The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1871-07-26
THE CoNNECTICUT BORGIA.


The Shocking Record Of Her Nur3ers-
Dansniay Evidence at the Frelinsary
Trial-Uaabashed Demednor Of tie
accused.
Our readers have been made acquain.
ted With the circumstances connected
with the arrest of sirs. Sherman, at
Derby, Connecticut, charged with hav-
ing murdered, within the period of a
few years, three husbands aud eight
children, in every instance by the facile
and sure and readily concealed method
of poison.
The monster woman, whose career in
murder has thus at last been arrested, is
but forty-seyen years of age, although
bearing load of guilt upon her soul
which it would seem centuries of crime
could not have accummulated. She is
a native Of New Jersey, lost both parents
in infancy, and was married to her first
husband at the age Of seventeen, by
whom she had several children, six Of
whom, all under ten years, and the
husband himself, died very suddenly
within year. Her second husband,
whom she married soon after the disap
pearance of her family, which it does
not appear excited any suspicion Of
wrong, was an old man of property, who
died, suddenly also, within fourteen
months of the marriage, but not without
exciting some suspicious in the minds
of the doctors who attended him, which,
for reasons not stated, they never made
known. The third and last husband
was married to her some ten months
since, having four children by former
wife, whom he introduced into the new
family. Two of these children, a girl
of fifteen years and an infant of eleven
months, died suddenly within six or
eight months after their relationship to
their step mother, and still without
arousing suspicion, although it is re
ma.kable that ali these sudden deaths
occurred from the same cause, or with
the same symptoms Of disease-cramps,
violent fever and vomiting. After the
death Of these step children, there seems
to have been a disagreement between
Mrs. Sherman and her husband, which
led to their living partially apart. lie
fell into unsteady and vasteful habits,
and estranged himself more or less from
his home, aud recently be died with the
same suidenness and under the same
circumstances which had attended the
death Of the eleven individuals Of the
family who had preceded him. Suspi-
cion being now aroused, post mortem
examination was had. AID the unques-
tionable presence of arsenic iu the
stomach asccrtained. The bodies of the
two children also were exhumcd, and
ample proof discovered of their having
been poisoned.
The preliminary examination Of tie
female monster vas commenced on
Thursday at Derby, Ct., the scene of
the uutimely end Of her victims. AL
though there is no positive evidence
that she administered the arsenic, there
is evidence that four Of those deceased
| persons died from tho eff ects Of that
| drug, viz: her last two husbands and
her last husbands two children. There
is evidence that she had arsenic in her
possession, and that when called upon
to account for its absence vas unable tc
do so. Professor Baker. the chemist
who made an analytical examination Of
the stomaches and liyers cf the deceased
persons, testified uuequivocalIy that
arsenic was found iu those organs it
sufficient quantities to produce death
and that death did result from the pre-
sence Of this poison. All that remains
to be done is TO prove that Mrs. Sher
man is The person who administered ih'
deadly medicine. Circumstances cal
point to no one else aud circumstance
point 6ercely at her. Still she appear
to regard the serious charge as ser,
! light matter. During the trial, ant
while the doctors Sho attended tn
victims were giving their testimony
she maintained the role of injured in
noceD Dce, and stared unabashed aroun'
the court room, her piercing black ey
never cace winciog under the most lie.
termined look Of her prosecutors. Blu
when Professor Baker took the stan'
and gave his testimony IS TO the fndiu,
Of the poison, stating that 10 the live
! alone Of her second husband, Hurlbui
he fouud sufficient quantity Of agseai
20 kill three men, she became exceed
ingly nervous, and for the 6rst time he
| eyes sought refuge behiod her fan. Sh
sooa recovered, and played her p-ev;ou
| part up to The ADJOURNMENT of the court
She is denounced By ali who have see
her as the zoss accomplished dissenble
aud shrcw that ever became pablicl
j knowa. aud yet, strange as it may ap
slpear, this class Of women always set III
). beads. of class Of mca crazy. Mr.
Fair is another woman Of this eharat