Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-09-08
A Boy Murdered by his Mother and Aunt
Their Deaths by Suicide.
A most dreadful atfair involving lhe llyes of lhr

most dreadful affair." involving the lives OF three
persons, was made public yesterday in the Bowery,
and created great excitement throughout all that
part Of the city. The particulars are nearly as fol-
lows
About two years ago Cecilia Stein, Manda Stein,
ner sister, and Edward Stein son of the latter
bred two rooms in the third story of house. S85
Bowtry, from Mr.. James Black, the present occu-
pant. The sisters, who worked at fine sewing
embroidery, nc, were very gentecl and much re.
spected At length the pressure OF the times. 40
prevalent amongst all classes OF trade. afflicted
them. and their business fell dull In fact. thev
found IL almost impossible to live and 10 do SO CON-
fortably were obliged 10 call periodically on Lewis
May, who had known them from their childhood
for assistance.
He lent helping hand and, by this timely aid,
these poor but industrious females managed 10 pay
their rent promptly till last month, when they were
compelled to ask little indulgence at the hands
OF their landlord He being humane man. il was
granted They however had previously told Mr..
May, on various occasions, that if the times grew
much worse, they would poison themselves. They
also told him, the child should be sent to his f,ther
IN France, after which, they would take poison
winch required but drop to prove fatal He
laughed ut the idea, and talked encouracinply 10
them. He had not the most remote idea thar thew
would execute the threat.
w mohuay iast, Cecelia, the eldest sister, adj
dressed note TO Mr May, saying that they intend
ed to leave the United States. The MESSENGER WHO
conveyed this letter to his place Of business also
returned his daguerreotype likeness, which the
sisters had held for some time. Mr.. May did not
receive the letter the day twas written, and there
fore could not answer it promptly, as requested.
The day ofits reception MIR. May called TO see the
sisters, but found the door of their room fastened
he therefore wrote note, explaining why he had
mt uIladQ u,,II ALI. -
went home. Mr.. Black or his wife, not having
seen their tenants since Tuesday afternoon, became
concerned about them, thinking, perhaps, that
they had left, as a man was seen on Monday carry
ing on some luggage for them. IL was finally re-
solved TO burst open the door Of their room, which
was executed in the presence Of officer Dunn, OF
the Seventeenth Ward Police
On opening the door of their sleeping room.
most horrible and sickening sight was presented
to Mr. Black and the officer, it being no less than
the dead bodies of the three persons referred to-
On the bed lay Wanda Stein, the younger sister,
with the blood and froth gushing from her mouth,
while beside her, next to the wall, lay the dead
body OF her son, six years of age. Cecilia Stein
was lying on the floor, face downwards, with a
fallen chair over her body, she evidently having
rolled from the bed and up the chair in the fall
The most obnoxious and sickening effiuvia was
emitted from the bodies, rendering il next to i'm
z
for minute. Two empty ounce vials which had
contained prussic acid and couple of tea cups,
were found on the floor near the bed Coroner
Wilhelm was Immediately notified, and held an
inquest, when the facts, mentioned, were elicit
ed. DR.. Uhl examined the bodies, and from what
he discovered, and the general history of the case,
he was satisfied that these deaths were the result
of prussic acid.
Coroner Wilhelm reviewed the evidence to the
jury, who rendered a verdict that Edward Stein
came to his death BY poison administered by his
mother and aunt, Wanda and Cecilia Stein, and
that they committed suicide by taking prussic acid
The cause of this melancholy tragedy is clearly
traceable to poverty they not being able to obtain
even the neeessaries, Of life, although they were
Industrious and willing to work at anything honest
and honorable. About year since, it is said the
youngest sister had temporary engagement at
one OF the German theatres in the Bowery, but
remained only short time. Cecelia Stein was
thirty-three years of age, and her sister twenty
two. They, and also the boy, were natives of
Berlin, Prussia. This boy was the ilegitimate son
OF Frenchman, formerly secretary Of the French
Legation at Berlin His name was not ascertained.
-New York Express.