The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-07-09
CHILD TORTURE IN ILLINOIS.

Family Discipline in the Prairie Stnte-A
Western Parent who Does Not Spare the
Rsd-Terrible SuEcrinss of ChId-AEo
whipped and Barned--Tsrtmred TO Death
by His Father.
CHICAGO, July 8, 1871.
The testimony taken before the Coroner's jury on
Sunday last Onarga, H., in the of the boy
whipped and otherwise tortured to death by this
father Martin Mera, reveals the crime Of The latter
to have been OF the most Gendish and revolving
In the history OF the State. Mary Mera the mother
Of the child, testified as folows:-
My husband, Martin Mera, whipped my son Mar
tin, aged ten years. two weeks ago Tuesday night;
my babe was born on that day. and did NOT see the
the blows and heard the child beg FOR mercy; the
child then went to bed; about ten O'Clock next
morning the child came to my bedroom, followed
by his father, who was whipping HIM;
HE WHIPPED HIM VERY HARD
around the room to avoid the blows and begged for
mercy; the child was completely naked, has father
was swollen from the whipping he had received the
night before; his father whipped him very hard
told the child to put on his shlrt he made an eff
fort to so and failed; is father repeated the
see itr' you can't see lls responded MS father
"N0, father; can't see you father; can't see
YOU" and
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 and put 1t under the bed where the sick
mother was lying, and it remained there until even
ing. when lie buried II as previously reported.
Sarah MerG, the daughter OF the murderer, aged
fourteen years testified that her father often
whipped her brother very severely with the horse
whip; on Tuesday TWO weeks ago, he brought my
brother in, SAID he had not worked. and whipped
and Knocked him down twice: father continued to
to whip MN, ana 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 win father "Fatner, don't whip me
any more on. don't whip me any more % He was
q good boy, and liked him: brother went TO bed
about ten O'Clock: he said he did know why father
whipped him so; he never told stories only when
father made hm father would say that If he did not
own up that he had done so and so he would whlp
him, and TO AVOID it brother would own TO things he
newer did; on Wednesday ] got up and got
was ready and brother got up but ielt so
badly that ne went back TO ped father made him get
up and go out and feed the stock. and when he came
back father whipped him and sent him TO the field;
he went for him ana brOught him In aud made him
fake of his clothes and then whipped him and then
picked him up and
LAID HIM ON THE STOVE;
the stove was not enough TO heat an tr0n was
baking biscuit; father put hun the stove twice,
brother pleading all the while-"Father, don't Durn
me don't burn me don't burn me - he screamed
very loud and the skin stuck to the stove; his skin
came Off his back and his feet and 1t stuck to
the stove: it smeed so / opened the door, and
father Immediately shut It: while brother was plead
ing father said he would burn him until he worked;
have seen father strike mother with his lists many
times; he Knocked brother down several times with
the butt end Of the hOrsewhIp; never saw my
brother after he went into mothers ROOM