The New York herald., 1872-10-13
An Alibi Sworn to by the
Prisoners Mother.
THE VERDICT.
Declared s. Not
Guilty"


and sullen Indifference manifested on the trial
yesterday. This afternoon he was sworn in his
own BEHALF and denied under the solemnity OF his
cath any knowledge Of the crime.
OLIVER CoUTANTs TESTIMONY.
After the opening Of the Court Oliver Coutant
was called on the partof the prosecution and tes-
elned as f0lows:-
u walter n snfrs e%e
Mra% sauytsr the prisoner ! lived about half mile
over 70 sopsrs many Of the neishSors were saw
% soS n hs % s Sy the Ss Of
e toy and one Of s. & the .% lying
SssSsncs q having been recently discharged gun
Leonard Serrine was next called and testified as
bnows:-
present the Coioners Inquest the body Of Walter
ppsoners Souse at that time found three guns there
TsSss 5s.sas sss q
punch and shOtb.g containing shot examined
he fowins piece presented the appearance having
o soe9 % those 'ns IN
ana found them NS
asS M
found the guns, shot, &C., in the garret S,...-,.
taken Coroners inqueston the % Of ocober
the shot were not mixed shot
James Elmendorfwas next called, and testified
Ger; know the prisoner, and knew Walter soper the
= s. %s sHS I s
Vw nS s sbS sS HnsSan
as found hey Ssj just
s e az s s o sr ssss sad as %
THEY TALKED IN DUTCH
and could not understand them.
neSs Of ne s M
%ony s s the prose Ss relied
She before e G jury a Ap5 M sr na' ne
s they WV" As' oN'' ''''AA '' nlN'l' = 40 l1'' '-
his dogs on a
S S s aaS ne the II s s' sns
ss asss to ssy s s sy % s @
ever was such person named soper that she had
heard that murder had been committed that she does
knows nothing Of the murder.
1t was apparent to all that the girl had been
inundated BY her grandmother, and made to ten
this story. During her examination her grand
mothers black, swapping eyes were never removed
SHAKING WITH FEAR,
and crying bitterly, was taken from the stand.
The next witness called was Isaac Becker, who
Ilive the town Of Esopus, one mile north Of Rifton
Glen know the prisoner; live two and half miles
soper slnysr at my place the next morning ming i
wilkins w m
ass s.m they sopsT shot last
The next and last witness called on the part OF
the prosecution was Margaret West, who testified
rs iOll0ws:-
": %. Xxi s Sssls
heard sss prisoner s g Davis By
a s ssss ss 70 ts s
% sRs oS SSe sa sae aSsg hnSw a. so
ms nsy a you 5 %s no nvn Watt
@ make bit b Of Sss sfuf have TOLD
s would 'S SSs nfSs ,ims
o ssS TT aGn mske asoSt soS
CROss-ExAMINATION.
her nSssas ps and Yi s hsS
dead Woman AND sssr Sss
% sen he fS What Do you think min the matter
tive %o wss %.s snd Si
s haa o hayns when svs a
sl1yers mother Davis and myself present. siuyter
sSl s them n, ihsy
NOT drunk and got mad at one another ii would
OPENING FOR THE DEFENCE
Tne testimony here closed on the part OF the
Westbrook the defence called Ann Eliza Sluyter,
i0ws:-
ess nss a the s day APR previous to The alleged the
tub hs home before % saSdown and nd did not
iSs. SS%s v,s1sS
e hf his to coe osa an ns
20 o SsS asf
iSs iSsa sS s. Ssi e.
sso sss a
ns n rsarss Ct recOec' the
CROSS EXAMINATION
vn was crosse xamned before Justice wheeler was
$ ssosssa sns
Margaret West came Up e me and said I'm have her
sop.r p then ssp Tsy; Ssa ss ,os
amS ss,ssses ws;s -. rsSt and said
lEa s da
;es She igns yGa oa,
:sos ram nnE y9
did not come on those terms, came to have You
that was al that was spoken there then; Hiram and
The next witness called was Sarah Lifts, who
testified as folows:-
Live in the town % Of Esopus know Hiram sluyer was
this August my husband and We're going to
'sHDssf tsr Ss e
william Lifts, husband Of the preceding witness,
testfed:-
!!cllows:-we were talking, and Davis said TO- me,
nett said, y never brought him ont;r DAVIS !6en
don't believe Hiram shot him !" Davis said, II do
neve II either; think II nearer home; think
Walter b Soper shot the old man.
Adam Sluyter testified as follows:-
! reside IN the town Of Esopus brother of the
ms S0s p re s Ss e
we slept together; the family did not live peaceaby to-
gether; the whole family seemed to have u gridge
against the old
THE PRISONER ON THE STAND
hiram testified In his own behalf as folows-
lam the person accused Of committing this crime; did
not snoot walter s9per do not know anything about
the shooting Of Walter soper; did not Soper the
nght u ne S was Killed was At home that night went to