The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-19
STORY OF THE CRIME.
The Apparition that Administered
the Deadly Dose.
STATEMENT OF THE MURDERER.
An Attempt to Commit Suicide by Starvation
Proves q Failure.
SCENES AT THE EXECUTION.

TARBORO, N. c., Jan. 1e, 1873.
The law has again been carried out in a case of
murder, and justice has been indicated the victim
being negro, and the crime what would COM
monty be called among the higher, more intellec-
tual, and certainly more civilized race, by no
means an aggravated one, in comparison with
many for which criminals yet remain unhung. 1t
was simply terribly unnatural, brutal and barbar-
Gus In the extreme,
rHE MURDER OF AN ILLEGITIMATE CHILD BY IT'S
ALLEGED FATHER
and the latter to-day paid the extreme penalty OF
The law for his crime. Orren Mercer was full
blooded negro, about forty-fve years Of age, of
the genuine African type, who, when
slave, had borne an unblemished character,
and whose general demeanor towards the
race formerly his owners was submissive, respect
ml and kind since his emancipation He was five
feet eight inches in height, stout built, muscular,
black as charcoal, but with countenance rather
pleasant in it's expression than otherwise. Orren
had been married while he was yet bondsman to
, woman In the same condition, but she died two
years ago, and, being Of
AN AMORoUs TEMPERAMENT,
he began to cast about him for another companion
to share his trials and Universities, his properties
and his joys. While in this mood Orren paid con-
siderable attention to q woman living on q neigh
boring plantation, named Lizzie Taylor, who, like
himself had been married, but had been SINH
larry deprived OF her consort by the never
falling hand Of DEATH She was
widow and he was a widOwer. Before
long they became quite intimate and, as is usual
among the negroes in the South, without regard to
any legal ceremonies they lived together, and
Orren was virtually regarded by the neighbors as
THE ACKNOWLEDGED AND LAWFUL HUSBAND OF
LIZZIE TAYLOR.
This woman was, like Orren himself, full
blooded African, above or beyond the average
years of her sex who seek partner for better or
for worse, and she had daughter about twelve
years Of age, good-looking and very Intelligent
girl. In about the usual time from the date of
Orren's intimacy with Lizzie she
GAVE BIRTH TO A MALE INFANT,
which was generally regarded as the child of Orren.
To the neighbors, however, and to the friends Of
both Lizzie and himself he persistently denied that
the child was mis-. At this time she worked on the
plantation Of DR.. John Mercer. at Town Creek
township, in this county, about twelve miles from
this, the county seat of Edgecombe. Orren was
also engaged as farm hand on an adjoining plan
tation in the same locality; but since her preg-
nancy his visits to Lizzie had become few and far
between. Just here statutory law Of this State
stepped in to mar Orrens future prospects of peace
and happiness, and he became the victim of legal
persecution, imprisonment torture, and finally the
gibbet. This Is no more nor less than 2 law ap-
plcable to both whites and blacks alike making it
the duty OF any justice OF the peace to have brought
before him any single female In his jurisdiction who
may have become mother, and require her to
TESTIFY UPON OATH AS TO THE MALE PARENTAGE
of the child. 1t is law designed to prevent pau
perisn and save to the community the expense OF
raising, supporting and educating bastard chill
dren. Whether Lizzie Taylor was compelled to
conform to the requirements Of this statute l am
not informed, but 1t Is certain tnat she took advan
tage OF Its provisions, went before justice and
SwORE THE CHILD
to Orren Mercer, claiming that he, and he alone,
was its natural father. Upon this testimony the
Justice issued q warrant for the arrest OF Orren,
under which he was duly apprehended, brought
up, and after an examination into the facts Of the
case he was required to give bail to appear at the
annoyed Orreu that he mentally
RESOLVED TO FRUsTRATE LIZZIE IN HER DESIGNS
premises, and with this determination he matured
Q plan by which the child would be disposed OF,
four months alter The birth Of the innoeent bahe
whe was the subject Oh such great tribulation to
Orren, that he had
RESOLVED ON ITS DEATH BY THAT NsIDIoUs'
On the 18th Of April 1872 Lizzie Taylor arose about
daylight, dressed herself and lett her cabin for her
daily labOrs on the farm about o quarter Of a mile
distant. Her daughter, Nellie Taylor by name, got
up at the same time, and, after putting on her
nurse the child, winch was then quietly
sleeping IN the PED Wnere It's mother mad sucked
1t few minutes before. Soon afterwards the girl
was startled by the appartion or form Of q man in
the doorway, obstructing the dim gray light Of
morn and darkening all objects in the room. This
ngure advanced into the house, and it looked so
strange that In the uncertain light she mstooK it
for
or some terrible buckra ghost, and naturally she
became very much frightened. The Frightening
figure was that of man with coat over his head,
hiding ms features, and giving to him hdeous
A sEPULCHRAL TONE OF VOICE
this strange visitor said:-
do you knew meY'
The girl answered. II do not, never seed you
beforeS
The vIsrroR-who lives hereY
The GIRL-My mother and myself and the child
The vIsIroR-Is dat all dat lives here
The GIRI-Yes, sab, dat Is all.
The vIsIToR--Is de child asleep?
The GIRL-Yes, sab, he Is.
The vIsIToR-Can look at him ?
The GRL-Yes, sab, you can.
The GIRL-No, sab, he Amt able to drink water
yet. He's too little for dat
The visitor then advanced TO the bed, and stoop-
Ing over, took up the sleeping infant In his arms
and gazed steadily IN its face This so dsarranged
his disguise that the GIRL who was all the time an
attentive observer OF his motions saw his features,
and she instantly
RECOGNIZED In THE FIGURE THE MAN oRREN MER-
GER.
She watched him closely, as did he watch her also,
and after holding the child for few moments he
Slowly turned round, so as TO get his body between
the girl anu the child. But she, aBprehenslve and
more watchful than ever, moved cautiously and
saw him take from his pocket black VIAL the cOn-
tents Of which he
POURED INTO THE cHILp,s MOUTH.
He then placed the child in the bed where he had
found 1t, and after threatening the girl with the
direst vengeance II she told anybody he had been
there, departed In the meantime, and from the
instant when the solution, which was caustic pot
ash of the strongest kind, was poured into the in
fant's mouth, 1t began to cry in q most
piteous and agonizing manner. Its cheeks
became blackened and In very few moments
Its tongue, which was also blackened, pr0truded,
field to tell the mother. On the way she met DR..
Mercer to whom she related the circumstances,
and he at once went to the hOVe and examined
the child. The mother soon alteF arrived, and in
few hours
THE UNFORTUNATE INFANT EXPIRED
In great agony. The skin on the face and the scalp
came on, and the little victim OF this cruel outrage
was fearful looking spectacle. warrant was at
once issued for the apprehension OF Orren Mercer,