The New York herald., 1872-12-11
M u r D E r
A Woman Shot and Almost In
stantly Killed in Nelson
Place Last Night.

At about quarter to four O'Clock yesterday
afternoon young woman known a. Maud Merril
was shot and instantly killed at No. 10 Nelson
place by man at present unknown, but who IL
supposed to be her uncle. This man pulled the
bell at the street door shortly after three O'Clock
and was admitted to the house by Frances Coul-
son. hairdresser. He asked If Maud was
in, and being answered in the Affirmative,
demanded to know where her room was.
On receiving the information he went up stairs to
the third foor and called out for the girl Annie
Clinton. who was lying III in the front the
same moor, heard the voice asking or Maud, and
cried ont, "Who's there ~ Just at the same
moment Mand, hearing the noise, opened her door
and the man went into the room in which she had
Deen resting on lounge, and remained there, the
inmates of the house suppose, about twenty min
utcs. During the time the man was In the room no
noise or any disturbance was heard, but just be-
lore his leaving it the woman Annie Clinton heard
three distinct reports, that sounded to her like the
breaking of laths or a dull heavy humping upon
wood. The two first reports alarmed her much
that she partly opened the door, and almost at the
instant OF pushing IL out the third re-
port broke upon her and she saw the nash
Of the weapon. Becoming sensible OF what was
taking place she made an effort TO see the mans
face, but was unsuccessful ~ he Immediately
walked down stairs. Before he had arrived at the
street door Mrs. Stevens, an inmate OF the house.
who had been disturbed by the noise up stairs,
met him ana asked what was the matter. The
man very o0oly replied, II have shot my niece and
am going TO give myself up"
Nj $. Stevens was so completely upset by the an
nouncement that she made no movement to stop
him. and he gained the street without interrupt
ton. ANNE Clinton, finding She could not get
look at him in the house, determined If possible, to
see him as he got into the street; she fung up the
window Of the room in the front and watched the
man rs he passed up through Nelson place. the
women in a body then rushed TO the scene OF the
shooting, and they found the doubly
fortunate Maud lying dead on the moor
just inside the door, The face was TUNED
to the ground; the feet were little be-
y0nd the Threshold and the body close against
the wall. They placed the body on the bed, and
formed The police. Captain Byrnes Immediately
started to tiT,ouse, and on arriving there exam
ined the room. He found a small pistol bullet on
the floor at the foot OF the lounge, almost on the
spot where the womanS mead rested when her
found a ah"r, the body Anoher o was was
noOr: a third was In the heart OF the unhappy
Maud, and was the one which had killed her. The
ball found in the wax the police think was the
Ond fred, Tor the reason that IL much nearer
the frame OF the door than the indentation made
comes 10 from this Is that the woman was try
ing TO escape when the man iung her upon the
position OF the furniture in the room he must have
been close 10 her all the time he was in the apart
ment ana , inc position OF the body was discovered
aged to get between her and the door before he
fired
THE THIRD AND FATAL sBor.
Detective Carr was placed IN charge of the body
in the room, and Captain Byrnc proceeded to make
inquiries respecting the woman among the inmates.
He learned that Maud bad only resided i'm the
house fortnight, ana the people among whom she
lived knew very little about her. Previous TO going
had "
sixth street. There captain Byrne ascertaincd "a
man had been in the habit OF calling to see her,
who represented nc was her uncle. She had lived
in Twenty sixth street about eight months, but
very little of her history was known IN that local
that would lead to an unravcng OF the
mystery that enshroudcd the tragedy, the police
the murder occurred large number OF letters
were found, and an Irish newspaper printed in
Ga the girls Name Maud m and nas
she had some relatives living In the city. The
sede Of er ohe It wss daed % Ne% %s
YORK, November %, 1872, ana said that
committed suicide BY cutting an artery in the LETT
aim about three weeks previous to the date OF the
journal, at Waterford, Ireland. Mrs. Smith had
been imprisoned for month for having attempted
the life OF her husband. On her release from jail
she became very much addicted to drinking, and
in tit OF delirium tremens had taken her own liie
This newspaper was LETT with letter, at 10 Neil
son place for Maud, on Friday last, by her
sister, very nice-lookng and thoroughly respect
able girl, living in the outskirts Of Brooklyn. When
the sister called at Nelson place Friday she did
not see Maud but left the letter and paper for her
Neither girl wanted to see the other. The sister
promised the woman who took the commands
from her at The door TO go back yesterday at three
O'Clock, but instead the uGcle called and the
result OF the visit is already known. Captain
Byrne discovered the sister last nipht and
she VIII be detained at the station house unti the
uncle Is arrested DR.. Steele, on being sent for by
the police, examined the wound in the body OF the
woman, and gave IL as his opinion that death re-
suited from a pistol shot The bali had entered the
LETT axillary region seven and hal inches from
the back bone, and had perforated the heart.
Coroner Young will hold an inquest in the case
today