The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-07-10
A DIABOLICAL WRETCH.
More About the Illinois Father who
Whipped his Child % DeRIh..TeS.
timORY of the Mother and Sister,.
A Fearful and Revolving Crime.

ners Jury on Sunday last, at Onarga, ILL.,,
by Mrs. Mera and her daughter Sarah, in
the case of Martin Mera, under examina'
ton for whipping and otherwise tOrturing
his son 10 death, shows the crime Of Mera
to he one of the most llendish aud revolt.
ing in the history Of the State. Mary
Mera, wife OF the man and mother Of the
dead boy, testified;
MY husband whipped Martin two
weeks ago Tuesday night, My babe was
born on that day and | did not see the
whipping; II was done In another room,
heard blows and heard the child beg
for mercy. The child then went to bed.
About ten O'clock next morning the child
came into my bedroom, followed by his
father, who was whipping him; he whip.
ped him very hard with a black snake
horse whip The child dodged around
the room so rs TO avoid the blows and
begging for mercy; the child was com.
pletely naked, his father having compelled
him TO strip himself His face was swollen
from the whipping he had received. His
father whipped him very hard for ten OF
fifteen minutes. At last he stopped, and
told the child to put on his shirt He
made on effort to do so, and failed. His
father repeated the order, when the boy
said, 4 cant see II, can't see IT, You
can't sec IT, repeated the father. No,
father, can't see you father, | can't see
you father, and fell dying"
The aiend then rubbed the boy with
spirits, and forced some down his throat.
The child raised his hands, moved his
lips, and expired. Mera then took the
body and put II under the bed where the
sick mother was lying, and 1t remained
there until evening, when he buried It as
previously stated.
Sarah Mera, daughter OF the murderer,
aged fourteen years, testified that her
father. often whipped him very severely
with n horse whip. .. .
"On Tuesday, two weeks ago, he brought
brother In and said lie had not worked,
and whipped and knocked him down
twice; father continued TO whip him and
said he would whip him until he could
not stand up; he would whip the life out
of him, two or three times he would say
this, and brother would plead with father,
father don't whip me any more Oh,
don't whip me any more lie was q
good boy, and liked him. Brother went
10 bed about 10 o'clock, he said he did
not know why father whipped him 30; he
never told stories only when father made
him; father would say that II he
didn't own that he did so and
30, lie would whip him, and TO
avoid II he would own to things he
never did. On Wednesday got up and
got breakfast ready; father rose when
breakfast was ready; brother got up but
felt 80 badly that he went 10 bed; father
made him get up and 20 out and feed the
stock, and when he came back father
whipped him and sent him 10 the field;
he went for him and brought him In,
made him take off his clothes and then
whipped him; he then picked him up and
laid him on the stove; the stove was hot
enough to heat on iron; ! was baking
biscuit father put him on the stove
twice; brother pleading with father all
the while father don't burn me don't
burn met He screamed very loud and
the skin stuck to the stove; his skin came
of from his back and his feet and II
stuck TO the stove; II smelled so opened
the door, and father Immediately shut II;
while brother was pleading father said he
would burn him until he worked; | have
seen him strike mother with his fists
many times; he knocked brother down
several times with the butt end Of the
horse whip. never saw my brother
after he went into mothers ROOM" a.
The following are the particulars Of the
lynching Of Mera, the child murderer,
al Waiseka, Illinois, on Wednesday
last. The crowd at first numbered
about one hundred, led by Dr. Daniels,
of Onarga, where they demanded the
prisoner. The sheriff refused TO give him
up and upon DR.. Daniels attempting to
enter discharged his revolver at him., DR..
Daniels struck up bis arm and wrenChed
the pistol from his hands. The crowd
then, with asledge hammer, broke down
the door Of the cell where Mera was con.
fined. The poor wretch begged for mercy.
Nobody gave heed to bis appeals. The
crowd then seized him, pinioued and
took him into the street. Dr.. Daniels
then addressed the crowd saying that he
had sWornnot to return home until the
, murderer was executed and asked the
crowd II they would stand by him. All
! responded In the affirmative. Mera was
, then placed in a wagon, which was drawr
by the crowd TO tree short distance
from the Jail. A rope was placed around
his neck and the other end attached 10 thl
limb Of the tree. He was told he nigh
have twenty minutes in which 70 prepart
for eternity. He spent the first half ol MI
! time In piteous appeals for mercy. Whilt
:, doing this, he was derided by MANY Of III,
|. crowd. One man offered 10 pray will
him, but he replied that he could not pray
without priest He then called ulol
the Masons present TO help him, but NJ
n one responded, and he cursed the MasonE
He then called upon the Catholic
1 To rescue him. One Of them shout
! ed "Call on God for lie alone cal
4 save you" He prayed for The rC
" naming moments. AT the expiration O
twenty minutes the wagon was pullet
from under him, and he was leit hanging
At first not muscle moved, but after
few seconds his struggles became fearful
6 The crowd then dispersed, bnt before dO
/, ing 80 several brutal fellows discharge
o their revolvers into his body. lie wa
70 left hanging all night, and In the mornin
e his body was taken possession Of by HI
u friends.
IA About one thousand persons witnesse
E. the hanging. The lynChlng party did thel
10 work In a quiet and orderly manner, br
Ia many of the crowd betrayed brutality |
speech and gesture No movement hs
yet been made looking to the punlahmer
e Of the lynChers.
New York Naval Officer Acquitted
Il NEW YORK, July Q.