The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-26

A Frightful Story Of q Ten
ement Tragedy.
WORK OF THE DEMON RUM.
Woman Killed and Child Burned to Death
in One Night in the Same House-The Worst
DEN in New York-She Devils in HUI
man Form-The Coroner's In
vestigation Tomorrow.

Coroner Herman will commence an investigation
OF the circumstances attending the death OF wO-
man named Bridget McShefrair, who lived In o
wretched howell At 4S Scanned street, and who died
at Bellevue Hospital o few days since OF fracture
Of the skull This inquest II the story OF the wit
nesses whom the police have hunted up IN the case
be true, will develop the details of
A MOST REVOLVING MURDER,
story OF debauchery and wretchedness incredi-
bic in civilized community and the burning alive
OF child in the same house under the
most revolving circumstances A simple notice
OF "death from fracture OF the sku'
came to the Coroner's Office o few days
since and Coroner Herman, with commendable
promptness, placed the matter In the hands Of
Ward Detective Johnson, who is attached to the
Thirteenth precinct station house, with what prom
ises to be satisfactory result woman named
Mary AcNamee, who lived at 48 SCANNED street,
was also arrested and charged with the murder OF
the deceased woman on Friday afternoon. A
HERALD reporter last night, after much trouble,
CLEANED the following horrible details Of the rag
edy:-
One bitterly cold night, little over three weeks
ago. Oficer Moran, Of the Thirteenth precinct,
while on post in Scammei street, near Cherry, one
OF the worst spots in the whole city, heard groans
proceeding from the hallway OF No. 49, The house
has very bad name, and, having raped
for assistance he entered. Cropping in the dark he
almost stumbled over q body which was lying at
the foot Of the stairs. Having lighted match the
officer found IL was that OF woman, whom he at
once recognized as the deceased. She was lying
on the flags, with her head turned towards the
door, in pool OF blood. Another onicer arrived
and they lifted her up, but she had tainted. They
examined her and found that she had re ceived
terrible cash across the head. A stretcher was
procured and she was removed to the Thirteenth
precinct station house, ct the corner of Delaney
and Attorney streets. Here she revived little,
and, in reply to the otcer's inquiry as to how she
had received her injuries, she stated to HIM that
she had been struck in the head with q bottle by
Mary McNamee. 1t was bitterly cold. and when
she was found
LYING IN HER OWN BLOOD
the only covering she had on was an Old SAILORS
she again became unconscious in the station
house, and, as 1t was feared she would die during
the nigGt' sne was removed In wagon to Bellevue
On the same night that she was brought in dy-
ing condition TO the station house, and few min
alarm OF fire was raised at 4S Scanned street. and
It was discovered that child Of woman named
burned. day or two afterwards the child died.
On Thursday last Coroner Hermann, after hearing
officer Moran's statement VINO said that the de-
ceased was under the influence OF liquor when he
found her In the hallway ordered the arrest Mary
McNamee. Detective Johnson secured her on Sat
urday last and took her to the COrOner's office In
the afternoon. Here 1t was discovered that she
was suffering from the effects OF O beating which
s aaa Se co S anna
she was removed to the Centre street Hospital,
where she now lies under surveillance until she
appears at the inquest tomorrow morning.
AN AWFUL DEN.
The HERALD reporter called at the Thirteenth
precinct station house last night and saw Oflcer
Moran. He says that he believes that No. 4s Scan
nell street Is one OF the most awful dens in New
York city, and thai its inhabitants are the lowest
types Of the worst classes In any civilized commu-
nifty. "fou would think, sr,'' ne continued, "that
they were beasts instead Of human beings. The
hnu q IN
ing, inhabited by seven or eight lamlles The
members, male and female, are continually drunk
Ceased woman and the prsoner, the cicer says,
were both habtual drunkards.n When the prs-
oner, Mrs. McNamee was drunk or, as nc ex;
her or get her Off the street II she objected The
post was so pad that two officers were continually
'Now officer" said the reporter, "tell me all You
know about the murder and the burning Of the
child That night"
'sWel, this woman who is dead was q regular out
and out drunkard. knew her we'll. She used to sop
with widow woman named Howard, who lives in
the top floor OF NO. As. Tnis night they were all
drunk as usual, and Mary McNanee and her hus-
band turned her out The husband went cut to
for the night. The woman McShefian, hearing Of
his arrest tried to get back into tho house to stop
there Tor the night, a.. and the prisoner Mary
stairs.n
what about the burning of the child p,
"Well boy OF Mrs. Howard, the widow woman
who lives up stairs came home shortly alter
found the dying woman In the hall. lie went up
stairs, and, as understand IL, lit q stump OF o
candle and tumbled into bed, III which his mother
and the child were lying fast asleep. He knocked
more than tho size OF your two hands OF the
clothes were burned, and the woman must have
been stupened with liquor or the child could have
been saved 1t seems to me miraculous how the
child could have been burned to death, so little OF
the clothes were burnedo
"Now what evidence have you got about the
murder p,
~ hunted around for q day with Detective John
son, who has the case In hand, and heard that
dead woman. Iqucstoned him, and he told me
that he had seen his mother strike her that night
with stick. Mrs. HOward's boy told me that he
had seen young McNamec strike her on the head
also. In fact the dead woman was a thorough out
her out.n
One OF the sergeants Of the Thirteenth precinct
subsequently informed the reporter that he could
not understand how the poor child was burned to
death, so little OF the bedclothes were burned,
unless the mother-the woman Howard-was
utterly stupe6ed by drink.
THE PRISONERS STORY.
The reporter then went to the Centre Street
Hospital, and by the kindness OF Mrs. Brown, the
matron, was taken to the prisoners bedside. She
had not yet recovered from the effects Of the poi
son which has become her daily sustenance and
was trembling In every limb She Is tall, gaunt,
rcpulsve looking woman OF most powerful frame.
she has lost eye, and the absence OF that organ
wise repulsive features. Mrs. McNamee is a pre-
maturely old woman, and her voice Is a. strong
and as husky as field officers. In reply to the
reporters inquiries sne made the following state
ment-
"lhis night We spake OF me husband and me had
been dhrinkin' together. lie bate mo about the
head for spakn' to this dead woman. He went out
of the house to get few cints word Of " hskey
and ne was locked up This woman then come
into the house to get up stairs to woman named
Howard, where she used to stop, but she culdn't
get In, as they were In bed She then come into
me and offered to make some tay for me husba I'd,
to take to the station house, as was blccdin'
from my batting and all too wake to make it. tOud
her to go out an get little drop OF whiskey for
five cints to put In the tay, an she fell down stairs
As God Is my Judge am innocent OF her blood.
You see got bad batn' myself for spakin' to her
Here the woman vas about to exhibit the marks
on her head and arms, and the reporter left
ATTEMPTED DOUBLE SUICIDE.