New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-07-07
AN ATROCIOUS WOMAN.
EXAMINATION OF THE CONNECTICUT
MIRDERESS.

STAND-INTERvIEw WITH THE CRIMINAL !
FRIGHTFUL RECORD OF CRIME.
BIRMINGHAM, Conn, July 6.-The prclir ai-
nary examination Of Mrs Lydia sherman for the fson
ing of her husband, in May last begun in th' public
hall OF Tins village to-day. The has occas med great
excitement In this vicinity. suspicion h9b been fast
Cuod upon her 'or the murder Of clever Oersons three
husbands and eight children. TIE prisoner is only held
now, however for the murder of H0ratio sherman but
by permission of the Presiding Justice. testimony
was also introduced concerning the death
of two children, Ada and Frank sher-
man, and previous husband Dennis Hurlburt.
The courtroom filed this morning with excited
crowd anxious ~ learn of any developments. The
prisoner - years old Her appearance through
the day has been that of apparent indifference concerning
the result Of the trial. but the close attention she paid
every question and answer evinced keen interest in
The progress Of affairs The State represented by
Messrs W r. Wooster Of Derby and X. Foster jr. Of
New-Haven. The prisoners counsel are Messrs. sam
Vi. Gardiner of AusOnia and George II. Watson of
Ncw-Hoven. The examination has been conducted be
fore Soahury j. Patt Justice Of the Peace Col Wooster
arragued the woman on the charge Of poisoning, on the
eth Of May Hordtio sherman with white arsenic mixed
with his food and drink The prisoner pleaded
mot guilty. and the examination produced Of the
deceased a. the first witness His testimony occupied
all the morning. session, and in effect that, on the
day mentioned ~ had carried the dinner prepared by
ms mother to his father at the shop,n the village that
his return that evening, his father taken
with violent pains the stomach and continual vOmt
inc The doctor was called the next morning at Mr.
shcmau's request and prescribed The violent reich
inc-, Vomitincs and intOerable thirst continued. how
ever, and increased until Friday morning, when the pa
died The young also testified TO the death Of
his sister Ada ON Dec 81 her symptoms being precisely
those his father. day. soon after the sisters
death, the young proposed to his father to set trap
for rats. Mr. sherman thought betterplan poison
them with ME- and, going into the the cellar 10
get Of the poison ne had left there ready for
trace Of It waslto be found. Mrs sherman called
and suggested that probably the had carried II Of
paper and all Young Sherman also testified To the DEATH
months previous Of a babe Frank the symptoms being
similar ia character to the other cases
The prisoner retained her appearance of stoical nder
through the entire evidence excepting when refer
made TO the arsenic when she suddenly start
ed, but almost Immediately recovered self-possesson
AZ the afternoon session the first witness called was
Dr Bcardsley, the family physician, who attended Mr.
sherman during his last illness His testimony only
tuned that OF the young man. though more fun and pre-
rise concerning the symptoms preceding the death of
Sherman The prisoner told him that the deceased had
Just returned from OF his periodic sprees and she did
not TO regard his case at first. serious.
After the death Of her husband Dr. Bearisey proposed
Ia Mrs sherman that a post-mOrtem examination be
made. and she offered objection. The stomach and
half OF the liver therefore sent 10 Prof Barker
Of New Haven for examination. DIT Beardsey also tes-
attending the chid's and the fathers decease. Mrs.
sherman this refused 10 permit the post-mortem
To he held hut after his death the reOpened
unknown the mother and the stomach also sent to
Barker. In regard 10 the baby Frank the Doctor
Is inclined the opinion chat death resulted from an at
tack Of cholera nfantum but from suspicion that it
might have been poisoned he had the stomach and liver
eShumed and sent to New-Haven at the same time.
Dr. Pnucy called, and testified at length, hut
without ehcting anything The next witness was
vhp
Uurhurt a former husband who died under suspicious
circumstances in July, 1870. Mr.. HurlOurts symptoms
were great pain al the pit Of the stomach, continual
vomiting on the last day of his sickness the patient
had xix commissions in the last OF which he died. The
opinion was given that time that death caused by
acute Inflammation the stomach, though the doctor
rOnfesses he then had his suspicious aroused
that this Of poisoning; yet, strangely enough
be neglected to order postmortem. When suspicion
has been raised against the woman, examinations have
been made ouehal the liver and the decomposed mass
lying N the region of the stomach also undergoing anal
yss by Prot Barker.
The startling results Of these several examinations
were reported 10y the next witness Prof Geo f. Barker
Of Yale College. on the 18th of May the stomach and
liver purportug to be that Of Horato Sherman
ceiycd and the tests metallic posOns made, enough
Of both hmuth and arsenic being found to have caused
death. On June 80, the same organs represented as
belonging 70 the bodies OF Ada and Frank Sherman and
Dennis Hurhurt given the doctor and were sub
ltCtcd analysis. The liver OF Dennis Hurburt CON
tanned amount of arsenic" In the case of
Ada the poison in small quantities was detected
and ~ the liver of Frank unmStakable traces of the
distiucuishahle. The Professor gave his
opinion Unhestatiugly, that Dennis Hurburt came TO
his death from asemcal poisoning and with the symp-
stOms aud tie traces found, he felt convinced that both
children died from sinlsr After some further
sr,r,trv IN regard 70 poisoning and its symptoms, the
Witness AIT down. and the Court adjourned until Friday
morning. -"fSsfs' ti-s. ~ g. $50
While Prof Barker giving his testimony it was
observed that the prisoner exhibited little seeming
nervousness, notably when the case Of Hurlburt was
referred TO- "a. no ntmaton had been made public thai
poison had been really detected in his body, the mere
fact and circumstances OF his death making such sus
picion strongly probable. The prosecution expect to
close their testimony to-day and the promises TO he
one ei the most remarkable IN the annals OF crime IN
Connecticut.
Areporter Of The NetoHaren Palladium visited Mrs.
Sherman Sunday last and elected some interesting
facts she was quite free spoken. and detailed the
v..nent paris OF nss s,aIesiA sn8 sayS !ss WI
maiden name was Lydia Danbury, ana she Is now -
wears old She was horn near Bordenown, \; )" ner
mother diving when she was 9nt hne neS struck
ha had three husbands The mrs. one war n"l I s
Ia She was married 10 him in New-Jersey he wac lot
mr5y Children SIX Of whom, with the hus
i5 died within one year. and all very suddenly inc
Iap ps sS9 a6 Tes tn tn s bGStEad ana tP @ @
H,tb Mr. Hurlmrt OF Huntington, man of a years,
viii whom She lived about IA months, when he died sud
denly leaving property OF about $1,000 by MI HnIi-
Irt she had no children She became acquainted WIN
Horatio Sherman and was married 10 nm iasI otp
sa,ter sherman al time OF his marriage, hdd Tour
children by his first wife Tue Oldest, Nelson was lS
years old Ada 49, Matte four the youngest Doy was
st living shermans first wes mother nt Ne, SiSd
item al she time OF his death The youngest GNU uiS
s,,Jde,iv abont eight months ago, being taken WIN
spmps and violent fever and vomiting Inc next eldest
Sd t,Uo or three months after, being taken I'D sla
49, 60 ,be erst Powerful medicine was administered
aud she appeared be getting better Du aier thng