Early American Justice ..... So Now You Know!

    

 In 1691 boat trader John Clark was found dead. His stolen supplies were uncovered in the home of Thomas Lutherland, an indentured servant from New Jersey. Lutherland was immediately arrested on a charge of murder.
     At the trial Clarks body was brought forward, To prove Lutherland's guilt or innocence, the court ordered the defendant to touch the corpse. The verdict would be based on the superstition widley believe in the New World that a dead body would bleed if touched by its murderer. Lutherland placed his hand on his postmortem accuser, but the cold body remained the same.
     Unfortunately for Lutherland, the court was not entirely bound by the confines of the superstition. The defendant was found guilty anyway and executed on February 23,1691.

So Now You Know