The New York herald., 1877-02-05
SLAIN In THE STREET.
A Woman Murdered by Her Former
Husband.
JEALOUSY AFTER DIVORCE.

Tho Sabbath morning broke yesterday upon decd
of blood In Crosby street, tho Italian quarter just
below Prince street. where the dingy tenements frown
at each other across tho dirty way. There at day.
break, womans half nude form lay PROSTATE tho
sidewalk. AS officer Conway in pursuance OF his duty
spatroman the At dog watch, about six
O'Clock, the woman still alive, and In her bosom
was sticking yet to the depth Of ve or six inches, an
iron tool called reamer, used by machnsts Tor cut
ting and boring holes in blocktin. When the officer
arrived he raped for assistance and few early
straggers closed around tho PROSTATE figure.
In tho excitement OF the moment,
VINO saw tho wound inflicted, told how tho deed was
done and passed away. In few minutes two other
officers arrived, The dying woman was taken to the
station house OF the Fourteenth precinct in Mulberry
street, the reamer having been meantime removed,
and an ambulance tcegraphed for. Before It's
arrival she was dead. Her body was then
sent tho Morgue Tho murdered wo-
was Mrs. Mary Flood; she was about
thryave years ola the divorced wife of James Flood,
alias Mcfarland, and she boro even in her dying
moments OF carly beauty In form and feature.
Her former husband was her murderer. So much In
brief for the story Of this crime, the cause of which
was jealousy. Its history told. but not SO
speedily ascertained. 1t was thus that tho police
obtained their information which led to these con-
cusons:--
MURDER
When O1acer Conway went on post In this vicinity
at six O'Clock yesterday morning he proceeded along
Crosby street trying the doors, In accordance with
police regulations until arriving ut No So beside the
stoop of which he found the dying woman. HIS
rap for assistance ttle knot Of
observers as well us two brother officers Among
this knot who described tho
munner in which tho woman was pursued and
struck down. He told how whom he knew
named james Flood. rushed from the hallway Of tho
house No. 55 Crosby street, just the officers post
beng relieved, in pursuit OF the woman who
was flying mortal terror before him. Sho dashed
up the stoop and threw herself against the doc: OF
No. 81, ho said, the opposite side OF
tho street, as II expecting to find It open;
But it was closed last and refused to yield
bsfore her righted assault In instant
Flood ut her holding aloft the iron reamrr.
Finding her progress arrested she threw up both her
arms and cried Tor mercy The next instant tho
weapon was buried IN her breast and The assassin fee
ing from the spot Up toward Prince street he ran
and then disappeared down toward Broadway. With
the lie blood streaming from her rigbtiul wound
she stood instant looking wild and rigid, then
,dscovcredby Onicer Conway. Tins story told tho
himself passed from the scene. While the
bJuy beng removed an Italian odgcr at No 52
SAID hc heard the the made at the door
when trying TO enter, looked and man he
woman IS BOSOM Before the mans tell she cried
''For Gods sake James, don't strike mel"
When the dying woman had been Removed TO the
station tho officers visited the house No Do,
from which, scantily attired, she had been pursued
On tho lrst ground floor is grocery store, kept
by ono William Aikur, Ia German. Back OF the store
IS his bedroom, 10 which may be obtained IRON
the store or hallway. Alfkar was questioned about
the affair and den,cd all knowledge OF the woman
Then the bedroom was searched. ana conceaed
beneath tho bedding were found several articles 0:
womans wear such would have competed the dress
the murdered one, upon whose dying form, when dis
covered were only under garment and ono skirt
Alikar arrested IN consequence, and finding him.
sell trapped, he told his story, which the police give
substantially us follows
ALFxAR's STORY.
Tho woman had been u sharef OF his couch during
the night just before daybreak they were startled By
violent KICKS ut the hall door, Between the kicks
theY heard the voice OF James Flood, recognized
by the woman ordering her IN angry tones to open
the door and admit him. While he kicked AZ the hall
door with vigor which IL feared would very
1t to yield, the alirignted woman, without wait
ing Dress made her way through tho store door and
into the street far as possible Flood heard her
and pursued with the result already told The next
step was 10 find the man who described the III
which the murder was committed, when Oniccr Con-
way first arrived aud who IN the excitement had been
permitted to escape. Some remembered his ap
pearanco gEd search made for him by Officer
Wade, who found him in Prince street,
WITNESS OF THE DEEn
This gave his name John Morrison, and con-
fessed himself vagrant, 1t appears that he Is not
person OF reputable character, and was actually In
Floods company at the time tho murder COM
mlttcd He is described by the police sort of 'way
down. pugilist. rather more OF 'bummer'' than
"shoulder hitter 20 requcnter OF low side dives
Hc held a witness IN the House OF Detention
Akar the grocer, has been set at liberty on his own
recO2nzance.
When the story of the murder began to circulate
about the precinct yesterday officers Quinn and Corey
recalled "a circumstance which OF Itself would have
gone TAR toward establishing tho identity Of the MUIR
dcreE They noticed on their ''beas," which
braced the vicinity where the crime was committed,
between midnight OF Saturday and six O'Clock
yesterday morning, that man prowed
ABOUT apparently inientiy watching for some
body. When first seen he was ordered TO ''movo on"
and later he was asked what his business was Hc
frankly told the officers that he watching for his
wife. whom lie suspected OF inlidcliiy THIS man they
described, and the description taes with that gwen
by the tramp John Morrison. He was middle sized
complexion, wearing mustachc and having a broken
hose
THE MURDERER.
Flood, alias Mcfarland, recognized machinist
known of the officers OF the Fourteenth pre-.
cnct He is not spoken o as leading lie OF crime IN
this city; but in Toledo, ONO, years ago he Is
said To have committed burglary Then he changed
his name Mcfarland, taking instcad that OF his
mother, Flood
Within the past year Flood aud his wIfe were di-
vorced. 1t has been stated at whose instance the
divorce obtained. IL is presumed, however, II was
granted the wc's app catoD, tor since then Flood
Is SAID to have followed and lived with her at times.
Had II been granted his application 1t likely
he would have continued 10 pursue her. Tho couple
had resided within the past three months at No. -
Grand street.
The weapon with which the murder donc-a
rcamcr--is an iron tool used for cutting holes
block Tin II Is aboat loot long, pointed end,
with square "blade'' ABOUT sfx inches long. and
shoulder rising IRON the blade giving strength and
substance to the handle, which little iron cross
bar welded 10 the shank. A more formidable weapon
II would be difficult ~ ind when welded by musuu-
lar arm Ii Is now he'd at the police station, staucd
with the blood of Mrs. Mary Flood. The crime OF
which 1t was the instrument had little secrecy
II and was quickly committed. The brutal pcrpctrator
Is still at large