Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1873-01-24
Mrs. shermans Horrible Confession.

Mrs. Sherman's Horrible Confessions
THE confession of Mrs. Lydia Sher-
man, "the Connecticut poisoner," is one
Of the most horrible chapters of crime
ever recorded. Her enormities have
lately been revealed in full to the keeper
Of the jail in which she was then incar-
cerated, and from her story we gather
the following dreadful details;
Mrs Sherman was born at Burlington,
j. forty. eight years ago. Losing her mother
before she was a year old, she was brought
up by a married uncle named John Clay.
gay, in whose family, where all worked
hard, she was kindly treated, attending
school but three months in the year. AT
sixteen years old she visited the home of
two older brothers at New Brunswick,
| N. j., where she remained short time,
and then went out TO service in the family
fRev. Mr.. Van Amburg, in the town of
| Jacksonville She remained there three
| years, when she returned with her broth
er Ellsworth to New Brunswick. Soon
afterward she began to learn the trade of
a tailoress with sister of her brothers
wife. A few months afterward she went
to work with Mr.. Owen, Methodist
class leader, in whose family she re-
mained four months Subsequently she
went back to live with her brother, while
she continued to work for Mr.. Owen an.
other year. In the meantime she had
Joined the Methodist Church.
Edward Struck, blacksmith, a mem
Der of the same church and devoted
| Christian, was her first husband. With
him she lived eighteen years in New Jer-
sey and New York city, where Struck
worked at his trade, and afterward be-
came n policeman. Seven children were
born to them, one of whom died from
natural sickness. Soon after this death
a man was murdered at hotel on the
Bloomingdale road, and Struck, who
went to secure the murderer, had not the
spirit to do it, and was discharged from
the police force. Trouble and poverty
ensued, and Struck became discouraged
and melan ncholy, bearing the stigma of
coward in his BOSOM and careless wheth-
er he worked or not, became indolent and
lay in bed a great share of the time. He
would not see physician, but requested
to see one of his first wife's children, or
Mrs. William Thompson, who lived in
New York. Mrs. Sherman went after
this woman, but Struck would have little
to say to her. He seems to have been de-
mented, threatening suicide, and getting
worse One police Sergeant, Mo,
advised her to put him out of the way,
as he would never be any good again to
her or himself. So she bought ten cents
worth of arsenic and administered 1t in
oatmeal Cruel. Early next morning he
died. This was in May (year unknown)
and she continued to keep house, but was
extremely destitute. In July she de-
termined to destroy two of the children
Martha Ann, six years old, and Ed
ward, four years old. She felt very down
cast, and administered arsenic to them in
such quantities that they fingered a few
daye. Martha Ann died first, and Ed
ward a few hours later. The doctors
seemed to have no suspicion of anything
criminal in their demise.
Four children remained. George Whit
field, aged fourteen, was engaged III
painting for man. In August, that
same year, he was taken sick with paint
er's collie, and under doctors care grew
no better. Discouraged again, the un-
natural mother administered arsenic to
him, in his tea, and he died.
She then went out to work as nurse.
Two of the girls remained at home most
of the time. Lydia, eighteen years old,
was engaged, part of the time, in store
in Harlem; then she worked at home,
where she was courted by young man
named John Smith. Mrs. Sherman, in
March, decided to relieve herself of the
care of her little daughter, Ann Eliza,
and quietly poisoned her with arsenic,
and after four days illness she died. The
arsenic used in all these murders was
part of that procured for MIR. Struck's
murder.
\ About the 1st of June following Lydia
died after long and natural fit of sick
ness.
The wretched woman now found en-
ployment as a helper and clerk in store,
with nothing to fret her,"
While in the store she was inducad to
become the housekeeper of Mr.. James
Curtiss, living at Stratford. Conn, at 50
month. After living in Mr.. Curtiss'
family for eight months she was induced
to marry an old man named Hurlbut, liy-
ing in Huntington, Conn. This was in
November, 1868, and they lived happily to-
gether for fourteen months One day
Hurlbut, old and feeble, was taken sick
and subsequently died, but Mrs Sherman
does not know whether she killed him or
not. At all events, she disclaims any
such intention, and if he took the wrong
medicine she cannot tell.
She now became acquainted with Hor-
alto N Sherman, a widower, living IN
, Birmingham, who had little baby on
his hands, and who tried to engage her
to keep house for him, and subsequently
married her in September, 1870, at Bridge
. WdLeT, MASS hdN A'A
|, an old lady, previously his mother.in' law,
and his daughter Ada. The old lady
: ''hung around" because the baby Frank
@ was in the house. So Sherman wished
' that, in order to get the old lady out of
= the way, Frankly might die, and, under
t Mrs. Sherman's care, he soon did die, No
e vember 15, 1870.
s The old woman refused to leave, how
ever, after Franks death, and, becoming
,. troublesome, Mrs. Sherman paid her 500,
l. and she vamoosed.
!, Sherman was drunkard, and when his
!. daughter Ada was sick, after the old wo-
IS man left, he drank some of Ada's brandy.
Is Mrs. Sherman then proceeded deliberate
2; ly to poison Ada, giving her poison in
), har tea, and she died few hours after
d ward.
n Sherman was absent, spending money
/ and drinking. His wife led miserable,
-e poverty-stricken life, and at last she fix
2; ed" some brandy for him, and he went
n ,r his "way to dusky DEATH" the eighth vic
ID tim of this monstrous woman. This
er time, however, the law stepped in and
n forever put a stop to her murderous
n work. Her history from this period is
,e familiar to the world. She languishes IN
u prison, devoid of the power to do evil
ID and with time for reflection. 1t is said
n that she has repented and is seeking the
Is favor of her outraged Creator through the
v. instrumentality of Jesus Christ.
81 The Presidential Vote Of 1872, Com
In n0rad with that of 1868.