The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-04-15
THE SOPER MURDER CASE.
The Mystery at Last
Cleared Up.
The Perpetrat0r of Two Muir
ders in Custody.
How He Killed His VicliEs-.-He POiSOnS One
and Shoots the Other.
KINGSTON. n Y. Aprll u 1872

the murder of Walter Soper i'm 1859 and with poi
soning Mrs. Ann Davis last month, was finished to-
day at Port Even, Ulster county. The testimony
taken OF most damaging character and es-
ablished conclusiyey the guilt of the accused. The
investigation ably conducted the part of the
prosecution by District Attorney Fowler, who is de-
serving of great credit for revealing this deep and
mysterious
The following the proceedings which took
place before Justices Wheeler and Niece at Port
| Ewen:-
The first witness called the part OF the prosecu
ton was Walter +. SopeI son-inaw of the muir
dered man. He testified follows:-I reside in
the town Of Esopus; knew Walter Soper in his life
| time; he died the oath OF September, 1869; he
was shot at night on his own premises he went
out OF the house between twelve and one O'Clock at
night do not know who shot him; there
probability of his shooting HIMSELF he and had been
sorting apples at the cider house till after twelve
O'Clock that night: then went into the house and
] went to bed; lie went TO the door, and then came
back and told me he heard
NOISE THE BARN.
he said he would put on his shoes and go ont and
see what the matter; that is the last l saw OF
him till saw him dead; he had one dog and had
one; lived in the same house with him; got
asleep shortly after went bed and awoke about
three O'Clock; found his light still burning, and
got up ana he was not in bed; his shoes were gone;
l told my wife; we then both went out and,
DIRECTED BY THE Dog
found him lying dead along the fence.
Crosse Xamination-All the family had retired on
the night Soper shot; there in the house
that night Walter Soper's wife. his daughter, who
is my wife, and myself and two small children Of my
own: they then four and two years OF age
respectively; did not Soper when he went
out; don't think he took 4 gun with him: there
bu / one gun in the house: my wife ana found
him: 1t was between three and four O'Clock in the
morning: he lay about hundred yards from the
barn, Just back OF the barn; we left him lying there;
we Went back and made report TO James
Ferguson one Of our neighhors; sent my wife 70
the neiehbors and went 10 the house and got
lantern: went without lantern the first time;
we went to the barn where soper had started for
when he left the house: the little dog went out
back from the barn, and we followed him and found
the body.
william Davis was the next witness called, who
testified rs folows:-l reside in the town of Esopus;
| know The prisoner Hiram Sluyter; are neigh
bors knew Walter sopcr deceased, in his life
time: ! did not hear of his death till the
day following the morning he was found
dead; the night Soper was shot | heard a
knock At my door; II was Hiram Snyter did NOT
get up TO see who il was, | knew it was Sluyter;
heard his dog bark; the next morning some one
did Hiram Kill any cows the night before; he said
HIRAM SAID HE MAD SHOT MAN:
was home all that day, until the next morning;
did not see the prisoner the next day after soper
months after the death of Soper as was returning
home from my work at Mr. Cummings near the
overlook me; said TO him, ..Iram, they have bad
talk about you;'' he asked what II was; told him,
''Ab0ut your shooting Soper:" he said, 'Well,
Billy, went to get few chickens and Soper sot
two dogs me; afraid ! would be bit by
them; Soper followed me; told Soper to go back
or | would shoot him: the old man said to me,
shoot away, Hiram, and kept setting the dogs on
then shot him, and went on TO the woods and
loaded my gun and returned and
FOUND HIM DEAD ENOrGH;'
Sluyter has told me this ten times, drunk and
nlnr .fll IN toll hafnr han1n
was afraid OF my life and the life of my wife; am
not in as much danger now as would have been
the 30th Of March last prisoner was al my house; ;
we were talking about the death Of my wife; said,
HIRAM, You HAVE KILLED sOPEl,
and ] believe you have killed my wife; he said.
You did not see me KIN soper, and II yon dd not
IL you can do nothing abont it, we were drink
ing together; my wife was buried on the 2sth Of
March; about five weeks ago prisoner was at my
house: he told my wife that he would fear to eat
her bread because she snnfied; she replied TO him
that she could inform worse than that against him;
he wanted to know what II was; she said about
shooting SOper was present al TINS conversation;
he did not deny il, because he could not.
Crosse yaminaton Prisoner told me he had shot
Soper about three months after Soper was shot; !
said to him. "Iliram, there Is bad talk about y0u:"
he said '.What is il y said, about your shooting
Soper;'' then
HE TOLD ME- now IT WAS DONE:
accused him Of poisoning my wife; believe ne
Margaret West was next called. ana testified as
ollows:-l live in The town Of Esopns; know Hiram
Sluyter, the prisoner ! Know WIN. Jaws; was
Davis about the ioth OF March last; heard of the
prisoner say TO Davis "Bily, do YOU say poisoned
said, What do you think would poison your wife
fory Davis said, u expect because she was going
to let out about
THE DEATH or OLD sorER
upon yon;" prisoner said. What does she know
about it; Hiram haven't you told me You shot Walt
soperY You have told me That, drunk and
" aee a'' S d stsf ' what II Sare
told you, YOU lid not see me do IT."
No sala Davis nc had seen 1 yon would have
Iii don't make any difference what have told
you;' that is all know about il; they continued
Cross-examina ion-l was AT the house when Mrs.
Davis died; did MOI ten Davis that Thought his
wife had been poisoned; when had her dashed
and laid ont said 'ly, she is your wife: come
ana look at her: she =
| ever saw; he said ''What 10 you THINK the
matter with her - said. Il don't know, but If she
was mine or anything belonging TO me should
have two doctors aud Il jury and have an eNamina-
tion:i when Davis told Sinyter that he had con-
cssed to having shot Soper. Nnyier's mother, Da-
Wis and myself were present; Siuytcr did not deny
having confessed 70 M shooting Sopcr; told
them II drunkenness between them, and If
they had not been drunk ana got mad ~ one
another II wou,d moi have bceu told now.
Ann Fliza >lWtcr mother OF the prisoner, was
called IN behalf Of The prisoner, and testified as fol
lows:-l was present on the occasion spoken Of 10y
Davis aud Margaret West: remember the CONVEX
sation: went to Tie house Of Davis on an
GRAND: Margaret West came M 70 me and said,
I'm have her MIS- Davis opened y lose m, my
COW by II :: then Bin Davis sad, "ilran shot Walt
Sopcr;' then went home AM told iiirain Marga-
ret West came right over and said Come over
and We WIN have tnis settled right away I; lhen ~,
ram ana went over. and Hiram said, "Billy, you
accuse me oi poisoning Aundf" Davis said,
~ 10 HIRAM Nou POISONED MR.
because She would bring Nou out: - Hiram wanted
To know wnat she would bring INN out In Davis
did not say what iol nut -aid. IN bring YOU out;
you told me Nru had Shot Sopcr:" Hiram said,
'Blly. lid not come on that terms, came ~
no r. Yore wIrr:"
that all that spoken there then. Hiram