The New York herald., 1870-11-23
CRIME .lN THE sLUMs.
Two I'abEeaux Of Death After
avs DRUNKEN CafOusals-
r Nbw rfd Mari Davidson DIET Sailor Home
, From Voyage A Conclsve Of Women Over
the Corpsc-A Women Thrown Down
Flight OF Stops aud Kilied-An ABB
Sent ia bands Letter: Don't a
Drink, Eelly!'

Tnat rota locality on the eastern slide OF the city
Known as Cherry street, was yesterday morning the
scene OF the death Of woman named Mary David
son who resided with her husband. William David
son a sailor IN the front basement Of No. 20 OF the
street inst mentioned, under circumstances which
excite strong suspicious against the husband al
belur her murderer. Abcnt three O'Clock yesterday
morning william Churchnl and John Williams, who
were sleeping in the baement passage, were aroused
by anoIse most violent character IN Dayidscn's
room. Tney say
THEY HEARD SCREAM,
"a sound as though some one was strangling, and
Davidson was abusing his wife In most brutal
MANNER telling her among other Things, to lie down
or he would give her more or the same sort.
Churchill went to his mother, who was sleeping in
an adjoining room, and told her what he had heard
nj the time advising her to get up and see what
the trouble was he feared Davidson was
killing his wife. She told him go back 10 bed.
4 that The fuss would not amount to any
,teng, anu that any how she did not
want to interfere between man and wife.
Churcnfl returned to his bed; but the noise soon
becoming more violent he again called his mother,
who now got up and went TO tEe door leading into
Dayidson's room. As she and her son pushed the
door open they heard Davidson jump into bed and
saw his wife lying on the door with her feet
sowaris the door ana head and body partly under
the bed DAVIDSON pretended to be sound asleep;
indeed 40 sound that he did not respond 30 VII.
iiams AND Churcnill, who shook him and called him
repeatedly. They raised his wife and took her into
ihe pess foota whee they laid her On the foef, she
In the meantime struggling ana
eAerlNc Il; A FRlGGrFui. MA;SEa,
and apparently, MS they thought in H..
Mrs ohurcnlli a proceeded to rub and cate
her aud 10 batne her head III ced water After she
niy
up aud came out 10 her, but did not oier to do
anything for her. nor dia nc seem al surprised ut
her condition. Wnen requested Ny Mrs. Churchill
40 20 Tor doctor he sad 1t was useless as She
would be " all ught' = IN few minutes. "She only
had fit,'' he said, which was no uncommon
thing iof her aud If they would only Just let her
alone sho wo "a soon be out OF IT," Mrs. Churchill
aoid bim she thought the woman was dylng, as she
was tben lying perfectly mononless.
.an SHE gSELr powS NJ uEa SIDE,
aud 10 her horror she found that her fears were but
Too true, the l0espark having already IicSered
away Williams and Thu chil informed tie
roundsman OF what had taken place. ana he
ported il to Sergeant Murphy at the Seventh pre-
uinct station house. The Sergeant at oEce de-
epatcned deteciye Wid 10 the house VINO, after
hearing the tuli particulars rs related above,
rested Davidson and conveyed hin 10 the station
house. where he Is now locked up 10 await the re-
Churchill and Wiiiiams ~ Whine ,ses
During tne afternoon reporter called upon Ser
Heana murphy, at the station house, and requested
= ''''''''" 'sass ras susrEcrkp MURDERER
ami have taik with him. This was at once granted,
andInaiew moments, after passing through a long,
narrow passaee way, which vas scTupulously ciean
a halt was made before huge Iron door with graf
ing. through which the light of single gas jet
Hhone m q dim uncertain way upon large. power
iul looking man WITHIN. The prisoner had full,
black heavy beard ano rnddy Or Gorid complex on.
His eyes very red and boodshOt ana he had the
appearance OF o man who had been INDUCING very
ness, AZ the reporter and his escort an oiccr a.
tached to the pvemises--halted the man III the cell
Been seated and adsaneed to the grazing:
said.-W -We can tell yop II q very rev words all !
x npGs Ssd dpeaa scaaw IL IT, es4 ps dss ssht
ocl1css, tbeUeyS-a:.d from that time III morning,
\ neither saw nor heari her:
"sut parties q lhG hYiIse state that they heard
you cuising and a5usip y0ur WIFE, ana that when
they pushed the door open yoa jumped iuio bed
and ieIgned sleep.'
7ss Is 70. one paries a ortrut M in mat statement
what was going on at all, and When gor up aa3
found my wife lying on the door and all those peo.
pie stan ling around her it was tie first knew OF
tnere being anything the matter with her.,
tBut these parties state positively that they heard
grea. deal OF noise III your room just previous n
ii have no doubt but that they aid. The woman
was lying on the floor with her feet against The
door, and II they heard any noise IL must have been
that made BY ner feet as sue kicked and thrashea
"Ihcn y0u taInk yonr Wife died III III, do You ~
B. ''Cer!alny. l. d0n
.'Was she subject TO them ~ mgs@s
g sYes. 1 have seen her aave them many and many
= time and for that reason was not at all fright
Z ened w6eii s1w assr or on The door. She had been
drinking great deal alslyn .5' ys-
The reporter then proceeded to NO. 22o Cherry
y THE SCENE or THE MYSTERY.
The horse is very large Tour story aud basement
"A
as COMPARED with Cue squaIld huts which surround
IL on every side within, however, II Is painiy NE
+ hoiae Of poverty, nth ana wrefchednes s. AT the
loot Of the iront Tasenicnt steps ragged lttle
sen pointed na,len hs aJ My tso tS me Tno gs
aifs an odor taat was anything but pleasant
through tic opening Of when there issued sound
very s sne Shaitgrng Of three Or four a9zgq ssar,
o poor M II 2s0e xa5 asMf M 1as o 'SfiH ns oor
fhs h ds Win no HoSssg ssn aT hs save
head, aud nothing 10 hide her form save asneht
dress, the sa,r she had died in One woman, wno
was We ~ much lntOXicated, was kneelng down by
her side endeavorlng TO close tue mouth of the de-
ceased Another was putting pair Of clean stock.
Actual count--were standing or sitting around, talk
IS ing over the merits Of the Departed
Mrs. Churcnll, The woman who Keeps the house,
was vevy communicative upon The subject o! the
tiratn Of the woman but her story was mainly cor
nent sne said That both Mr. and Mrs Davidson were
& very much addicted 10 drinking. and that Of late
they had had several quarrcls, ana upon one or tive
4 occasions Davidson had handled his wife In rather
rcugi manner.
"a Late last evening the body was removed TO ths
M0rgte, and to-day Coroner Rollins will hold an III
quest aud postinortem examination VIII be made
a Fourth Ward Tragedy.
About three O'clock yesterday morning office
Harris, Of the Fonrth precinct, while on duty. dis
= covered the dead body OF woman known as Nell
! .Surrick lying at the bottom Of 1ight Of fton
steps Ia 'front.' OF premises No. 32S Waite
etrees He Immediately reported the case
aaprain Alalre, at She Oak street pole