Cole County MO Archives News.....Burr's Case and Burr's Trial May 19, 1842 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mo/mofiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Kimberly Morgan http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00004.html#0000826 August 28, 2025, 7:29 pm Newspapers.com Online May 19, 1842 Burr’s Case. We had thought when the first information of this case was circulated through our city that, perhaps some undue feeling had given rise to the charge against Burr, and that something might transpire in the investigation of the matter, which would palliate or do away the enormity of the crime charged, and dissipate the unfavorable opinion which seemed to prevail generally; but after a patient, clear and impartial examination of testimony, by tue [sic] Coroner’s jury, and before Justices Harrison & Kerr, in his presence, enough was elicited to cause his commitment. We will not give a detail of the testimony, lest It might be supposed to make a premature impression on the minds of the community to his prejudice, previous to a full and legal investigation of the case, before the court. The following circumstances however may be interesting to our readers and not amiss to publish. Mrs. Burr became unwell about fifteen days before her death, apparently something like a cold—after a few days, medical aid was procured, and it was though she was getting better. Four or five days previous to her death, Burr was seen by his hired hands, in a small room used as a carpenter’s shop, in his smith, shop, pounding glass, and mixing it with brimstone; on being enquired at, as to his object, he said he was about to try a project to make varnish for plows, he carried the mixture into the house, but no varnish was ever exhibited. After her death some of the workmen made known what they had seen, and their suspicion from that and other circumstances, that something wrong had been done. The funeral had already started, when a citizen, having enquired into the reports, stopped the procession, and an investigation took place, the body of deceased underwent a post mortem examination—glass was found in the stomach and bowels in quantity sufficient to cause death, according to the opinion of eminent physicians; and Burr is now in prison, awaiting his trial.—Burr, is a blacksmith by trade—has been twice married—is yet a young man—perhaps 30 years old, and was a man of industrious and sober habits. Transcribed by Kimberly Taylor Morgan—Burr’s Case, Weekly Jefferson Inquirer, Thu, Feb 10, 1842, Page 2, https://www.newspapers.com/image/1001988733/?match=1&terms=Burr, accessed 27 Aug 2025 Burr’s Trial. On 9 May 1842, the Circuit Court held a session for the trial of D. B. Burr, charged with the murder of his wife. The trial terminated on Monday night, 16 May 1842, after a week’s patient investigation, with a verdict of guilty of murder in the first degree. Every opportunity was afforded for a fair and full examination into all the facts and evidence in the case. There was no hurry, no unusual excitement, and no improper restraint placed over the conduct of the case. His counsel used every effort in their power, to make even the least circumstances bend in his favor. He was convicted entirely on circumstantial evidence; but the chain was so clear, coherent and pointed, and corroborated by such a variety of collateral incident, that it was impossible to resist the conviction that Burr was a guilty man. The death was produced by glass; so, at least, it was agreed by the physicians, who made the post mortem examination, and so testified in Court. It was proved that Burr had pounded glass on several occasions, under suspicious circumstances, and with a pretence [sic] on his part, which he offered no evidence to sustain. He carefully attended during the sickness of his wife (Sarah L. “Sally” Langley Burr, 2nd wife)—a sickness, in all probability, produced by his own foul act—and administered to her most of the prescribed medicines. Pounded glass, in a considerable quantity, was found in her stomach. No doubt exists in the mind of the community as to the justness of the conviction. The conviction will take place on 8 Jul 1842. The sentence of the Court was pronounced on Tuesday morning 17 May 1842. He bore the pronunciation of the sentence without any visible signs of perturbation. At first, when the trial commenced, his ordinary appearance was supplied with considerable pallidness. His usual color soon returned, and he maintained an appearance of indifference throughout the whole investigation. The prosecution was conducted by S. M. Bay and E. L. Edwards, Esqrs; and the defence [sic] by Messrs. Leonard, Minor, and Lisle. The attornies [sic] discharged their duties with great skill and ability. Every thing which duty or propriety required was carefully resorted to, and the jury, after a short absence returned with a verdict of guilty. Sentence of Death. The counsel for the prisoner, Mr. Leonard, Mr. Lisle and Mr. W. G. Minor having stated to the court that they knew no reason why the sentence of the law should not be pronounced upon the verdict, his Honor asked the prisoner the usual question “Have you any thing to say, further than you have already said, why the sentence of the law should not be pronounced against you;” and was answered by a shake of the head that he had nothing to say. Judge Morrow. Whether, what I am about to say will be of any benefit to you, I am unable to determine; nevertheless I feel it my duty to say a word or two before I, as the organ of the law, pronounce its awful sentence. After a patient investigation of eight days, with all the aid that able, vigilant and anxious counsel could give, you have been pronounced guilty of a crime, the moral enormity of which can scarcely be parallelled in the annals of fiendishness and cruelty. One of the most extraordinary features in this case is, the apparent absence of all motive for the commission of the deed—that you had a motive, and that motive the strongest that could move the foul passions of your nature, there can no doubt. What that motive was is known, perhaps, only to yourself and your God. We can account for our failure to discover it, only by the supposition that to your fiendishness was added hypocrisy, to hypocrisy cunning, and such cunning as enabled you to hide from the view of men that fatal secret. That a man should murder a woman, and that woman his wife whom he had sworn at the alter to love, cherish and protect, and commit that murder by the cruelest means, by torture, by the administration of pounded glass, without a motive the most foul and revolting, no man can for a moment doubt. By that fell deed you struck a deadly blow not only at one of the strongest pillars of our social structure, but at our religion also. You and the deceased were bound together by one of the holiest ties that can bind man to his man to his species; you were members of the same church; you professed to worship at the same alter that she did; you partook of the broken body, and the shed blood of the Saviour [sic] from the same table; you professed and acted the greatest love and affection for her, while there rankled in your heart the deadly purpose of her destruction. The circumstances and consequences of that murder are revolting in the highest degree. The deceased was prostrated on a bed of sickness; whether from natural causes, or from your wicked and fiendish practices we cannot now tell—but certain it is that in that condition, you upon whom she had a divine right to call for the tenderest attentions and sympathies, and protection, at that very hour covered round about with the thickest garb of hypocrisy, were carrying your secret and dreadful purpose into execution. Could the Prince of Darkness assume a more horrible and revolting shape, than that of a husband who under a pretence [sic] of affection and tenderness for his sick and feeble wife, could administer to her a substance, the effect of which would be to tear and lacerate her frail body, until her soul should thee from its mangled tabernacle, and seek a resting pace in the bosom of its God! Had you struck a dagger to her heart, or cleft her brain, or slain her outright by any other quick and sudden means, it might have been said that you were, at least, energetic in your cruelty—but, alas! the horrible act has not that negative palliation; and if you have left in your bosom one feeling of humanity, what must be the anguish of your soul, apart from any consciousness of guilt, when you reflect that in order to ascertain the means used to execute your fell purpose, the body of that poor woman was exposed to the gaze of Strangers, and the horrible and revolting dissecting knife, and now lies buried, in its mangled state; not where she desired it to be, but mingling its dust with a stranger dust. By that foul deed you have outraged all the better feelings of human nature— outraged the religion you professed—outraged the laws both of God and Man; and our law not demands the forfeit of your life—not for vengeance, for that is mine, said the Almighty—but for conservation, prevention and example. I have said this much not to add one three to the bitter anguish of your remorse, but to bring you to the reflection, that in consequence of your crimes your days have been numbered by the law, and that their short remnant must be spent in that gloomy twilight which intervenes between the light of life, and the darkness of death. And let me beseech you for your soul’s sake to cast from you any lingering hope of human interference; the moral enormity of your guilt, effectuality closes that avenue of escape. Mankind may pity, and in their hearts forgive you, but God alone can effectually pardon your great crime. We are taught in His revelations to us, that no matter how foully wicked you may have been, how you may have disgraced the religion you professed, how you may have disregarded, violated, may, scouted all law human and divine, that you may still approach Him through the sacrificial blood of his Son, and be fitted for that temple not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. And as you value your soul’s salvation, I beseech you to devote the short remnant of your days to preparation to meet that Great Judge, who judgeth [possible sic] not as man judgeth, but in mercy, love and purity. And now when I have spoken in becoming terms of approbation of the untiring patience of the jury; the ability, zeal and magnanimity of the counsel for the prosecution, and the learning, abdity [sic] and vigilance of your counsel; all that remains for me to do is to pronounce the awful sentence of the law, which is, That you be taken hence to the jail of the county and there safely kept until Friday, 8th day of Jul next (8 Jul 1842), whence you will be taken to the usual place of execution, and there be hanged by the neck until you be dead. And may the Lord have mercy on your soul. Transcribed by Kimberly Taylor Morgan—Burr’s Trial, Weekly Jefferson Inquirer, Thu, May 19, 1842, Page 2, https://www.newspapers.com/image/1001988833/?match=1&terms=d.%20b.%20Burr, accessed 27 Aug 2025 Dedimus Burr (aka Didymus or D. B. Burr), https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/145962528/dedimus-buell-burr, accessed 27 Aug 2025 1st wife Mary Williams Burr (1821-22 Oct 1837, age 15-16) https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/44788012/mary-burr (Samuel Collit Burr 1837- 31 Oct 1837, less than a month, shares grave with mother 2nd wife Sarah L. “Sally” Langley Burr (1812-1 Feb 1842, age 29-30) https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/54793251/sarah_l-burr Parents Samuel Burr 1783-8 Apr 1816, age 32-33) Concurrence Johnson Burr (29 Nov 1790-9 Apr 1816, age 25) Siblings Mariah Burr Lane, Alpha Burr Smith, Mary Jane Burr Shaler Additional Comments: These articles (2) are 183 years old and in the public domain. I also added links to findagrave, and have been added to wikitree. His death and burial are in Cole County, Missouri. Didimus is the 16th person to be execxuted in Missouri. I'm using the latest newspaper date. 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