Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1856-05-10
Murderer Convicted by a Horse.

| WIN. Paterson was tried at Raleigh. Shelby
county Tennessee, for the murder of Thomas
Merriweaher, young planter of Mississippi
| The incidents developed upon the trial were of
the most romantic nature: and the evidence,
although circumstantial, made out clear case of
one of the most revolving murders ''to be found
| in the chronicles of guilt"
There was one point in the case, about which
alone there could be said to be doubt, and this
| point was met by the evidence atfordad by the
horse of Mr. Merrweather
| In order to understand this, we must state
| by the law of Tennessee, the criminal court of
Memphis has criminal jurisdiction of all crimes
committed in the 5th, 18th and l4th civil dis
tricts of said county.
The circuit court of Shelby county had cri>
mina jurisdiction in the 18th and other civil
dcted in the cilcuit court at Raleigh, and the
murder was alIedged to have been committed
! in the 18th district The dividing line between
the 18th and 18th districts was the road Iead-
ing from Memphis to fernando.
| If the crime was committed in the 18th civil
| district, the court Of Raleigh had no jurisdic>
ton, and the prisoner would have to be acquit-
ted.
The deceased was found some forty or fifty
steps from the fernando road. The witness
stated. that the body, as he thought. had been
dragged there from the road, hence the doubt
whether the murder took place in the 18th or
| 18th civil district.
! At this critical point, the counsel betook
them Of certain marvellous and novel conduct
of the noble horse which had been referred to,
and which had come to their knowledge in con-
versation with the witnesses.
The known instinct of animals has, from
time immemorial, been esteemed in the law as
among the sources of evidence by which the
dearest rights of life. liberty and property have
been determined.
Testimony as to these facts was proposed to
be submitted in behalf of the State, but was
stoutly opposed by the prisoners counsel, who
knew its overwhelming force.
The learned Judge over>ruled the objections
and admitted the testimony. II had been
proved in the course of the trial that at about
eight o'clock on the Sunday following that on
which the deceased and prisoner left Mr.. Ham
mePs a gentleman going toward Memphis, met
the horse proven to have been Mr.. MerriWea~
theirs. on the road, about two thousand yards
from the scene of murder, and south Of the
same, galloping at full speed in the direction of
fernando, and appearing to be exceedingly
frightened; with difficulty the gentleman inter-
cepted and caught him.
The gentleman finding the animal almost
uncomfortable from fright, had difficulty in
retaining the rein until young man came for
ward and claimed him.
The young man who claimed the horse was
recognized by the gentleman at the trial, as the
prisoner at the bar He came forward, said the
gentleman, claimed the horse, thanked him
gracefully for catching him, mounted and rode
hurriedly off in the direction of Hernandez
The facts here submitted TO the jury, in REFER
ence to the wonderful instincts, are these:
It will be remembered the noble animal in
question was Of extraordinary intelligence, and
singuIarly attached to his master, whom he
was in the habit of following about whenever
be would come to the pasture or the farm yard
where the horse was.
Some several months after the prisoner had
been committed to Jail under indictment, VIII
liam Merriweather, accompanied by number
Of gentlemen witnesses in the case, came up
from their homes in Mississippi to attend the
trial.
William Merriweather was riding The horse
Of the deceased brother which had by this time
been recovered in the family. The journey lay
along the fernando road, and by the spot
where the body had been found. About two
hundred yards before the party reached the
scene of the murder, the horse upon which
William Merriweather was mounted began to
exhibit symptoms of alarm. and his intraciabe
conduct much surprised his rider and the gen.
tiemen who were with him.
There was no apparent cause of alarm, and
the several other horses Of the party betrayed
none. His agitation increased as the party
approached the fatal spot; and. when they
reached point ia the road opposite to it, the
excitement of the horse rose to SO furious
pitch that he became almost unmanageabe.
The whole party how checked their horses,
and for moment regarded the strange conduct
of the horse with profound astonishment. His
flesh quivered--his nostriis distended and his
eye gIancing into the wood where his noble
master had met his horrible fate-he stood for
a moment snorting and neighing-a sublime
picture Of the widest excitement.
One of the party suggested TO Mr. Merli-
weather TO give him the rein that, meanwhile,
had been tightly drawn This was done, and
instantly the noble animal rushed into the