The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-01-01
The Horrible Staten Island N urders-The
Murderess AErestsd-Grent Excitement.

Inc exclusive intelligence communicated W the
citizens of this city relative the horrible murders
of mother aud infant child by sister OF the hus-
band, through the columns OF the Herald yester-
day morning, as received by express from Staten
Island, created great excitement IN this city yes
terday, and caused the most rapid sale of our
whole edition al an early hour. We give the in
teresting particulars the outer page as some OF
our readers do not see the Sunday edition. They
will be found exciting and truly extraordinary, as
the result has proved this horrible murder to possess
more peculiartles of atrociy and wlckedness than
any that has ever occurred in this country. The
publication OF these particulars in the Herald OF
yesterday, day in advance of all the city press
placed the whole community on their guard, and
although the supposed murderess had escaped the
police on Friday evening, after her arrival in this
city, this very publication led to her arrest yester-
day morning. This tends to prove the position
that we have always taken, that the more
publicity in all cases of murder, the greater
haste in the arrest Of those concerned-and there
fore the supposton that suppression of information
is advantageous, is entirely erroneous. The peru
sal of the particulars on outer page, show con-
clusvely, that the course OF proceedings of the
Coroner of Staten Island and the two officers en-
gagged with him in the open search of the apothe-
cary store of George Waite at 252 Canal street, on
Friday evening, were injudicious and ill-advised
MS they caused the escape of the supposed MUIR
deress. Instead of alarming the neghborhood by
excitement, they should have repaired to the pre-
misses, opened the store usual and kept watch
outside and inside--the result of which would have
been the arrest Of the supposed murderess, as she
would have entered the store supposing that Waite
force--worhy of being called such-were in active
search the whole of Saturday night and yesterday
morning, but nothing was elected, except the fact
that the suspected woman had left the cake shop in
Washington street, opposite the Canal street mar
kct, as as she had learned that the officers
were searching the store of Waite. Thus was the
state of affairs until yesterday morning about eleven
o'clock, when Smith Coddington, grocer, of 256
Canal street, corner of Washington, son of
James, saw Polly Bodine, the supposed
murdercss, in the Spring street church, and having
been previously apprlzed Of her supposed partcipa
ton in these horrible murders, through the columns
of the Herald yesterday morning, and being ac--
quainted with her, he kept his eye upon her until
she left the church. and then accosted her and took
her to the Police Office. In her excitement on
leaving the church, she left her recule in the pew
which was afterwards obtained by one of the police
officers On arriving at the Police, she appeared
much agitated, and told Mr.. Coddington that '' he
might have taken her home, instead OF to thePollce
Office to be gaZed at by the multitude She was
dressed in quilted black hood, green veil, with
two shaws and other plain clothing. She is "A very
common looking woman, about thirty years of age,
light complexion, blue eyes, and any thing but such
an one as would be supposed to seduce respecta-
bic apothecary from the strict path of duty. From
her appearance, should suppose that she had
been cnciente about six months, the author of which
Is supposed to be her paramount She had small
amount OF money in her possession, which is sup
posed to be the proceeds of that received from the
pawnlng of the gold lever watch that was taken from
the house OF Capt Houseman, after the murders Of
his wife and child She stated that after she left the
cake shop In Washington street, she walked into
Spring street, and there passed backwards and for
wards through the streets above, until she arrived
to the outskirts of the city She thus continued
until morning, without stopping to obtain lodgings.
church, where she was discovered by young Mr..
Coddington. She said she was glad she was ar
rested, as &c she would leave be found guilty as to
be suspected OF the murder" Other expressions of
plus, the pawnbroker, of William street. near Do
ane was sent for, he recognized her as the woman
who had pawned the gold lever watch Oh Monday,
and received Ss35 from his counter
She was Immediately taken TO Port Rschmond
in the steamboat Samson, which was char
tered tor that purpose, III company with JUS
lice Merritt Alderman vandervoort Clerk
Calendar, and Officer Mc-Grath, who there OBJ
the murders on Staten Island, about :, O'Clock in
the afternoon. The excitement there was very
great, and she was Immediately committed to
the charge of the Coroner, who also has Waite, her
paramour, in custody.
When Waite was searched on his arrest on Sa-
turday, small two ounce vial Of medicine was
found in his pocket, but whether it was intended
for his own use, or TO aid IN producing abortion
with Polly Bodine, the supposed murderess, Is I'M
known. . ..- -...
Waite is son of the well known lottery broker
of that name, who formerly resided on the Bloom
ngdale road IN what was called ''the Quaker Cot
tage." His premises in Canal street were pecu-
liary constructed-he lodging room being in the
basement beneath, and the entrance from the
store being by the means OF small trap door. A
rear entrance from the basement leads into Wash
Ington street, by which means any person could
make their exit in the morning unknown to those in
the store above. 1t is by this means that she has
prevented her son, who IL in the apoihecary store,
from knowing the connexion that has existed be-
tween her and Waite.
Some of her relatives on Staten Island informed
Justice Matsel, that previous to the time of her
leaving on Friday night, she was heard to make use
of strange lncoherent expressions. such as " !
wouldn't have done 1t were II not for hlm''-''l
wouldn't, no, wouldn't" nc, that led them TO
suppose that she had become deranged from the
suspicion that had been excited against her. 1t Is
probable, therefore, that plea OF insanity may be
interposed to prevent her conviction, as from pre-
sent appearances naught else avail much. Let
this principle, or practice, once be established
in our community, and the life of no per-
son is safe for an instant. All that will
will be necessary to prevent punishment for muir
der, will be previous symptoms of insanity, which
any evil disposed person counterfeit in order
effect their dlaboIlcal ends.
One of the most conclusive evidences to our
mind that the murder was committed by a woman,
is the slight character of the wounds upon the DO.
dies OF the unfortunate woman and child. Had the
blows been inflicted by man, they would have
been more severe and apparent, and particularly so
on the body of the child who was but about -
months of age The most remarkable conclusion
is that the mother was first stupefed with some
drug, and afterwards tortured to tell where the
thousand dollars was secreted, and finally murdered
and burned.
The character of the inhabitants of the vicinity
of this most horrible murder is most peacea-
BILE and quiet, and the fact that the heads OF
tho families principally engaged in the oyster
and fishing business, and are thus necessarily
absent from home for weeks and months at a
time, has created great fears and CONSERVATION
among the whole female population of that vlclnl-
w. which time alone will cfiace They are mostly