The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-04-30
MARKED FOR LIFE.
Tragic Scene in a st. Louis Boarding
House.
A Social Scandal, Resulting in the Attempted
Assassination of Mrs. A. n. Sterling.
rst. Louis Special. April ISL

ISt. Louis Special, April Is.
A terrible tragedy occurred here day in
the shape of a nearly successful attempt at
murder. The would-be ASSASSIN is VIM. o.
Smith. of indianapolis, Ind, and the victim
Mrs. A. N. Sterling, wife of A. n. Sterling,
formerly resident of st. Louis and mem
Der of the firm OF Sterling & Webster, real
estate dealers. Mr.. Sterling left St. Louis
about year ago to embark in business at
Globe City. Arizona, leaving his wife here
in the custody of friends.
Soon after her husbands departure she
grew tired of city life, and moved out into
the country to alarge farm which she owned
and which is located just one mile from
Summerield.Ill. In Summerfield che owned
the finest residence that the little town
could boast of, and she was, besides. the sole
owner of four substantial residences located
on the farm. Altogether, the woman was
reputed to be worth at least 100000.
While living in one of the farm residences
on June day last summer, she was honored
with visit from dirty and ragged tramp
who stated that he YVES In search OF employ
ment. Mrs. Sterling referred him to the
foreman of the farm, and as hands were
needed, this tramp, who gave his name as
IL,
began to spruce up considerably after he
had been at work a short time, and turned
out to be a very good-looking man. What
is more, he began to pay his attentions to
Mrs. Sterling, and, surprising as it
may seem, she was ;.r, somewhat
was about &c years old, and she turning the
ripe age of forty. He continued his atten-
tions. growing more bold every day, and the
matronly woman accepted with pleasure
his advances. This state of affairs had not
existed great while before the foreman of
the farm was told that his services were no
longer needed. The poor fellow accepted
his discharge, went to East st. Louis and
Joined the Metropolitan police force, where
he still remains to-day, while the tramp
who had now Mrs. Sterling's good will, was
installed as foreman at the Summerfield
farm.
About this time MIR. Sterling returned
home on a short visit. His wife seemed
greatly pleased to meet hin, and he returned
to the far West entirely ignorant of the
true state of affairs at Summerfeld, where
the summer days sped swiftly by; with Mrs.
Sterling and the tramp Smith growing more
intimate every day, and seeming in the
seventh heaven OF Happiness. Smith had by
this time metamorphosed himself into
gentleman with money which Mrs Ster-
ling furnished him freely. but still with not
as much liberality as he desired.
In September the pair began to quarrel
about the money. Smiths demands tor
more money grew to be of frequent &C.
currence and at last bitter quarrel resulted
in threat from Smith to kill Mrs. Sterling.
She had him arrested, but his lawyer got
him released ON some technically, and he
and Mrs. Sterling relapsed into intimacy
once more. HIS action finally got Mrs.
Sterling against him. She suddenly sold her
personal effects and went to Lebanon to live
with some friends named Bennett at the
same time leaving Smith no word as to
where she was going. He discovered her
within a few days, however, and since then
has been more or less intimate with her,
living part of the time at Lebanon, ILL.,, and
spending the rest of his time at Summer
field.
Last Wednesday morning the tramp men
toned above arrived in st. Louis,on one OF
boarding house at No. l, lis Locust street,
kept by Mrs. Locke. During the same day
he met Mrs. Sterling, who had just come to
st. Louis and was stopping with Mrs Ben
metal No. 1000 Olive street. Smith and Mrs.
Sterling probably met Yesterday, too, but
this is not known positively. This morn
ing, however, they did meet with the fol-
lowing result, as related to your correspond
ent by DR.. Hopkins, who Is boarder in the
house where the ARRAY took place. He said:
/ was sitting in the parlor at about a
quarter past II clock this morning, when
the hall. He talked very rational at first, but
afterward grew excited as he talked, and
seemed to be trying to induce the woman to
come up stairs TO his room with him. She
refused, although he kept on asking her re-
peatedly to come up with him. Each time
she refused he pressed hi, appeal the more
urgently and louder, until at last heard her
utter piercing scream. Rushing out into
the hall saw Smith with an ugly.iooking
knife IN his hand making repeated eff
forts to cut the woman, who was
struggling to gam possession of
the knife which had already made such ter
r1ble cash ON the throat and ear. As soon IS
Igrasped the wouldbe murderer and disarmed
him, the woman ran out doors. As she ran,
Mrs. Locke ran out, and, seeing the woman
was hurt. called, Don't let her run out
doors The woman is badly hurt and we
can help her." As Mrs LOCKE made this
remark Smith answered, sOh, let her CO."
He seemed surprise i st hearing that he had
cut her, and pretended that he knew moth
ing about having used a knife, or having
one in his possession. He was perfectly
sober at the time, SO far as l could gee.
In regard to the womsn's condition, it was
hard to determine what would be the out
come of the wounds inflicted until a further
examination was made. Her throat is cu
clean into the wind pipe. Her left ear il
cut nearly of, and she has several other ba6
cuts on the head and facs. Even should she
recover, she will be terribly disfgured.
Smith was interviewed in his cell, bu
pretended that he was so enraged that M
did not know what he was doing when b,
cut the woman. He further added tina
Jerry Bennett. who is the United State
detective for Central Illinois, was the caus
of all the trouble-supposibly meaning tina
he was jealous of Bennett who was also al
intimate friend of Mrs. Sterling. The sffai
has created quite a sensation here, owing b
the high standing of Mr.. Sterling, who a
one time was investigator of titles here, a
well as lawyer OF wealth. standing an
reputation.
Work for Women.
The New York Tribune says in recen
issue that nothing of late gives a NOR