Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1853-03-17
From the Daily NearS.
Horrible Murders in Philadelphia.
Great Excitement.

Great kiXcEtcssaekkt.
1t becomes our painful duty to record a
double murder, in the district of South
wark, attended with circumstances Of un-
parallelled atrocity. The dreadful trag-
edy created the most intense excitement
in the district in which it was perpetrated
and crowds were collected in the neigh
borhood the entire day, Notwithstanding
the unfavorable state of the weather.
The victims were two married sisters,
named Hannah Shaw and Ellen Lynch,
natives of Ireland, the first about 40
years old, and the other about 35 years.
They resided in the second story of No.
260 Federal street, on the South side, a
few doors above Seventh, the other por-
ton of the premises being in the occupan-
cy of John Carroll and wife. On Thurs
day night Mr.. and Mrs. Carroll attended
ball, in Broad street, and according to
the best information, were there all night.
Mrs. Carroll returned to her house about
a o'clock yesterday morning, and upon
opening the window of the front room,
first floor, the bodies Of the murdered
women were found lying within few
feet of each other, their heads both in
the same direction, towards the east
Mrs. Lynch was in her night clothes, the
other was dressed in her ordinary clothing.
The alarm was given and numbers were
soon drawn to the spot. The Coroner
was sent for, and early reached the scene,
and with the assistante of Lieutenant
Clark, of the Southwark police, and his
officers, commenced an investigation of
the horrible affair. In the course of the
day every fact and circumstance was de-
veloped which tended to throw light upon
the mystery. Several arrests were made
by the police force, among them that of a
certain Arthur Spring, who had visited
the husband of Mrs. Lynch, before he
left for New York, which he did a few
days ago, and who had quarrel with
John Carroll, the principal tenant of the
house, on Tuesday night last. A young
man, named Ryan, nephew of the muir
dered woman, was also arrested, but only
because he had visited the house, and not
from any suspicious circumstances that
attached to him. From all the facts it
would seem that the object of the mur-
derer was plum der, for the trunk of Mrs.
Lynch was broken open, and the contents
abstracted therefrom. There is proof
tn at it contained from one to two hundred
dollars in gold. Beside the trunk the
p9illt of dirk was found, which had
been used to open the trunk. Though
the murdered women both were found in
the front room, the great struggle had
evidently been in the back room, first
floor, for there was considerable blood
upon the wall and the floor, and several
articles Of clothing discovered there were
saturated with blood. Near the stove, a
hole, FIVE or six inches in diameter, was
burnt in the floor, as though an effort
had been made to set the place on fire.
The following is the testimony taken be-
fore the Coroner:
Samuel Clayton testified that he is a
watchman of Southwark; that while pas
sing the house in which the murders were
prepetratcd on Thursday evening, about
8 o'clock, he heard noise in the second
story front room, as if three or 70 ur men
were wrangling and tangling, throwing
chairs around the room, and the like; he
did not hear any woman's voices among
them; he stood and listed several minutes;
he had heard noises before in the same
house, and he did not think much Of it.
Mary Ann Fitzpatrick sworn-I live
at No. 256 Federal street (next door to
where the murder was committed;) have
known the deceased six months, | believe
Mrs. Shaw drank; Mrs. Lynch was very
nice woman; heard quarrelling in the
house on Wednesday night; John Carroll
lived there; saw Mrs Shaw in the yard
yesterday morning; Thought her in liquor
at the time; Mrs. Lynch saw on We'd
nesday afternoon; they never expressed
fear to me; brother Of Mrs. Carroll, l
believe: boarded with them; Mrs Lynch's
husband is in New York; he went on
Wednesday morning; Carroll used to have
a great many men coming in; | did not
hear any noise last night; I went to bed
at half past o'clock; did not notice
whether the house was shut or not; this
morning | saw Mrs. Carroll coming in at
about half past 7 o'clock; don't think
the shutters were open; she opened the
door with dead latch key; Mrs Carroll