The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-08-08
THE TELL-TALE TRICKLE.
The Body Of an Eccentric Old
Lady Found i'm Carrot
ON King Street.
Blood TrickItng Through the Ceiling Of a
Room in q Tenement House.
WAS SHE MURDERED FOR HER MONEY 2

half lives.n This Is rruism to which all whom
business or desire for broader knowledge Of hu-
man nature opens up glimpses Of the inner life Of
all classes Of his fellow creatures, more particularly
OF the needy and the wretched, will readily sub
scribe. Indeed the moro varied mans knowledge
OF life the he is impressed with the truth OF the
fact that there Is more misery and trouble In the
the world than the large majority Of people are
aware Of. Yesterday the curtain was lifted from
scene OF human wretchedness In the heart OF New
YORK city which
ALMOST SURPRISES BELIEF,
and which will not easily fade away from the minds
OF those whose duty 1t was to be spectators OF 1t.
Sometimes we are shocked with story OF misery
and horror coming from the very poorer districts,
but 1t Is not often that the public appetite for sensa
ton of the grimmest kind Is regaled with o story
SURPRISING in Its horrible details any horr0r which
has ever cropped up In New York, and coming, too.
from comparatively staid and respectable neigh
b0rhood.
Yesterday morning, about ten O'Clock, notice
was received at the Coroners' once from Sergeant
William q. Mcconnell OF the Twenty.eighth pre-
cinct to the effect that the body Of an old maiden
lady, named Miss Mary Mannion, had been dis
covered In the garnet OF No. King street, that the
deceased had not been seen out Of her miserable
abode since Friday evening last, and that 1t was
suspected that she had committed suicide or had
been
FOULLY MURDERED
for some money which 1t was popularity supposed
that she possessed The notice went on to say that
the old lady was OF most eccentric dispositions that
some neighbors Of hers alleged that she had large
bank account, and gave q most sensational history
of tho discovery Of the body. According to this
story the following the horrible circumstances
attending it:-About eight O'Clock yesterday morn.
Ing the people who reside in one OF the rooms OF
the TOP moor, underneath the garnet inhabited by
old Miss Mannlon, were about
TO SIT DOWN TO BREAKFAST
when one of them noticed some very curious stains
on the ceiling. BY and by the stains became Of a
reddish hue and some remarked that they looked
very much like blood stains. Beyond qualm Of
disgust at the suggestion notice was taken Of 1t
for short time. During breakfast however, 1t was
noticed that the stains became larger and at length,
to the horror Of the people IN the room, drops OF
blood were
SEEN TO TRIcKLE
from the ceiling to the noor The horror-stricken
habtants rushed from their room, raised an alarm,
and in o short time officer John Wilson, OF the
Twenty eighth precinct. came up. The people OF the
house, almost frantic with terror informed the officer
that eccentric old lady dwelt in the garnet
the room on the ceiling Of which the blood stains
were seen that she had not been noticed by any
to leave her room since Friday evening and that
they feared there was something wrong. AS soon
as Oflcer Wilson saw the blood trickling in thick
drops from the ceiling he rushed up stairs, ana hav-
ing raped few times al the door without having
received any answer
BURST OPEN THE DOOR.
He found the body of the old woman lying on a
bundle Of rage in the middle Of the room il q hor.
rlDle state OF decomposition. Such was the story
told in substance in the notice OF the discovery Of
the body sent TO Coroner Young.
A HERALD reporter visited the house and entered
the room in which the body was found, yesterday
evening and though 1t has been his lot to look upon
horrible sights from time to time he has never
more awful spectacle than that which the opening
door Of the garnet in King street disclosed.
The portion OF King street on the east side Of
varick street Is quiet, respectable neighborhood.
long range OF red brick houses reaches from
VaricK far up on the left hand side as No. g. the
only house IN which there Is store In the whole
block. No one could think that in this quiet thor
ougn'are q human being lived In wretchedness un-
equallcd In the fOm-al-alOnes OF London or the
York At NO. there is little grocery store, at the
upper side OF which Is the entrance for the jewellers
IN the tenements up stairs AT the time OF the re-
pOrter's visit yesterday evening
FEW AwE-STRUCK WOMEN
were gathered around the door eagerly discussing
In the yard, at the back another crowd had
gathered, who looked up with awfal faces at the
n
on guard at the foot OF the stairs. Making his way
through the crowd the reporter approached ,he OIL
Ger anu norm ,l MN OF MS MISSION. AS he con:
around anxious Tor
ANOTHER CHASTITY PARTICULAR
10 discuss, ana whispers OF untold horrors which
were TO be seen In the chamber OF death up stairs
We're to be heard on every side. In reply TO a re-
quest to see the body the officer replied al tell you
you'll fnd It rough up there, sir never put in
such DAY IN my HE before, Ifyou think you can
The reporter followed Ills conductor up stairs, not
WITHOUT msgivlngs as to his being able to .'stand
as e rooms Se on he n up rse Nights OF stairs
well furnished walnut chairs were scattered around
and thick Brussels CARPET covered the floor In a
front roOm equally we'll furnished, and opening into
this by folding doors, were seated two nesrcsses,
AN INDEsCRIBABLE DOOR
pervaded the whole place-a strange. pungent odor
that made the reporter wonder how people could
turn with oathing IRON the sight OF colorcd wO.
man eating at intervals OF her work.
time leading the way to the side Of the room furtness
from the door LOOK at that for Gods sake" he
pace The CUP % was s On wh W fup
clotted bood-not pure. red blood, but with streaks
OF yellow and green through Il that maze the re-
LOOK here again, SIR" continued the officer,
pointing to the ceiling.
Through chink between the ceiling ana the wall |
the thick drops formed, oozed forth and tricked to
the vessel on the table.
"Come up stairs now, and mind your head az you |
come up" said the conductor.
Up stars again until the roof was z lined. As he |
reached the top step the reporter was obliged 10 |
crawl after the Oflicer on his hands and knees to |
reach the door OF the garnet in which the oead wo-
man lay. The door was about three feet and half |
high Inc officer, on his hands and knees also, |
opened the paddock by which 1t was fastened on the
outside AS he did so, he put his handkerchief 10 |
his nose, crawled through the aperture and called |
on the reporter TO follow him. With sludder the
latter crawled after his guide and as he reached the
door great God, what sight he saw AS they en-
tered
CLOUD OF FLIES
arose from some object In front The roof OF the
garnet or cell was no higher than the door litto
window at the back, about foot square, admitted
few rays OF sunlight, Just enough to see the scken
Ing spectacle bundles OF rags were piled up on the
The ceiling. An old box, filled with rags stood in
Tho middle OF the floor. over the end OF this near
est to the entrance, hung two human legs the flesh
D llthy yellow and swollen 10 a Irahtfu size. The
reporter drew back, but before he had reached the