New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-07-12
THE yERGER MURDEB TRIAL.

, sensitive WITNEss-THE MILITARY Cohnls-
rysIoN--PLEA OF INsANITY-sIkoNo iN'i
MONY. II , A
NJ The main facts elected by the prosecution
in tbe trial of e. NJ Yerger at Jackson hsssoPpb ior
the murder Of Col. Crane correspond eAao"S WIN .0
orr gnal statements given by our specalc i''Hs'
mediately after tho tragedy. There were soNei
nesses of the scene and all agree in teSuyhs W o
rble nature OF the crime. Perhaps the must
Testimony was that Of one Thomas Green VINO was IN
tho hank when the quarrel began. After relating now
he saw Yerger strike Crane with mug knio .nen P'
his arm around the victim and staD MN repeatey ~ o
back Mr. Green added: saw ferger was sOinS cus
him all TO pieces did not want to sec IL uone 90 "e
back into he bank"
brought was not convened for that purpose but was In
session at the time the murder and had been detaed
under a special order about ono month peiore' uon'
Swift has presided and Major c. r. Layton mas acted a.
JudgeAdyocate. The remainder OF the commission coz
sisted OF Coils Fletcher, Wheaton and Hall Nal vance,
Can't Theaker and Capt Mahon They have been sithng
under United States authority IN United states mill
tarv post with senues duty ut the doors the prs
oner has been brought before them In irons under strict
and careful guard He has been allowed ample couhso
one of them being Judge Yerger his uncle ana every OPP
portuny has been given for his full Defense Tue tesu
mony was reported in FULL and oil the care ana
consideration bestowed upon the case when
it could receive any civil tribunal limited number
OF citizens and soldiers allowed within the room
The bearing OF the prisoner has been uniformly c'in
with no trace emotion except on one occasion wheh
the prosecution offered the murderous knife Win Whch
tbe crime was committed in evidence IL ia n genuine
Southern "thug" knife. with n horn handle cross
piece Of steel to support the hand. and doubeodged
blade abou six inches In length Witnesses testified that
IL WAS the one with which Yerger struck, and which he
threw at Cranes after he had fallen The prisoner
has been treated with leniency By the military author
ties once or twice daily the carriage containing Mrs
Yerger the two daughters young ladies OF thirteen ana
fifteen and one or two young children, have driven
through the camp TO the prisoners quarters, bringing
creature comforts him. The privilege appears 10 nave
been abused and whisky and money have been conveyed
TO him
The line of defense has been the usual ono adopted In
cases where Of murder itself was evident beyond
dispute Yerger's counsel have attempted TO prove
constitutional tendency to insanity the part OF their
client Some evidence given to prove paating cir
cumstances proyocaton etc But 1t was evident That
no ordinary proyocauon, however aggrayating, was
defense for crime evidently prcconceved tho main
reliance OF the defense has been insanity nelghbor
8 X Sously swore that noticed In February, 1867,
what seemed TO him to Indicate arrangement OF ha IN
the prlsoner aeiSsF HhI Which had never been fen
nered or even suggested on refusal OF the demand e
swore al him ana said lie would have settlement or
kill him" At their next meeting ierger had forgotten
tho circumstance entirely and knew OF no 800 or any
other amount, due him W d. Lyles phy aclan' 'es'
bsys studded o. subject have no doaH' h.t ,i''
have .qssat s 50 p,its 18th lsds sBi have
hous4S % 15 asS so s 9ii s ] s.
subject outbur'ts u passion toward ans
pse amnesty sgrsi iariaa'i for Instance gsHlsnia 70
' snoS n s 700 20 o % ss S @ i, & % ,Sty q
heard bin a. uknl erd oyeai b. do, bot e asiy
ne, vsry cordially ftdyn he streets o yei'ha ,n,, -
walked Ebis 70 you ior ih,i have
bin osasus Outrageous a.! eui5atsg aId hivs i
few dsyi be would be q5 As sea be- BE- 4 l Of 'raas ga
PehEss' a.. % ~ ssoeF's ZIP - ~ hi t 49,.
liable times 10 b To- HoS taEoee qnsrrt
' 'Ss 10 81 2uos Is you'd not as 1os a
YOU though hImi you must think 81, s0 all hat IA
Charles T. Hooker, formerly Attorney General Of Mis-
Of unsound mind. lIo frequently created deulnes aud
acted yeleInenty about things That Ordinary men
passions when aroused and his custom In almost all
cases OF the least 20 consid bis rights
invaded and his honor assaed ID. ID. Porter, formerly
Secretary OF the Mississippi senate had known the PTS
since he was boy Col fergor was prone IN poIt
zeal matters that be the special object or
jealousy and attack his egollsm was excessive and man
would be- first OF his name or Of the country On
the occasion his attending the Democratic Convention
he greatly elated he believed that no receiver more
attention both private ana pubic ihh Any olher dele
gether and he Thought the attention pald 70 hm was
cause OF envy Others who would II they could Keep
s his personal enemy Several other witnesses
testified 10 the same effect concerning the family
Mrs Judge Scott had brother ana sister both crazy;
mud one OF her brothers had two sons who
Tho father asO Of Mrs Scott eccentric 20 be
considered deranged lie TO circumstances which,
N true show that several Of the family have been al
most rhvirg manincs. An old family servant, negro
omau narrated many acts OF violence on the part of
Ycrger attributable only to crazy man he once was
much attached a colOred boy, who danced and sang
comic songs, and without cause ne shot him. He
said afterward he could not help 10. The last
OF the witnesses, Dr. Robert kcls who was for
seven years Superintendent OF tho Mississippi Lunatio
Asylum considered the acts Of Col Yerger not 10 have
been the result Of mdnan D0u The actions Of the
cuscd exhibited undOubed traces OF morbid action or
the moral power He considered the hereditary faint
predispOsng cause insanity I'm the prisoners
augmented excited by the use OF Intoxicating drinks.
When person disposed 10 quarrel with his immed
ate friends on the slightest prOvOcaOn TO show great
proheness 10 got into controversies and push them to
extremes TO eXagg0rate oil enterprises ard schemes
duly, place most exalted estimate on himself 90 con
opposition 70 himself hs plans and schemes, into
personal hostility and unftiendline5s 80 DO mOrbidy
irritable and sensitive, 10 manifest many occasions
delusiOns aud have descended from family IN which
insanity had been distinctly developed hc could not but
believe these Indicated emotional moral insanity.
The examination by the counsel for the Defense and the
examination by Major Layton, Judge Advocate,
ae aud exhaustive and lasted during the whole OF
Wednesday, July z. H. r...