Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-08-08
ABLOODY TRAGEDY.
Elisha q. Sterling KnIod--susr icions of
Murder.


Murder.
The community was startled into intense ex-
citement yesterday morning, by the report that
rapidly passed from mouth to mouth, that
ELISHA L. STERLING, one of CIeveland's old
residents, man universally honored and re-
spected, one of the most prominent business
men of the city, and the Agent and general
manager of the Cuyahoga Furnace Com
pany, had been found upon Bank street, cover
ed with blood and under circumstances indcat-
ing foul play. The faetI in the case must be
taken from the evidence as given below, 1t
appears that Mr.. STERLING was in the compa-
ny of Mr. X Shenandoah the two went TO
Sherman's room about IL o'clock, and that yes
terday morning he was found by DIR. Dickin-
son in Sherman's room just breathing his last,
from the effect of fracture of the skull. An
inquest was called at the house of the deceas-
ed, No 10, Euclid street. An examination Of
the body was here made by DR.. Cushing, assis-
ted by DR.. Sterling, nephew Of the deceased.
| The results of that examination will be found
below
a
city. Evorybody knew Mr.. Sterling. For
many years he had been one of the most enter
prising and capable business men of the city,
Probably no man in the State had more real
practical knowledge of machinery and particu-
larly enginery than he. As Agent of the Guy
ahoga Works, his name was known far and
wide His locomotive, steamboat, and propel
Ter engines turn wheel and crank over all the
western roads and waters, The news that
"Elisha Sterling ia dead, will be read and toll
over all the broad country, and the shrilI whis
lie of the engines from his pattern, and bull
under his superintendencew will sound a requiem
to his memory,
Mr. Shemans room is in the third story o
the brick block at the north east corner o
Bank and Frankfort streets, To reach tn
room two flights of stairs pass from the opel
hall on the Bank street side. The lower flight
the foot of which is some six feet from the sid
walk, fills the hall AT the head Of this aigh
Is a landing of perhaps ten feet. The secon
flight occnpies only half the width of the hal
. a walk reaching back to the other Offices
! These sta irs are in range, SO that one stand
n ing at the head of the upper fight can see
the street When the crowd gathered about Ih
scene of the tragedy there was large pool {
: blood upon the second stair, some upo
J the lower stair and quantity upon the pave
ment outside the door. Sherman, who is pei
| hapS the man who saw Mr. Sterling last, an
i perhaps not, says he fell down the stairs an
out upon the pavement, but all the medical me
T, who testified yesterday, Dr. Gushing, DR.. Ste
o linz, DR.. Garck and Dr. Matheyet, all agre
C that the fracture of the skull, such as caused h
Z death, could not have resulted from iallin
down stairs, as Sherman says he did, in tun
bling way The inquest was held all day ye
9 terday at Chapin's Hall, the Jury consisting
10 Charles Stetson, Geo, A. Benidict, A. NJ PER-
- 7. S. Paddock, Charles Bradburn and DR..
! Maynard
We reserve Judgment upon the crse uni
no the testimony is concluded, as it will probab
be this evening There are strong suspicion
resting upon the case, which the public W
to not fail to require should be prObed to Il
bottom. A crowd surrounded the door WI
where the blood is spattered, during tho who
day, and it was the universal topic of oonye
sstion
The following testimony was elected yest'
e- day
"a K. Sherman, stoorn Live on Bank sire,
~ Mr.. L Sterling was at my room last night;
n came 10 my room before IL aud ~ o'cloc
hs he had been there perhaps half dozen tim,
go he remained there until about 8 o'clock Il
~ morning; l was anxious 10 have him 20 befo
and told him wanted to 60 to bed but he we
away on his own accounts be went out alor
my room Is in the third story; | stood in {
door and saw him 60 down two OF three ste
Of the upper flight aud then went into my roc