious and solemn opinion, that nineteen I
twentieths of the diseases which afflct mankind.
are first caused or greatly aggravated by the
inherent nostrums and prescriptions, which he
assists in compounding. -
Att. Gen.-IIas not the prisoner a diploma
from some college of physicians or medical
board -
Will cannot tell; / never have seen or
heard Of any. He has some concern with sew. |
eral patents, for bitters, medicaments. syrups.
&c, &C., all of which are so many deieterians