Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-03-21
THE COURTS.

$3.50
Fletcher vs. Taylor-judgment final OF
writ Of Inquiry 1900.
The %calenuaT for Monday ia as follows
1927 Firth VS. Graves ct al. .
1871 jackson va Gross. ri
1871 Parker vs. Beecher.
l74S Road vs kellogg. -.
l75l Burr & Co. VS. VIM.
1857 Hunt vs Dixon.
1853 NJ & A. Of Memphis VS. Gown,
1853 Same vs. anne. If g. 1
1851 Ssaaefy vs. Cornell.
1852 Sams VS. Peeples. os
1865 Casey vs. ODJnnell.
Id66 Lamar va Gleason. -
1857 Graham VS. Steel.
1863 Kissm TT al vs Miller Il Finn.
1884 Collet VS. Finney.
LAW CoURT-H HLee, Jud1e.-Yes-
terdsy being motion day, the motion
docket was called and the majority Of
the motions entered therein were heard
aud determined. All the orders and
entries male were of an i~nterIocutory
nature, none foal. As soon IS the mo-
tiocs were disposed Of, the case Of Trs5ue
IS. Cash, administrator, continued from
Friday, wss brought up and the trial re-
sumed. Towards ths close OF the day
~ SA6o4ao1s was HO~OLCA0uCug hLu tuS
Court proceeded TO charge the jury. The
plaintiffs counsel then seeing it would
be impossible to recover, took q non-su!t.
Monday the regular calendar will be re-
sumed, commencing with the ease OF
Barron vs.. Wade. TOT
4 CRIMINAL COURT. - I'm, Hunter.
Judge.-The Evidence for the defense in
the case OF the State VS. Frederick Russer,
yesterday evening, and by agree
ment Of council, the case was submitted
to the jury without argument, upon the
charge of the Court. a = -
z The facts and circumstances connected
with the above case, which has bsen on
trial for the past week are rs follows I:
Tne defendant Russer, q German, stands
charged with the murder OF Moses Hecht,
which took place in Memphis, on the
18th June, 1867. From the testimony OF
the various witnesses given in the case,
il appears that RuSser and dis family,
consisting of q young and beautiful wife
and two children, resided on Alabama
and not far from their residence,
about one square above Mrs. Prahst, the
mother of Mrs. Russer, resided. Moses
Hecht, the deceased, occupied q room In
the second story of the same
bailding.l in which Mrs. Prafst
lived. It seems that relations Of
q very improper character had been
existing for some tims between Mrs.
and the deceased. Hecht was
often in the habit of visiting R1sser's
house in q clsndestine manner, especially
in his absence, leaving in such a manner
to excite remark this coming to
.1sser's knowledge through his friends,
be became violently excited, and on the
first opportunity forbade the young man
MS house; this occurred about two months
before the shooting took place. On the
Saturday previous to the fatal affair,
visited the house of Russer and re-
NAMED a great part Of the day. While
here a lady friend aud near neighbor OF
Mrs. Rdsser's. seeing Russer coming home
n his wagon, and knowing the condi-
ion of affairs and fearing 3 disturbance
between the parties If Hecht was found
here, fastened to the house and
informed Mrs. R1sser OF her husbands
approach. Upon receiving this inform
LtiOn, Hecht Immediately dscamped,
.oing IN OF the back door, through the
Tard into al al JiHidg alley and passing
ID to the street, accOsted RusssT, who was
neal the front. door, telling
linn he had been looking for him all
These facts having been cOmmu
to RRsser, his suspicious were
gain aroused, aud he began to look
around for evidence to satisfy himself of
lis wifs's iDfi1elity and dishonor.
other things, e confirm his ter
ible suspicions, he found the picture
Il Hseht in his wife's dress pocket.
Armed with this additional proof OF her
,uilt, R1sser sought his wife and there
nd then upbraided her for ner love for
1eeht, and infiielity to her marriage
The evidence shows that, Russerlbelongs
. that class Of unfortunate beings who
S addicted to temporary insanity. IL was
PROVEN that il IL hereditary with him :
hat his father died Of q dis
'ased mind, oecasioned by the death
II q favorite daughter that on certain
,ccasions prior to the killing Of deceased,
he defendant when excited by anger,
,rief or other passions, had shown evil
lent signs Of q deranged state Of mind.
The finding ofHeehtis picture | n his wifs's
together with other facts known
o himself, seemed to be the browning
of his mental e~bsrrations. Oae of the
witnesses testified that on the evening
to the homici lie he showed signs
Il great mental distress. To confirm
his the witness stated that he went to a /
Iistillery not far from his home, of which
le was the owner, knocked out the beads
Il several barrels of whisky, and poured
he contents on the ground. He walked
o and fro in his yard with his hands
aised to Heaven in a sUpplicsting man
Ter, as il to invoke the vengeance Of
Heaven upon the destroyer Of his hsp-
He wept, prayed, and refused
deep or nourishment for the body.
While in this state he spoke as
I he labored under the convic-
ion that God had spoken to him,
md had directed him to kin the
of his terrible domestic afiiction.
This occurred Sunday. Early Monday
morning Russer armed himself and pro-
,eeded TO the house Of Mrs. Prshst, and
gained admission without being observed
~ any Of the inmates. He then went
to the room occupied by Heeht,
md with one blow Of his foot dashed
the door and entered. Hecht was
till in bed, not having yet arisen. Upon
eeing Russer advancing upon him with
! pistol in his hand, he naturally sought
o arise, and in doing so raised his arm
or protection. Russer then fired, the ball
the right arm, passing into the
through the right lung, and lodged
q the back bone. Hecht fell back upon
he bed, bleeding copiously from his
Wounds, and apparently dead. Rasser
urned and left the room, bat In q little
While came back and silently approached
he bed side, upon which lay the unfor-
innate man, intending to make sure of
be work, If he should Snow signs
1f life. He seemed, however, to be
Of the death Of his victim ;
or he was heard to say, as he
eft the house shat would do for him,
II he could do no more.n Rus 'er then
vent home where he was arrested. Heoht
lied in three or four weeks after. The
defendant was very ably defended by
dessrs. Wallace, CAN'T and Bullock.
Since writing the above the jury have
in Q verdict Of " not guilty."
transfers of Real Estate for the week
Ending March 70, 1869.
F. L. Warner to Ct. A. Hanson, 8 acres
nd lots 5 and z, Holmes division, $1,000;
:. @. Roche to 81. E E1dins, lot No. rs
Arsenal Grounds; A. NJ. Wood to Ssm'i
2 lilo acres, nea Ridgeway Sas-
ion, NJ. q @. r. r., $l57 so; Watts
3ledsoe 10 Otto Winters, assignee, as
ignment in bankruptcy w. A. AM
mons, trustee, to A. Wesson, so acres,
adjoining Carr tract, $1,000; +. NJ. Cash
t al, by Court decree, to W. A. Heidel, |
OF Al, block 10, Fort Pickering, S75; a
Kennedy aud wifeto to- Andrew Phillips, 200 |
ceres, west of B. Battles, $500; Mary
flaherty to NJ. L. Bell, undivided of
81 acres, S.h District; Mary Fiaherty to
a Rieiav- undivided ! nj & aaraa. /