The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-04-27
MURDER!
AND ATTEMPTED SUICIDE!
A Child's Head almost Severed from Its
B0dy--.The Unnatural Mother At
tempts Her Own Life.

In a small upstairs bedroom in the
house on the northeast corner Of Twelfth
and Walnut streets, where Chas. jain
keeps beer saloon and German board
ing-house, one OF the most shocking
tragedies occurred that has been chron-
icled for years.
For the last five years German girl
named Mary sherman, aged about
twenty five years, has been employed by
the proprietor of the house In the capac-
ity of domestic. She was fair complex
ioned. black eyed, auburn haired, and
we'll thought OF by Mr.. and Mrs. Jahu,
her employers, who had become as much
attached to her as to their own children.
She was great favorite also with the
male frequenters of the house, several
of whom had kept her company at differ
ent times.
This morning at the usual time, about
half past O'Clock, after completing her
domestic duties down stairs, she went /
above to the second floor, as was sup
posed to make the beds, complaining as
she started, however, to her cousin, a
young girl Of sixteen, named Emma
Dyer, who lives at the same place, that
she did not feel we'll.
Nothing was thought of this, and she
having occasion to visit the same
part of the house half
hour later, opened the door
of little bedroom fronting
on Twelfth street. She entered the room,
and was transfXed with horror on be-
holding Mary lying Oh the floor still
breathing, as in agony, her limbs doubled
up in an unnatural shapes gaping wound
in her throat, which left the head
dangling as if held by the skin alone,
the floor completely covered with clotted
Despatched with the ensanguined flow.
The weapon, a large butcher-knife, red
with the poor girps life-blood, lay close
at hand.
Her clothing, her bare arms, and the
bed quilt which partially covered her
as she lay prone upon the floor, were
drenched In blood. The alarm soon
spread throughout the neighborhood. Tue
jain family were in terror of excite
ment, running hither and thither not
knowing what to do until Constable Sam.
Bloom appeared. With his accustomed
presence of mind, gained by his expert
ence in such scenes, he with the help OF
one OF the crowd lifted the limp form Of
the suicide upon bed and dispatched a
messenger for DIR. Richards, who soon
arrived.
For whole hour after she was found
the most persistent inquiry made on all
sides by STAR reporter aud others,
failed to elicit the least clue as to the
reasons for the selfdestruction OF the
girl. But at last the mystery was dis
closed.
Some one Of the attendants standing
In that little room OF horror hap
pened to glance under the bed where lay
the cause-a newborn babe, girl
which the guilty mother hurried out OF
the world with the same knife which
was to end her own wretched existence.
The babes throat was also cut, and
its head dangling by thread as the doc
tor picked it up from the bare, uncar-
| peted floor. and laid 1t beside It's mother.
The discovery of the child was COM
| plete and cruel surprise to Mrs. jain,
who, with fearful eyes and bitter lamen-
tations, walked the floor In agony. She
had never even suspicioned the truth.
Mary Sherman's parents are still liv-
ing In Germany, and she has no rela-
tiVes in this country save one, an uncle,
named Anton Schmidt, who keeps beer
saloon at No. 27 Mercer street, and the
cousin, Emma, already mentioned.
AS soon as the child was found MIR.
jain, in company with policeman,
went in quest Of a beer brewer, whose
name WAS not mentioned, whom Mr..
jain had suspicious of knowing some
thing in reference to the girPs approach
ing maternity.
Their search was successful. They
found the man who is the supposed faith
er of the murdered child and the
seducer Of its mother quietly at
work at his place in Kaulman's brewery,
on Vine street, opposite Green street.
little thinking of the awful tragedy that
had occurred at the jackson House.
His name is Henry Wetterer. He was
at once taken into custody and con-
Quoted to the Bremen-street Station
house. to await the summoning Of alury
OH the case Of the child.
The mother at O'Clock this afternoon
lwas still living, but it is a miracle
lii she recoyers. Intense excite
lment prevailed in the neigh
: borhood, and the door of the room where
the mother and child lay was besieged
by the horriied friends and acquaint.
ances of the unfortunate Mary.
At 1 O'Clock an officer was dis
patched to the Hospital for a wagon TO
transfer her to that place, but permis-
sion was refused Dy Coroner Maley who
had just arrived, and she still lays at
the jackson House apparently lowering
Ihetwaen life and death.