South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1871-07-14
The Wretch who Whipped His

CHICAGO, July THE testimony taken
before the coroncr's jury Sunday last, at
Onaraga, Illinois, in the case Of the boy
whipped and otherwise tortured to death by
his father, Martin Mera, reveals tho crime
OF the latter to have been one of the most
fendish and revolving 10 the history of
the State.
Mary Mera, the mother of the child, tes-
tilted as follows My husband, Martin
Mera, whipped my son, Martin, aged ten
years, two weeks ago Tuesday night. My
ba be was born that day, and | did not sec
the whipping. 1t was done in another room.
L heard the blows, and heard the child beg
for mercy. The child went to bed About
ten o'clock the next morning the child came
to my bed room, followed by his father,
who was whipping him very hard with
black snake horsewhip. The child lodged
around the room TO avoid the blows, and
begged for mercy; the child was complete
ly naked, his father having compelled him
to strip himself; his face was swollen from
the whipping he had received the night be-
fore; his father whipped him very hard for
ten or fifteen minutes; at last he stopped
and told tho child 10 put on his shirt; he
made all effort to DO 80 and failed his ia
thcr repeated the order, when the boy said :
81 cant sec, | can't see. "You can SEQ
it," responded his father "NO, father,
can't see you, [ can't see you | feel dy-
ing" The fend 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 aud
nut 4 al IL IL 4 II
was lying, and it remained there until eve
Mug, when he buried it as previously re-
ported.
Testimony If he daughter Further Sickening Par
teu'ars--TAe Wretch ,gas Rightcously Hanged
ONARAGA, July S.-Sarah Mera, daugh.
ter of tho murderer, aged II, testified that
her father often whipped her brother very
severely with horscwhip. Tuesday two
weeks ago he brought my brother in, and
sad he had not worked, and whipped and
Knocked him down twice.
The father continued to whip him, and
said he would whip him till he could not
stand up; he would whip the lifo out of
him. Two or three times he would say
this, and brother would plead with father
"Fathor, don't whip me any more Oh !
don't whip me any more" | liked him.
Brother went 10 bod about 10 o'clock. He
said he did not know why father whipped
him so ho never told stories, only when
father made him. Father would whip him,
aud to avoid it, brother would own to things
he never did.
Wednesday I got up and got break fast
ready father rose when breakfast was rea-
dy and brother got up, but felt so badly that
he went back to bed father made him got
up aud 60 out and feed tho stock, and when
he came back father whipped him and
brought him in, and made him take off his
clothes, and then picked him up and laid
him on tho stove; it was hot enough to heat
an iron; | was baking biscuits father put
him on the stove twice, brother pleading
all tho time, "Father don't burn me-" he
screamed very loud, and his skin stuck to
tho stove his skin camo of his back aud
his feet, and stuck to the stove; it smelcd
so | opened the door, and father immcdi-
atcly shut it, Will brother was pleading
father said ho would burn him Till ho work
ed; | have seen father strike mother with
his fists many times. He knocked brother
down several times with the but end of
horscwhip; | never saw my brother after
ho went TO mothers room.
About one thousand persons witnessed the
hanging Of the above individual MrnA, at Wat.
seka, Illinois, on The 2d inst The lynching par
~ did their work in quiet and orderly man
ncr The crowd then dispersed, but before do.
ing so, several brutal fellows discharged their
rovolvcrs into his body. He was left hanging
all night, and in tho morning his body was TAX
en- possession ofby hs friends No movement,
mp to last account had been made looking to the
punishment of the lynchers
~ We recommend to our readers the follow.