Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-08-11
pLAiN AND ORNAMENTAL PRINTING
nsalh af NJ slerIIna--verdIet of lhe Inry
The verdict Of the Coronor's Jury disap.


The verdict Of the Coronors Jury disap.
points public expectation It is as follows:
The Jury find that Mr. Sterling came to his
death BY hemorrhage on the brain, produced by
fracture of the skull, that the ciTc cimstances
surrounding the case, as developed before the
jury, lead them to believe that the fracture was
caused by violence, but at whose hands they
cannot determines that while expressing said
opinion, they also believe it possible said frac
turi was oauseL by fall
understand that the last tclause---''they also
believe il possible said fracture was caused by a
fallD-was added as a compromise with single
uror, the five others being entirely de-
cided in the opinion that the fracture was caus-
ed by violence We have no doubt nine -tenths,
at least, of the citizens who heard OF have read
he reports of the testimony, concur with the
FIVE, and therefore the verdict unexplained
strikes them with surprise. An arrest of the
persons implicated by the circumstances of
Mr.. Steriug's death, as disclosed by their own
testimony and the evidence of others, and a
thorough, seatching judicial investigation, are
demanded by the blood of a murdered citizen,
by justice, the public safety and the public
voice. Had the same bloody tragedy been en-
acted within and before some low gambling
hell, the actors in it would have been in Jail
before the removal of the body of Mr.. Sterling
from the clotted gore. The building would
have been taken possession of, the multitude
would have been kept out, and thorough
search for evidences of murder most foul
would have been instituted In the Bank
street murder nothing of the kind was done.
What are the confessed and proved facts be
fore the CcsoneE's Inquest, in brief They are,
that the unfortunate Sterling was first excited
with drink, then stuPefed and robOed Of bis
money at gaming, and at about o'clock in the
morning. when in condition unfit to take care
OF himself, was left in the dark and alone on
the stairs near the head of the second flight
leading to the street, his companion in dissipa-
tion having turned off tic gas in the hail. re-
tired to the room of their orgies, and locked the
door Next he hears sounds if made by
person tun.bling down stairs, he waits few
moments, looks down the stairway, sees dark
object on the pavement, goes down, finds Ster-
ling insensibe, lifts him into the entry, props
him on the lower stair, goes up stairs for
person in a room adjoining his own, and with
his aid conveys Mr., Sterling to the room he had
Just left, and although be continues insensible,
waits some hours before obtaining physician
or notifying the friends of the deceased of his
dying condition Is this the usual conduct of
man to mans of even professional gamblers to
their victims
This unnatural, this improbable version of
the startling tragedy, is cOntradIcted in impor-
tant particulars by several witnesses. That it is
the whole truth few, if any, believe. 1t is too
inhuman, too revolving, too brutal His own
testimony before the Coroner, places Mr. Sher
man, the last man Mr.. Sterling was seen with
the fatal Saturday night, and in whose room
and keeping he was found dying and dead ON
Sunday morning, in the inhuman, the revolving,
the brutal position described. If innocent of
the death of the friend he piled with liquor and
robbed, he should demand legal investigation
aud acquittal Each hours delay but strength
ems the terrible suspicious of murder most foul
by the inmates of tine Block whose portals were
reddened with steaming blood on the morning of
the 9TH of August The OOrOner's Inquest has
given clues that judicial investigation may
carry to a complete unravelment of the mystery
attending the death of the lamented Sterling,
for often "murder doth speak with most mirac"
ulous organs"