The Republican journal., 1871-07-13
THE WOMAN MONSTER
The Niurderess of Eleven Victims

DERRY Conn. July


think it could never find its way out
through the narrow, crooked channel,
lies ut her dock ready to start in the morn
ING, and a number Of cars belonging to
the Naugatuck Railroad. which hugs the
stream all the way up from Bridgeport,
are standing on the track near by. The
river bank, are high and precipitatc and
oyerShadcd with a thick growth OF wood.
Al the summit Of the west bank, where
lies the chief part of the Old town of
Derby. there is broad. dusty street,
with white cottages on either side; the
church bells are ringing mountully, and
scores of children are on their way to
Sunday school. There is one house, per-
haps Il little larger than the rest, at which
all the children stop for moment and
take u peep through the white pckets.
In the front parlor young girl Is play
ing Il sacred tune on cottage organ and
the alleged murdercss, Mrs. Nelson II.
sherman, is Gagged in the room directly
back Two officers of the law sit in the
same room, and night or day, never let
the woman 20 out their sight. If even
halt that is charged against this woman
be true, she is undoubtedly the greatest
criminal this country has ever produced,
and her career has been that OF a real
demon on earth.
HER VICTIMS
are thus far summed rs eleven in number:
Three who We're husbands and fathers,
one a refined and educated young lady,
and seven boys and girls. six of them be
ing her otiirrine, and loss than ten ynars
OF age
shall now proceed to relate the terri
pile story of this woman's life, after hay
INC collected all the facts, partly from
her own lips and partly from those whose
official oathS have made it their duty to
examine the woman's career Mrs. Mel
son IL. sherman, h'e Lydia Danbury, was
horn ut burlington, n. }. When she was
less than year old her mother died and
hcr father became a butcher at Trenton.
Shc lived under the parental roof until
her father remarked. when, not liking
her step-m0ther, She went to live with her
aunt ut New Brunswick Here she re-
manned until Il years Old. when she be-
came acquainted with Edward Struck,
police officer in one of the upper wards Of
New York city, To whom She was mar
lled. Struck had been married before,
HAd had two children who We're. now
placed under guardians. The newly
married couple lived together about seven
Years, during which time sin children
We're born And now begins the awful
events which throw such IN air of mys-
terry around the woman who is confined
IN this house accused of eleven murders
FTst her husband was taken sick and
suddenly died. 1t appears that a ply
~IcIan attended who said he didn't know
what the man died OF. The symptoms as
described by those who saw him were
those of n person who had taken poison
Mrs sherman said the cause of his
death was his getting up in the absence
OF the doctor and taking the wrong med
,rne' Subsequent TO the death OF her
'''t'N ''l 'illI"lt'i' SIN III hulilpef' All
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COOP lNVESlMESf
Mrs Sherman-or Mrs. Struck. rs she
WIS then named-spent two wears after
Tie death of her FIRST husband as a seam
stress and nurse. She next GOT employ-
menl in a sewing machine store in Canal
street. where She made the acauaintanre
of 4 Mr.. Curtis, who afterwards paoed
her to live with his mother at StrGff6r1
alJDlli ntDp miles from This nj app
while liyiuu there. that She became ar-
claintcd with her second I'm shand a man
named IIulIhn1t. who lived at Hnntinoton
and who wa. tLounht to hl. mite Vol of
AT his death he left considar,hln re,1 rs.
tate. besides $4,000 in cash. This man
had lived quietly and economically as a
farmer and fisherman. and was well
known al round by the name Of "Old
llmlbun." Mrs. sherman protested 4
great fondness for her husband. and #
Vas not lonp before he had made a viii
beoueathino All his proncrtv 70 her in thc
event Of his death They lived ON an
parentlv happv. the nciGbbors noticino
that every time he returned from his bus
ines, She met him ut the door and kissed
him. Time passed on. and one day DR.
Church. the Village physician. was sum
lnoned TO attend Mr.. IImIbnrt. On ar
irving at the house he found him suffer
ing acute pains in the head and stomach,
accompanied l,v an intense burning. as if
The patient had 4 violent fever DIR
Church. BECOMING alarmed At the critical
condition of his patient. sent for consult
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