Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-02-06
Mrs. Sherman's Horrible Confession.

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,
n. j., forty, eight years ago. Losing her
mother before she was year old, she
was brought up by married uncle
named John Clagay, 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 a short time, and
then went out to service in the family of
Rev. 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, a Methodist
class leader, in whose family she re-
manned 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, mem
Der of the same church and a devoted
Christian, was her first husband. With
him she lived eighteen years in New Jer-
worked at his trade, and afterward be-
came policeman. Seven children were
born to them, one of whom died from
natural sickness. Soon after this death
a man was murdered at a 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 choly, bearing the stigma of a
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
demented, threatening suicide, and get
ting worse. One police Sergeant,
Nc, 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 admins
tered it 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 determined TO destroy two of
the ehildren-Martha Ann, six years old,
and Edward, four years old. She felt
very downcast, and administered arsenic
to them in such quantities that they lin
gered few days. Martha Ann died
first, and Edward 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 in
painting for a man. In August, that
same year. he was taken sick with paint
ers' 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 a 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 Mr.. Struck's
murder.
About the list of June following Lydia
died after long and natural fit of sick
ness.
The wretched woman now found en-
ployment as helper and clerk in store,
with nothing to fret her."
While in the store she was induced to
become the housekeeper of Mr.. James
Curtiss, living at Stafford, Conn.,, at Sc
month. After living in Mr.. Curtiss'
family for eight months she was induced
to marry an old man named Hurlbut, iv-
ing in Huntington, Conn. This was in
November, 1868, and they lived happily
together for fourteen months. One day
Hubut, orlld and feeble, was taken sick
and subsequently died, but Mrs. Sherman
does not know whether she killed him or
not. At all events, she disclaimed any
such intention, and if he took the wrong
medicine she cannot tell.
She now became acquainted with HOra-
ito 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
water, Mass. Sherman had trouble with
an old lady, previously his mother in law,
and his daughter Ada The old lady
chung 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
Mrs Sherman's care, he soon did die, |
November Is, 1870
The old woman refused to leave, how |
ever, after Franks death, and, becoming |
Mrs Sherman paid her
800, and she vamoosed
Sherman was a drunkard, and when |
his daughter Ada was sick, after the old |
woman left, he drank some of Ada's
brandy. Mrs. Sherman then proceeded |
deliberately to poison Ada, giving her |
poison in her tea, and she died a few
hours afterward.
Sherman was absent, spending money |
and drinking His wife led miserable, |
stricken life, and at last she |
fixed some brandy for him, and he went
his "way to dusky DEATH" the eighth vic
tim of this monstrous woman. This time,
however, the law stepped in and forever