The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-21
THE WIFE.sCALPING CASE.
Shcfnin Held and Committed to tho
Tombs-A Verdict Against Him-He
Deuies Gvflf.

ShefI1in Held and Committed to tho
Tombs-A Verdict Against Him-He
Denies His Guilt.
Yesterday morning Coroner Kessler held his first
homicide inquest on the Shefiin wile-scalpNg case
which occurred at 414 East Eleventh street. on the
evening Of the 18th instant as fully reported In the
HERALD at the time. The testimony adduced
against the prisoner was comparatively slight there
being nothing to show that he used any weapon
on deceased except his own hand, and that only
when he found dirty vagabond running from her
bedroom. 1t doubtless is true that deceased was
beaten over the head by some weapon, but at
whose hands 1t did not appear. Below Will be
found o synopsis Of the evidence elected.
Mrs. Ann Shefllin, mother OF the prisoner, was
nrst called to the witness stand and testified that
last Tuesday night her husband was sent to the
hospital, after which the prisoner George Shefin,
came to inquire for his father, and asked where
Maria, his wife was, and being informed that she
was In the bedroom, he went in there and, finding
a young fellow with her, chased him out, and re-.
turning, slapped her across the face with his open
hand, and IN staggering away she fell across the
steady; prisoner used no weapon his wife In pre-
sence OF the witness; prisoner renamed in the
Of dea when mime ne @ ala
morning. =
Mary Moore, sister Of the prisoner, was next
the night In question, and saw two boys come in
with bottles Of liquor for deceased after the pris
0ner came in there was dficulty during the
evening, but did not see her brother strike any
blows; after he came in, at ten O'Clock p M she
was loo drunk to know what was going ON at two
O'Clock A. M. the witness went out, and, meeting
an officer, told him there was sort of muss inside
and asked him to go in; he SAID, There Is no noise
In the house and there is no use going in ~ the
next morning prisoner asked the witness to cover
up deceased, as she lay on the noor and in doiLp
so found that she was dead; prisoner said, "Oh my
Ferdinand Sternshorn, keeping q saloon ar Ala
East Eleventh street, depesed that Wednesday
morning the prisoner came into his place. feeling
bad, and among ether things said his vile was
dead; he further stated that the night preyous he
caught a fellow with his vile, and struck her be-
cause he found the fellow in bed with her, he said
he would go to the station house and give himself
up; Maria was in the habit of seeing company;
prisoner did not say what he struck his wife WITH
Mary McGInn testified that after nine O'Clock on
the morning alter Mrs. Shenn's DEATH she saw
Old Mrs. Shefilin carrying pail OF blood out in the
yard; saw some blood IN the yard: the old woman
said she had great trouble; her son was using his
wife most brutally, and wished he would go away;
she did not say her daughter-n-law was dead.
James p. Bennett, OF the Detective force de.
posed that he arrested Shefllin at his boarding
house In Third avenue, near l0sth street. by direc
ton OF Inspector Waing; Sheiiin was asleep in
bed; prisoner said that the night previous he had
been to political meeting, from when he went to
his wlie's place and saw man run from her room:
he said he supposed that he had done more than he
ought to do, but denied using any weapons; pris-
oner said ne went TO sleep on chair, and awaking
TO cover up his wife. who lay on the floor; in the
morning when he awoke again found his wife dead
Shefilin said he afterwards went to an undertak-
ers In Thirty-seventh street and requested him to
notify the Coroner.
Deputy Coroner Leo then read his report of the
post.mortem examination, and gave 1t as his
opinion that death resulted from hemorrhape,
through the injuries inflicted.
KNIFE AND A PROTEST.
AT this stage OF the proceedings Coroner Kessler
exhibited 10 the jury bloody table knife said to
have been found in the room with the deceased.
Mr.. william L. Howe counsel Tor Shefin. urgently
protested against showing the knife to the jury in
asmuch as 1t had not been offered in evidence, and
there was not particle OF proof to show that the
weapon had been used by the prisoner.
The Coroner then read carefully prepared
charge to the jury after which the case was sub
mtted to them, and they rendered the following
VERDICT
THAT Maria Sheffiin came to her death by
hemorrhage rom violence to the head, inflicted
we believe, at the hands OF ner husband George
Shefllin, at Ala East Eleventh street, the l4th
day OF January, 1871
shenln is thirty-six years OF age born In Ireland,
and by occupation a plasterer.
BY advice OF his counsel the accused declined to
say anything at present concerning his guilt or In
n0cence.
Mr. Howe said, admitting the prisoners guilt
twhch ne denied), the case was nothing more than
manslaughter in the third degree and consequently
bailable
The motion to bail snefiin was denied for the
present, and Coroner Kessler mitted him to the
Tombs
William II. Kidd, OF the Murray street arson case
was brought before Judge bowling yesterday
On the advice OF his counsel, Mr.. j. d. Fellovs late
Assistant District Attorney, he waived examina-
ton Judge bowling committed him under $4,000
BAL TO answer at the General Sessions.