The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-07-15
AN ILLINOIS HORROR.
MIN LYNCHED FOE WHIPPING TO
DEATH HIS OWN SON

Sickening Details OF his Crime-The
Evidence OF the Mother and Sisters
Prompt and AWFUL Retrtbution-
Scenes at the LyncnIng.
from the Peoria un) Review, July 81
A few days ago we gave brief statement OF
brutal murder near Onarga in this State, in
which father killed his own son. The prom
tnent actor In this dreadful tragedy was named
Martin Mera, an Irishman by birth, about "A
wears of age, s feet inches in height, thick
set and muscular, with forbidding counter.
ance, restless, impatient eye, and deep,
altteral voice. He.owned place containing
eighty acres about two and q half miles from
Onarga. In Iroquois County. His house SHOWS
q aconsiderable degree Of refinement, aud the
number Of books and papers indicated inat It's
owner was person Of considerable 69s n.et,- ns,ah
bors as honest. prompt paymaster
and a 'hard.working man. But he had
dreadful temper, and when under lib influence
Ks would whip his horses numerically, cut
out the eyes OF his hogs, and indulge IN otner
acts of brutal and fendish passion. ais mmiy
consisted Of his wite, an Intelligent lady, aged
about 40, and six children, the eldest IA years
and the Youngest about 20 days. The eldest
boy was named Martin, and he was II years OF
age. On the 18th Of June, Mera came TO Gll-
man and posted two written notices, statlng
that his boy had run away from home. and
Offering reward for his return. He stated
jocosely that he did not know why the lao
should leave as he had always treated MIN
well. few days after some of the neighbors
: began to suspect that something was wrong,
and on the 3Oth Messrs. McCourtie anu G-b
Winters, Of onarga and Others Stness sw0se p0Tse onS N
their. way they stopped at a school which
Mesa's Oldest daughter was attending, ana
questioned her. On promising to protect her,
she said her father had beaten ner Drotner,
and after beating him had put him on tne
believed he Was dead. Armed with 5tnese
facts the party arrested Mera. BE was perfect
ly calm. and insisted that his boy had run
away. He wes released, and eight men watch
ed the house In hopes that he wonld visit the
grave and give them clue to the oody, put
he did not do this. The next day ne was taken
to Onarga on warrant for murder, ana
large party went out to look for the body OF
the murdered boy. The search was continued
all day without success, but finally, late IN tne
afternoon, Mr.. John Barnes, of Gilman, found
near the hedge south of the house piece Oh
clay subson that had been cut with q SPADE. a
stick was forced into the ground about taree,
feet and on being drawn out 1t smelled of de-!
cayed matter. The ground was removed and the
body of the boy Martin was found buried four
feet eight inches deep. He was enveloped IN
q sheet neatly pinned about his body, ana ne
1ad on his shirt, pants and cap, tne latler pull
ed over his eyes. The body was very much
decomposed, but the feet gave evidence OF be-
ing burnt. The news quickly spread. and NC
tCourtie went to town to see Mera. On his ap-
proach Mera was saying to the croYd, III I've
Killed the boy, why don't they. .1nf tae body z"
McCourtie responded, Martin, they nave
found the body, aud you must submit TO these
handouts" --...,
tIWhere did you find it, Mac '' -
...Close by The hedge in the garden
!, s'Have mercy on me, Mac s"s
:. s.How can you ask iOr mercy, never having
shown it while your boy plead for 1t !! ! No, Ss
sir, do not ask for mercy" -, -,
..sI did, Mac. I did whip him to death" sala
Mera. .-,. RS,
The excitement In Onarga was Intense, and
large crowd gathered, expressing their de-
termination to lynch the prisoner during
this time Mera seemed perfectly cool, ana
,aven expressed his regrets that he did not 90
ethe work more thoroughly; He 1 was IN nnahy
putin wagon and removed to MatseKa. Ioe
county seat, where he was lodged In jail Tnis
was last Saturday,. On Sunday the coroner
impanelled Jury and held an Inquest. Inc
facts OF finding the body were given above:
The mother and sister Of the boy testified as
follows:
Mary Mera, the wife and mother, appeared
In courtswith child two weeks old. Mrs.
Mera, Notwithstanding 6 bursting heart, told
the tale.of horror calmly: live two and half
miles from 0narga; Martin Mera is my nus
band; have lived there six years; Martin treat.
ed his children kindly at times; ne mas not
whipped much lately; he whipped our boy
Marlin on Tuesday night, two weeks as9 iast
see him; my babe was born that day; did not
hear blows, but heard the childs cries; they
were In the Kitchen; was In my bedroom;
The parloT IS between the two; heard the
child cry Yes. SIR yes, .sir ..no. sir ~ tne
would ask him, ssWilfy you work ?n The child
did not scream; I do not know what time the
child went 70 bed; ;Mera got up between 4 ana
Is; was Under the influence OF some pow
ders, and did not awaken until breakfast was
over; did not sleep during the night much iNaai
ed breakfast; I told her ] did not want break.
fast; did not hear any disturbance; about 10
o'clock the child came Into the bedroom, fol-
lowed by his father; his father was whipping
him; he whipped him very hard with horse.
whip, o black snake, about one and q half
inches at the butt; did see him strike him q
great many times; all / saw of the whipping
was In my bedroom; he did not strike him
with the butt-end of the whip; the lash wes
broken of so as to leave the whip only about
yard long; he lodged around the room to
avoid the blows, promising to work, ana ASK
ing for mercy; he did not hold the child; the
child went around, and around the room, and
my husband gave him some. very hard blows;
the child plead, "Don't whip me, father don't
whip me and will work. Please don't. Oh
don't whip me, father, and will work." He
was naked when he came into my room; his
father made him take of his clothes, take of
everything; the boy had just Come In from the
field; his face was swollen from the whipping
be received the night before; he was not cry
ing when he came Into the room; his father
whipped him very hard for ten or fifteen
minutes, the boy sall the time begging for
mercy, and promising TO work; his father
at last stopped, when ;he told the child to
put on his shirt; tn child made an effort and
failed; his father again ordered him to put on
his shirt, when he said: II can't see 1t I
can't see itp 'sYou can't. see it ?" 'sNo,
father; can't see you, father! can't see you,
+, father IN and fell dying; my husband said,
''Have killed him !"and said, Yes you
have, you have finished him;" he then took
him In his arms and baLhed him with whiskey,
and tried to get him to drink some; he tried to
pour some down him; he then threw some
liquor over him and tried to revive him, and,
having fSiled, ne cried. "Have killed him,
have 7 killed him ~ he rubbed him with
- =,