The New York herald., 1872-10-12
The Mystery at Last 6e'"g
Cleared Up.
The Alleged PerpetratT Of Two Muir
ders on Trial for His Life.
An ULSTER COUNTY DESPERATE.
4 Ghastly Midnight Scene at the Mountain
Home Of the Outlaw.
The Mother Of the Sluyters and Her
GrandchIld-A Sad Picture.
FIRST DAYS PROCEEDINGS.

FIRST DAYS PROCEEDINGS.
KINGSTON, N Y, Oct. TO- z871
One OF series OF three murder cases, to be tried
u the Circuit Of the Supreme Court, now being held
Ia tas city, called up to-day before Justice In
Eails. Hiram Sluyter being arraigned for the muir.
Aer Of Walter Soper on the oath OF September 1862
yhe court room at early hour was crowded to its
utmost capacity by ON eager throng OF spectators all
waiting in anxious expectancy the appearance Of
THR ALLEGED MURDERER.
At nine O'Clock the prisoner, Hiram Sluyter, was
broaght into Court by Sheriff Keer, closely followed
by his aged mother and other members OF his family.
The prisoner was seated by the side Of his COM
sell T. r. Westbrook and Surrogate Peter Cantine,
and maintained
srOYCAL INDIFFERENCE
Aarlng the progress of the trial. He was dressedin
. hight brown coat black vest and blue pants. He
n forty years OF age about six feet two or three
inches in height, broad shoulders strong and mus
sular. His complexion Is light and frcckled, blue
punken eyes, red hair and whiskers. low, receding
most M
.& DESPERATE AND FIRNpIsH
Or deeds. He has long borne the reputation OF
s0tthroat and villain Of the deepest dye. He has
been the terror Of the neighborhood for many
years. Was there q crime committed, deed or
villany done 1t was traced to his door, but he has
always up to this time succeeded in eluding JUS
tice Now, at last, he stands charged with the
awful crime Of murder
II win be recolected that on the oath day OF Sep.
tember 1869, in the early morning Of that day,
Walter soper, farmer. living In the town Of
Esopus, Ulster county, was
MYsTERIoUsLY MURDERED
On his own farm while protecting his property. On
the night Of the 23d Of that month the deceased
and his sonin-law, Walter p. Soper were making
cider and sorting apples in the formers barn. At
waiter p. Soper went to bed. While the old man
was making his preparations to retire he heard
n nSise a. & 6he oarH ~ ana M informed MS sonnaw tnat
went OUT but never returned. His son-in-law soon
iell asleep; Betw cen three and four O'Clock he
awoke and found the light still burning. Thinking
apartments, but found
he aroused his wife and both went out in search
pf Soper, the house dog leading the way. Back OF
ae old dead He had been shot IN the Seaa
lace and chest, the heart and lungs being pierced
In the Of the same day the Coroner was
rested upon Hiram Sluyter. living about one mile
THE SCENE OF THE MURDER.
He was arrested and charged with the crlme
He protested his innocence and said he had no gun
sherein. Forty-three shot were taken from
scper's body by the physicians, and in
those removed from the wounds. About thirty-six
feet from where Soper was shot lay the wad OF the
& Gun s consisting Of tow and piece OF newspaper-
also found quantity OF tow and copy of the Jour-
na! with piece torn out. Notwithstanding these
1acts the Coroners jury thought there was not suf
ncient evidence to hold the accused and he was dis
REWARD OF TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS
was offered by Sopers family, and efforts made to
ferret out the murderer, but without success, and
She crime gradually died out OF public memory.
ANOTHER MYSTERIOUS EVENT
on the night o. the 2Sta Of Of March last new light
shere was carousal at Hiram Sluyters house,
which was participated in & BY his boon companions,
Hiram Suyter, his brother Adam and their mother.
Hiram had been TO kondont that day and bought
NIGHT OF DEBAUcHERY.
The liquor lasted till about eleven O'Clock. At that
hour Mrs. Smith, her son and Mrs. Sluyter (the
mother OF the prisoner) went to Norris Hotel, sew
eraI miles distant and got another half gallon Of
night. After drinking the liquor MIS- Smith and
the old woman suyter went to bed; Mrs. Davis sat
the noor Smith and Davis
SAT UP BY THE JUG ALL NIGHT.
Davis and said, Billy, believe your wife is dead y
then Mrs suyter got out Of bed and felt her face
AND THEY WERE COLD.
She was lying upon the floor dead, and her hus-
hand and smith sitting by her drunk. A coroners
inquest was held. The jury, after hasty examina-
tion, rendered verdict that Mrs. Davis died from
che effects OF alcoholic liquors.
Davis, however, did not feel satisfied with the
verdict, believing his wife mad been
POISONED BY sLUYTER
Tor purpose. II appears that Tor long time the
Davis family had been In the secret Of siuyter's
msaderng 1aSa soper that as far back as December
S0per; but either through fear friendship
tue SECRET OF THE TRAGEDY
was not revealed. Shortly before her DEATH how
ever, Mrs. Davis had some trouble with Suyter
when she threatened to expose him. Davis at once
suspected Suyter OF poisoning her to prevent her
deny 1t. Convinced OF his guilt Davis resolved to
bring him to Justice. Accordingly Davis went be-
fore the authorities and under oath charged Suyter
with
SHOOTING soPER.
He was arrested, aud his examination took place
~ Port Ewen In April last before Justices Wheeler
and Niece, and the prisoner was committed to the
Kingston jail to await the action OF the Grand Jury.
the murder at the time the tragedy was enacted,
BY both the city and local press, no trouble was
neither read nor heard OF the transaction The fol.
lowing gentlemen were empaneed as jurors:-
Hurry; william Brannen, Give; Elias KelGer''
Rochester; Eveiret Gorslne, Rochester; Andrew
Woven, Woven, Vest Hurry; Henry Smith, Give; G. NJ.
George whispcl, sbandaken; Samuel Corwin,
Marlbourgh; George msner, shandakcn.
Fowler, who Is deserving OF great credit ior Tie
untiriDg energy displayed In revealing this
DEEP AND MYSTERIOUS CASE,
che following testimony OF most damaging charac-
Ter was adduced. conclnsiyely establishing the
guilt OF the accused
The first witness called on the part OF the prose.
cution was Or. Edward McKenzy, OF Esopus, who
testified as foows:--I reside In the village OF Port
Even, Ulster county; am practising physician
and surgeon; In 1869 was one OF the C0roners Of
this county; know the prisoner, Hiram sluyter;
knew Walter Soper In his lifetime; lie died on the
morning OF the Gath OF September, 1869; was
called upon To hold an inquest upon his body;
found the deceased
LYING UPON HIS FACE
near u stone wall back OF his barn. discovered
Oloo0 on Inc fence found two gun wads lying
upon tne ground about thirty-6 feet from where
the pouy lay: one was OF tow and the ether was q
piece OI newspaper, the KinLsf0n .Lonrnnl. had |