The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1859-08-12
AN AWFUL TRAGEDY IN CLEvE-
LAND


LAND.
ProJoHe Murder cf Elisha T. Sterling.
On Sunday morning last, Mr.. Elisha i.
Sterling, an old and respected business
citizen of Cleveland, was found lying
on the pavement in front Of brick blocl.
on Bank ST., Che one, we suppose, in
which the Lake Eric Paper Mill Company
have their store, in an unconscious con-
dition, and breathing his last. 1t appears
from the testimony before the Coroner's s
Jury, that Mr.. Sterling had been at n
Mr.. Sherman's room, in the third story OF
the building, engaged in drinking and
gambling, from about | O'Clock, on Sat
urday night, ill nbouL 8 o'clock, on
Sunday morning, when he left for his
home. The Leader of Monday says
The community was startled into intense
excitement yesterday morning, by tho ro.
port that rapidly passed from mouth to
mouth, that ELISHA 4. STERLING, one OF
ClevcIands old residents, "a iuan universally
honored and respected ono of tho most
prominent business men of tho city, and
the Agent and general manager of the Guy
ahoga Furnace Company, had been found
upon Bank street, covered with blood and
under circumstances indicating foul play.
The facts in the case must be takon from
tho evidence us giYon below. 1t appears
that Mr.. STERLING was in tho company of
Mr.. X. Shormun-that tho two went to
Sherman's room about ii o'clock, and that
yesterday morning he was found by DIR.
Dickinson in Sherman . room Just breathing
his last, from the effect OF fracture Of the
skull. An inquest was called Mt the house
of tho deceased, No. 10. Euclid street. An
examination o f tho body was here made by
DIR. Cushing, assisted by DR.. Sterling, neph-
CIV of the dccoascd Tho result Of that OK.
animation will be found below.
Tho news cnmo like II thunder clap npon
tho city. Every body knew Mr.. Sterling.
For many yoars no had beon one of the
most onterprisng and capable business men
of the city. Probably nc man in tho State
had more real practical knowledge of ma
chnory, and particularly cnginGry than ho.
AS Agent of tho Cuyahoga Works. his namo
was known far and wide. Ills locomotive,
steamboat, aud propeller engines turn wheel
and crank over all the western roads and
waters. Tho news that elisha Sterling is
dead, will be read aud told over all tho
broad country, and the sErll whistle of the
onginos from his pattern, and built under
his suporintcndenco, will sound rcquiGm
to his memory.
Mr. ShCrmun's room is in tho third story
of tho brick block at tho north cast corner
of Bank aud Frankfort streets. To reach
the room two flights of stairs pass from the
open ball on tho Bank street side. Tho
lowor Eight tho foot of which is some six
feet from tho side walk fills the hall. At
the head of this flight is u landing of por-
haps ten feot If1U-sGcond flight occupies
only half tho width of the hall, walk reach
ing back to tho other Offices.
These stairs are in range, so that one
standing at the head Of the upper flight can
sec to tho street. Whom the crowd gathered
! about tho scono of the tragedy thore was a
largo pool of blood upon the second stair,
some upon tho lowor stair and quantity
upon tho pavement outside tho door. Sher
man. who is perhaps tho man who saw MIR
Sterling last, and perhaps not, says he foil
down tho stairs and out upon tho pavement,
but all tho medical mon who testified yes
to-day, DR.. Gushing, DR.. Sterling, DIR. Gar.
| lick and DIR. Mathcyet, all ngreo that the
| fracture of the skull, such rs caused his
death, could not havo resulted from falling
down stairs, as Sherman ssys no did, in IA
tumbIing way. Tho inquest was held all
day yesterday Mt Chapin's Hall. the jury
consisting of Charles Stotson, Geo A Ben
odict, A. Nj. Perry, r. S. Paddock, Charles
Bradburn and DR.. A. Maynard.
The Leader of Tuesday says
The coroner's jury was occupied during
all Of yesterday afternoon in taking testi-
mony relative to tho cause Of Mr.. Sterling
death. Tho greatest interest and suspense
was telt as the anxious crowd gathered into
Chapin's Hall to listen to tho evidence, ties.
tilted. Various opinions and theories were
rife as to tho manner Of his death. That
he foil from tho upper window to tho pave,
ment and that no was met at the foot OF
tho stairs by ruflians who dealt the fatal
blow, were tho most generally receivod.-
The idea that his death was caused by fall
ing down stairs, has fow supporters, after
tho evidence of fivo medical men that tho
injury could not hayo been produced in that
way. Tho witness whose statomOnt throws
| tho most light ms yet upon tho circum
stances of his death, is Thomas D'Orsay al
/ employee at GOOdalc & Co.'S wool depot
| directly opposite tho sccnO Of tho tragedy
| II his sta somont is to DO taken as truth, 0no
there is no reason TO doubt it that wo know
of, then he had it in his power to have
cleared up all mystery about tho affair, had
| he not timidy hung back.
! llo states that he saw two mon, ono oI
whom was Mr.. Sterling, standing talking AT
! the foot of those stairs; that three othoI
mon camo up to them from tho North that
/ these threo men soon passed. OH to Superior
street that the other two, Mr., Sterling be,
ing one, had some talk about money at the
stairway that Mr.. Sterling said "go away
/ | don't want any thing to do with you" or
! words to that effect; that one of thUm had
| n cane in his hand that thoy were standing
talking when ho went into the store; that
in hceaty minutes after, no went out and
saw man lying in or near that doorway,
and that he started to 90 across 10 him, but
turned round when half across the street
and won't back into the store where he staid
Now if this is so. there is very littlo doubt
but that tho murdered man might have told
DOrsay tho cause and means of his death
llo had just been struck and lived for throo
hours after, but after being taken up stairs
was too unconscious to speak
The Weddull House watchman states that
he heard scream or yell at 20 minutes
past o'clock Sunday morning. lIe saw a
number of mon upon Bank street. but no
body was in tho doorway or on tho sidewalk
Another watchman, Mr. Wilcox, saw 10
or IL men on Bank street about o'clock,
and or o on the strnot ahout 1 o'rlock