Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1881-06-09
MANAGES MURDER0US ACT
IN EASTEIsN SHOREM1N CHdZED
ny REELECTION.
Claiming to be the Som of God He
Murderousiy Attacks His Wife and
Child.


An Associated Press dispatch from
Crisileld, Somerset county, Maryland,
dated June Sd, gives the following details
OF horrible case OF religious phrensy 1:
The people OF this community were
greatly excited this morning by the
announcement that Elijah Sterling, re-
siding short distance from Asbury
Church, had murdered his wife and
severely wounded his oldest child. Dur
ing last night Sterling, who haG for some
time past been considered dangerously
insane, became involved in II religions
alteration with his wife, during which
he claimed that he was the son of God.
Mrs. Sterling tried to quiet him and in
order to get out of the way made AN ex-
cuse to go up stairs. On her return
Sterling met her ut the foot of the stairs
and began an assault on her with a
hatchet.
During the scullle her eldest son started
to run out of the house, which caused the
crazy man to leave his bleeding wife and
attempt the life of his son. He only sue
ceeded, however, i'll nilicting flesh
wound on his arm before the boy made
his escape. In the meantime Mrs. Sterling
had dragged herself from the house and
hidden in the bushes surrounding it.
Sterling returned to the bed room aud set
up a most demoniacal yelling, Mrs. Sterling
succeeding in dragging herself to a
neighbor's and giving the alarm.
On examination it WAS found she was
wounded by very severe and dangerous
cash in the head, above the left eye, II
most horrible cash in the back OF the
neck and several other very severe
wounds OH the body. AT last reports she
was said to be dying.
The Baltimore SUMS special gives
more circumstantial account of the affair.
According to the Suns correspondent
Mrs. Sterling is about ten years her hus-
bands senior. They Lived quietly to.
gethef, and were seemingly. happy, at
odd intervals the husband beuaine silly,
and to such an extent at times that his
Stiffness bordered on lunacy. During the
war he served on the Union side as a pri-
vate in Company q, Purneil's Legion, and
at the battle OF Antietam, it is said, cou-
pletely lost his wits when sheep, with
its entrails hanging out, suddenly daited
through the lines and started for the
place where Sterling was standing. His
mind is said to have forsaken him at the
approach OF the sheep, and lie rushed
away from the battlefield and deserted.
The officers allowed him to escape, believ-
ing that the man was crazy.
After the war his lunaey was not ap-
parent, though people still thought him
rattle Drained, About two weeks ago he
astonished everybody by appearing on
the streets with bible under his arm
a nd tnIIlisl,- I.pnnl nlai i,Iin.r NJ La.
agent OF Jesus Christ, and that his mission
upon earth was to redeem the erring.
This strange freak created great deal of
talk, but, as the fellow seemed harmless,
he was allowed to roam through the
streets unmolested. Two days ago his
mother, Loyey Sterling, died, and this so
worked upon his mind that his lunacy
took tiercer aspect.
Thursday night his family, consisting
of himself, wife and two boys, aged
respectively Is and 13 years, retired to
bed az usual, all sleeping in one room,
which is on the ground floor of the build
ing. Near midnight he woke up, reused
his wife and tried to convince her that he
was the special agent he had declared
himself to be. Becoming frightened, it
is said that she sprang out of bed, and,
pretending that she was going for addi-
tional bed covering, went up stairs.
1t is alleged that the moment she reap
peared he struck her with his fist, and
then, made furious by the sight of blood,
picked up u hatchet and dealt her several
terrible blows over the head. 1t is sup
posed that he then knelt down over her
PROSTATE figure, and, putting her head
on his knee, tried to cut the head oil
with n sharp Barlow knife. The screams
Of the mother awakened the boys, the
younger Of whom opened the front door
and escaped unhnrt, but Alfred, the
eldest, was caught by the nadman and
cut twice on the right arm. The boy
managed to break loose FROM him, how
ever, and ran to the house of neighbor
without receiving further injury. The
father followed him for short distance,
and while he WAS away Mrs. Sterling re-
covered consciousness and ciawled out
the door.
Sterling was arrested by Messrs. John
Cullen, McClelland, Merrell and Jesse
Sterling, who handed him over to Magis
trate Horsey, who committed him to Jail.
While in the lookup Sterling attempted
tn commit suicide by banging his head
against the walls. He was afterwards taken
to the Jail at Princess Anne by Sheriff
McCrrady.
Sterling says that an angel appeared
before him and told d. IN that il was the
Divine will that lie should kill his wife.
lie loved his wife, he said, but the word
of the Lord must be ubeyed. His
statements are rambling and contra
dietory. lie also says that he sharpened