The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-07-10
AN ATROCIOUs WOMAN.
Examination Of the Connecticut Murderess
Three Husbands and Family OF
Children Poisoned. - :. :

Of the Connecticut Murderess : |
Three Husbands and n Family of
Children Poisoned. .ti!f , |
B1RM1NGHAM, Conn.,, July 6.-The pre-
liminary examination Of Mrs. Lydia Sher-
man for the poisoning Of her husband in |
Nav last was begun in the public hall Of
this village to-day. The case has occa-
stoned great excitement in this vicinity, as
suspicion has been fastened upon her for !
the murder of eleven persons--three hus-
bands and eight children. The prisoner is
only held now, however, for the murder of
Horatio Sherman, but, by permission OF
the presiding justice, testimony was also
introduced concerning the death OF TWO
children, Ada and Frank Sherman, and
preyious husband, Dennis Hurlburt. Ihe
courtroom Was filled this morning With an
excited crowd, anxious TO learn ot any new
developments. The prisoner Is woman
a wears old. Her appearance through the
day has been that Of apparent indifference |
concerning tho result OF the trial, but the
close attention she paid to every question |
and answer cVInCCQ Keen lulefcsL III lhc |
progress of affairs. \
The prisoner pleaded "not guilty." and
the prosecution produced SON OF the de- |
ceased rs the first witness. His testimony
occupied all the mornings session, and was
l In effect that on the day mentioned he had
carried the dinner prepared by his mother
to his father at the shop in the village that
on bis return that evening his father was
taken with violent pains in the stomach
and continual vomiting. The doctor was
called the next morning, at MIR. Sherman
request, and prescribed. The violent retch-
ings, yomitings, and intoerabe thirst con-
tinued, however, and increased until Fri
day morning, when the patient died. The
Young man also testified to the death Of his
sister Ada on December 81, her symptoms
being precisely like those of his father.
| Young Sherman also testified to the death,
months previous, of Il babe (Frank), the
symptoms being similar III character TO the
other two cases.
| The prisoner retained her appearance Of
stoical Indifference through the entire evil
dence, excepting when reference was made
| to the arsenic, when sho suddenly started,
but almost Immediately recovered scf-pos-
session.
! At the afternoon session the first with ss
called was DR.. Beardsley, the family phys.
elan, who attended MIR. Sherman in bis last
| illness. His testimony only confirmed that
OF the young man, though more full and
precise concerning the symptoms preceding
tine death of Sherman.
| DR.. Pinncy was called, and testified at
length, but without eiciting anything new.
The next witness WAS DR.. Gould Shelton,
| of Hunting gtor, who attended Dennis Hurl-
burt. former husband, who died under
suspicious circumstances in July, 1870. MIR.
| HurlDurt's symptoms were great pain at
| the pit of the stomach and continual yom-
iting. Since suspicion had been raised
against the woman examinations have been
made onc-half the liver and the decom-
posed mass lying in the region Of the stom-
ach also undergoing analysis by Professor
Barker.
| The startling results Of these several ex-
aminations were reported by the next wit
ness, Prof. George r. Barker, of Yale Col
lege. While Prof. Barker was giving his
testimony it was observed that the prisoner
exhibited little seeming nervousness,
notably when the case Of Hurlburt was re-
ferred to, us no intimation had been made
public that poison had been really detected
| in his body, the mere fact and circumstances
Of his death making such a suspicion
strongly probable.
q reporter of the New Haven Palladium
visited Mrs. Sherman on Sunday iast, and
elected some interesting facts. She was
quite free spoken, and detailed the promi-
nent parts of her career. She says that her
maiden name was Lydia Danbury and she
is now Al years old. She was born near
Bordentown, n. j her mother dying when
she was but nine months old. She has had
three husbands. The first one was named
Struck, and she was married to him in
New Jersey. He was formerly police
man in New York. BY this husband she
had several children, six of whom, with
the husband died within one year. and all
very suddenly. The remaining son lives in
Boston, and is married. From New York
she came to Stratford, and kept house for
an elderly lady there. While there she be-
came acquainted with Mr.. Hnrlbult, of
huntington, man OF seventy-fOur years,
with whom she lived about fourteen months,
when he died suddenly, leaving property
of about $4,000. BY MIR. Hurlburt she had
no children. She became acquainted with
lloratio Sherman, and was married to him
last September. Sherman, at the time of
his marriage, had four children by his first
wife. The oldest, Nelson, was eighteen
years old, Ada fifteen, Matte four the
youngest, boy, was eleven months old,
named Frank. Nelson and Matte are still
living. Sherman's first wife's mother lived
with them at the time of his death. The
youngest child died suddenly about eight
months ago, being taken with cramps and
violent fever and vomiting. The next old
est died two or three months after. being
taken in similar way to the first. Power
full medicine was administered, and she ap-
pcared to be getting better, but after taking
more, she told her grandmother that the
last made her feel worse, and she soon after
died. After Ada died, Sherman sold piano
previously bought for his daughter, for
about $500, and deposited it in bank in
his wife's name. About the 1st of May he
started to 20 away, and, before going, said |
to his wife, II am going away, and will be
back tonight ut 8 O'clock" He went
to New Haven with team, some other |
parties going with him. The men
he went with got tired of waiting
and came home without him. She heard, |
after he had been gone day or two, that |
he had quite a lot of money with him.
She then went to the tack-shOp where he |
worked, and where he said he earned about |
$500 u month, and found that he had not
been there, but she atterward found that he |
had drawn $500 deposited for the piano.
and then his Oldest soon suggested to her
that he had better 60 after him. She gave
him money to 20 with, and the son found |
him in this city, and brought him home.
Sherman stopped in Derby, and sent the
boy home with the team. lie came home
himself about o'clock z. M. His wife
met him at the door, kissed him Affection
utcly, and said, You have got home, have
youp He replied, Yes; did you think
that was deadW In answer, she said !:
81 did not know what had become OF YOU"
He passed through into the house, and got
into bed with Matte. Previous to this he
had falling out with his wife, and they did
not sleep together, and she had complained
about him, and said she should have to get
q bill of divorce from him. Friday night he
came home from New Haven. Saturday he
took some medicine, and did not 60 away
from the house. Sunday they had talk
atout this matter of his going away, and