The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1871-07-19
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THE MERA RRAGEDE.

NHtCAGO, July Glue coTouer 'H-
guest over the lynched man elicted the
following: Mary Mers. mother of the
child, testified as follows Ny husband,
Martin Mera, whipped my son Martin,
aged ten years, two weeks ago Tuesday
hight. Ny bsbe vas horn that day, and
Ibid not see the whipping; it was done
in another room I heard the blows and
heard the child beg for mercy. The
child went to bed about ten o'clock.
The nest morning the child came to my
bedroom, followed BY his father who
vas whipping him very hard with q
black snake horse whip. The child
lodged around the room, to avoid the
blows, and begged for mercy. The
child vas completely naked, his father
hSviug compelled him to strip himself.
His face was swollen from the whipping
he had received the night before. His
father whipped him very hard for ten or
fifteen minutes. At last he stopped. aud
told the child to put on his shirt. He
made an effort TO do so and failed. His
father repeated the order. when the boy
said, II can't see l can't seel /" "You
can't see it," responded his father. "No,
father, can't see you; l cant see you.
l feel like dying" The father then
rubbed the boy with spirits and forced
some down mis- throat. The child raised
his hands, moved his lips and expired.
Mera thou took the body aud put it
under the bed. where the sick mother
was lying, aud it remained there until
evening. when he buried it. The tesli-
mony Of the boys sister is still more
horrible.
Sarah Mera, ,sdaughter Of the murder
er, aged IA, testified that her father
often whipped her brother very severely
with horse whip. Tuesday two weeks
ago he brought my brother in and said
that he had not worked, and whipped
and knocked him down twice. Father
continued to whip him, and said he would
whip him ill he could not stand up |;
that he would whip the life out of him
Two or three time he would say this,
and brother would plead with father {:
don't whip me any more. Oh,
don't whip me any more" ! liked him
Brother went to bed about 10 o'clock.
He said he did not know why father
whipped him so; he never told stories
only when father made him. Father
would say if he didu't own up he had
dore so and so, he would whip him ;
aud. to avoid it, brother would own to
things he never did. "Wednesday l 60,
up and got breakfast ready. Father
rose when breakfast was ready, and
brother got up, but felt so badly he
went back to bed. Father made him
get up aud 60 out aud feed the stock.
and when he came back fathcr whipped
him. and sent him to the field. lie went
for him and brought him. and made
him take of his clotr es, and then whip
ped him, aud then picked him up and
laid him on the stove. The stove was
hot enough 10 heat an iron. was
baking biscuit. Father put him on the
stove twice. brother pleading all the
while, "Father don't burn me-" He
screamed very loud and the stain stuck
to the stove. Ills skin came of his
back and his feet and stuck TO the stove.
IL smelled so that l opened the door and
father Immediately shut it. While
brother was pleading, father said he
would burn him till .e~orked. have
seen father strike mother with his fists
many times. He knocked brother down
several times with the butt end Of the
whip. never saw my brother after he
went into mothers room.