The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-07-22
A Gypsy Fortune. Teller.

When Mrs. Sarah G. Merrigan, the
Catholic woman who has been IN Ray
mond-street Jail for nearly two years for
the alleged MURDER OF her friend. Maggie
e. Hammill, was tried last November for
the firss time, her counsel lnterpDsed a
weird defense. Miss Maggie HammiH
was rich spinster, and owned num-
known Sarah q. Dou9herty, afterwRrd
Mrs. Merrigan, in the Convent Of Our
Lady Of Charity, at the foot Of East
Nineteenth street, New York, and from
their school.days there. they were insep-
arabic friends. On the ID Of September,
1874, Maggie Hammih was seen going
| into Mrs. MerfigaRs apartments at 100
| Ninth street, williamsburg, carrying a
iady's resieule. Ste was never seen 10
| come out of the place alive. Two days
after she entered this place there was y
| fire In the apartments, and after the fre
Miss HammilFs dead body was found
| under the bed, VITA rope fastened in
| tight slip-nOose about her neck.
Mrs. Msrrigan was indicted for muir
der. She Is neat, black-eyed, intelli-
gsnt and good looking, and hiss large
circle of friends. She says taat she ls
innocent, and her story formed Asr do
iense on the trial. She says, and by the
prosecution it was proved on tho two
trials which have resulted in disagree
ments, that both OF the women we're
seized with an irrepressible desire to
have their fortunes told; that they vls-
tied Madame Rosa in Canal street,
New York, and were constantly think
ing and talking to each other about
magic, sorcery and fortune telling, and
that they promised to tell each other all
that they could learn on the SUBJECTS.
In the late summer of 1878 short,
swarthy, long-haired gypsy woman,
named Bertha, Of tribe that had en-.
camped in the Thirteenth ward, went
ing fortunes.
She visited Mrs. Merrigap and told her
fortune, and on receiving some money
taught Mrs. Merrigan how to tell for
tunes. She used cord, and pretended
that by comparing measurements Of dit
terent parts Of the body certain pro.
portion OF the numbers would reveal the
destiny OF the person. The measure
ment was to be made around the neck.
then back of the head from ear to ear,
| then from the chin to the crown OF the
head. The feet were to be measured,
and If persons had "parroW toes-toes
shaped like parrots claws--then there
was something good in store for her.
Mrs. Merrigan made a memorandum of
| the measure ments, and preserved IL 10
keep her promise to Miss Hammill. She
claims that on the day her friend called
on her she detailed the plan Of fortune
telling to her.
Mics Hammill took of her shoes and
stockings, and stood on chair in the
bed room, near the door, while Mrs.
Merrigan made the measurement of her
feet with a bed-cord, as there was no
tape-liue in the house. Then Miss Ham
mill undertook to make the measure
ments other head herself. She was still
standing on the chair, and the tangled
end of the BEDFORD made 1t difficult for
her to use the other end. She tossed it
over the door, and, as IL slipped off and
disturb bed the measuring Of her neck, she
asked Mrs. Merrigan to fastsn the end to
the door-knob. Mrs. Ierrigan wrapped
posits aide OF the door, and Miss Ham
mill used the other end, the lines be-
tween passing over the top Of the door.
She was making q slip nocse which
she was to pass around her neck, and
mark the exact size by a pin stuck
through the point where the moose was
tightest. As she was doing this some
one knocked at the outer door, and Mrs.
Merrigan ON going there found Mary
Jane Knowles, a neighbours daughter.
Miss Hammill told her not to let any
one in to see what she WAS doing, and as
Miss Knowles wanted Mrs. Merrigan to
20 with her to her mothers to see some
tin types, without going back into the
room she closed the door and went to
Mrs. Knowles rooms, two houses dis
tant. She remained there fifteen min
utss, and said that she had to hurry
back, as Miss Hammill was visiting her.
Whom she returned to her room Miss
Hammill was hanging from the door with
the slip moose strangling her. The chair
ON whtoh she had been standing was