The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1858-01-21
t,ro,n rho NJ Y Tribune. Jan. goth.

A trial for murder has just Teen con-
cluded 10 Pbiladelpbia, which, in some OF
its domestic details, is not unlike that OF
Young Mercer, who shot Heberton for the
seduction of Miss Mercer, his sister, un-
der the most aggravating circumstances
But ip this case, the injury which prompt
ed recourse to saDguDary revenge was
of deeper and of darker dye. The
responder ut, Thomas W. Smith, is about
30 years of age. He is person without
any particularly fixed habits Of business.
and has been employed as commercial
traveller in the Southern States. His Sis.
ter Is a teacher in a school for girls Ill
Wilmington, Del. While visiting her, be
met Miss Elizabeth McCauley, pupil 10
the school, of whom he soon became en-
amored. He was married to this young
woman in December, 1856. But before
this time, Miss Smith, the sister Of the
respondent, either in her capacity OF
teacher or through accident, had discos-
cred reasons for opposing tho marriage OF
her brother to Miss McCauley, and bed
even gone to Philadelphia to ask GER
tain MIR. Richard Carter to interpose to
preyent the marriage. This MIR. Carter
was highly respectable person, engaged
in the coal business, and President OF the
Tau aqua Bank, residing at the village
which gave its name to the above-men-
toned financial institution. We shall see
ere we finish how be guarded Miss Nc
CauIev. who was his ward. Smith being
thoroughly in love, insisted upon marry
ing Miss McCualey without delay,and the
rcmou ,trauecs Of Miss Smith had no pow
er to swerve the guardian from bestowing
his blessing upon the nuptials. He had
his own reasons for kindIipg the torch OF
Ii ymen, as will presently appear. Mr..
Smith was united to the girl in December,
1856. We must here admit that Smith,
who is evidently a man OF a fighty mind
aud unsettled intellect. arPssrs TO have
been played upon, and to have been made
a kiud OF iu-trume ut to conceal the crimes
of others. Had his sister under tood with
certainty the real position of affairs, In.
stead OF having been alarmed by vagu'
usricion, and perhaps by the scandalous
muruurs always floating through girl :
boarding school. she mi eht have saved
him by a frank disclosure of what she
knew or of VI hat she had heard. This la
dy appeared very well upon the trial, and
won the sympathy OF all auditors.
Smith. soon after his marriage, found
that be had been terribly deceived. -Four
months after the ceremony, in the very
hey day of the honeymoon. hi- wife gave
birth to ull.srown child. His wife ad.
tilted in speech and writing. that the
Bank President, Mr.. Richard Garter, her
guardian and the former partner of her
father, was the father of the babe
Suith Immediately took advice and in
stituted measures tor divorce. lie then
travelled, We suppose upon commercial
business, tut the thought of his dishonor
haunted bin He met Carter at the st
Lawrence Hotel and shot bin dead.
The pro-ecution had 10 difficulty what
ever iu proving the homicide. The evi
dence for the Government was very full
and distinct. Smith shot Carter on the
4th OF last November, in the presence OF
the Ne phcw OF the murdered nan. There
was evidence that the encounter could
not have originated in hot blood. as Smith
and Carter sat together while upon a
-ofa. Carter, however, acaS shot through
the heart by Smith-the wound causing
instant death. Thus suddenly and swift
~ did the seducer and scoundrel render
his account. Smith warned these who
were sum u oned TO the room by the re.
port not TO arrest hiu; he exhibited pis-
.tol and bowie. knife, but subsequently,,
without making any objection, gave up
those weapons to the police. In the cross
examination of the officer who arrested
Smith, the defence obtained the valuable
testimony that the prisoner was nervous,
agitated, "looked like an insane mao,
while "bis eyes kept glistening and roll
ing" in a way, as the officer. speaking
from his own experience, said, entirely un-
like that of intoxicated persons. The
prisoner said that "he felt as though be
''could fight thousand Indians" The
evidence showed that when, before shoot
ing. the prisoner approached Carter, his
manner was mild and composed. There
was some conflict of testimony respecting
Smiths conduct after the murder. The
nephew swore that it was cool aud deter
mined. The impression of the policeman
who arrested the respondent We have al
ready stated.
The defense was the insanity of the
prisoner, occasioned by the sudden and
overwhelming discovery of the peculiar
condition OF bis domestic relations. Ii
this unhappy young nan bad been able
justly to estimate bis position he would
have been content with demanding of the
Courts of law that legal separation to
which he was justly entitled. Some men
would undoubtedly have remained stolid
under the indignity. But the discovery
made by Smith was insupportable. A
highly respectable witness, who had known
bin intimately, spoke to his character in
Court. declaring him to be ''par.icularly
kind and good hearted, with moral
character Of the first order, and strong
love OF right-wilh buoyaut spirits, anu