"A Midnight Visit to the Fourth Ward," National Police Gazette, May 2, 1868

On the night of the 14th Inst. [April 14], between eleven and twelve o'clock, Peter Johnson, of No. 9 Carlisle street, began to feel exceedingly desirous of cultivating the acquaintance of some fair siren in the Fourth ward. Accordingly, he proceeded to the bagnio, No. 5 New Chambers street, and began to make himself agreeable among the painted females who lounged on stools in the reception room. One of them, a girl named Sarah Smith, seemed at once to become peculiarly attractive in his eyes, and he treated her to all the luxuries the establishment could produce for money. She appeared to reciprocate his kind feeling, and drew him toward her occasionally in the most rapturous manner. After remaining under the influence of his charmer for some time, he tore himself away from her embraces, and on gaining the street, discovered that a $5 bill had mysteriously disappeared from his pantaloons pocket. Sarah was subsequently arrested by officer McGuire of the Fourth precinct, and brought before Justice Dowling, at the Tombs. Pete being unable positively to swear that she stole the money, the complaint had to be dismissed.

"A Son of St. Crispin and a Cyprian," National Police Gazette, May 9, 1868

Michael Bennett, although an aged son on St. Crispin, is quite a gallant in his way. He resides at No. 77 James street, and has a most profound attachment for young girls. Tired of lifting his eyes to behold the charms of the Fourth Ward "nymphs du pave," as they passed and repassed his establishment, he at length decided to have a good time on his own account, and for this purpose went to the house No. 381 Water street, on the night of the 28 ult. [April 28], and made love to several females. While glancing from face to face his attention was finally rivetted on a wretched looking female named Sarah Warnell, who enjoyed the distinction of having her nose parted in the center and her cheek split under the left eye. He retired with her to a convenient apartment having $45 in his possession, and soon after left without a cent. As alleged, while he was engaged in the pleasant amusement of praising her charms, and swearing that he would be her faithful lover until death, the greenbacks "departed" mysteriously. Office Craig of the Fourth Precinct on the same night took Sarah into custody. She told him where the money had been "planked," and he found $35. Subsequently the case came before Justice Dowling at the Tombs. The accused was sent for trail to the General Sessions.

"Mysterious Death -- A Possible Murder," New York Times, May 9, 1868, p. 8

At 11 :30 o'clock last evening JOHN SHERMAN approached Officer KIERNAN, of the Fourth Precinct, and said that his wife was dying. The officer accompanied SHERMAN to his home on the second floor rear of the tenement house, No. 67 James street, and there found the woman, MARY SHERMAN, not dying, but lying fully clothed upon the floor and dead. There was a wound as from some blunt instrument over the right eye, from which the blood had trickled down besmearing the face. The body was yet warm and the blood still fresh, showing that the wound had been given and death ensued but a few minutes before. Under these circumstances SHERMAN was arrested and locked up in the Fourth Precinct Station House to await an investigation by the Coroner.

The prisoner did not last evening give any explanation of the affair that was considered satisfactory, but the people in the house narrate circumstances that tend to show that death was either the result of accident, or that the husband, at least, did not have any hand in producing it. No quarreling was heard in the room, nor has the prisoner, who is said to be a sober, industrious man, been known to live unhappily with the deceased. The officer, when making the arrest, thoroughly searched the premises, but no instrument was found that showed any marks of having been used in the bloody work. The deceased was last seen by any of the other neighbors about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and at that time had no marks of violence. The husband at 8 o'clock was inquiring for her about the house, saying that she must be out, as the room-door was locked.

"The Supposed Wife Murder in James-street," New York Times, May 10, 1868

Coroner FLYNN commenced an inquest at the Fourth Precinct Police Station, yesterday, in the case of Mrs. MARY SHERMAN, who was found dead in the apartments occupied by herself and husband, JOHN, at No. 67 James-street, and who, it was supposed, came to her death by violence received at the hands of her husband, as published in the TIMES. Dr. THOS. C. KNOX, Deputy Coroner, made a post-mortem examination of the injuries on the person of deceased and found that they were not sufficient to cause death. The internal organs were found very much diseased from the use of intoxicating liquor, and death is supposed to have resulted from excessive intemperance. Mrs. BRIDGET CHARTRES, of No. 65 James-street, testified that she saw the deceased at 5 o'clock on Friday evening, apparently in good health. Her husband came in and she asked him for some money. He gave her a dollar and said, "for God's sake don't spend it in drink." The witness didn't see the woman again alive. Mrs. ELIZABETH O'BRIEN testified that, while in a room adjoining the apartments occupied by the SHERMANS, she heard the woman say, "for God's sake don't murder me , John." Several other witnesses were examined, but nothing of importance was elicited. The inquest was adjourned until ten o'clock this morning.

 

"The James-street Homicide -- John Sherman Committed for the Murder of his Wife," New York Times, May 11, 1868, p. 2

Coroner FLYNN yesterday morning, at the Fourth Precinct Station House, continued the inquest in the case of MARY SHERMAN, found dead at No. 67 James-street, Friday night, as heretofore reported. The following additional testimony was obtained yesterday:

Thomas C. Knox, M. D., Deputy Coroner, testified that, assisted by Dr. T. C. Martin, he had made a post mortem examination of the body of the deceased, and on examining the external aspect of the head, a scalp wound was discovered, one inch in length, over the right parietal bone, midway between the parietal suture and ear, and evidently inflicted by a blunt instrument. A contused wound was found over the parietal bone, one inch above the left occipital ridge. A penetrating wound, semi-linear in shape, was found at the outer angle of the left eye, and the left side of the face was considerably bruised and extravasated blood was found beneath each of the scalp wounds. About five ounces of clotted blood were found on the surface of the left hemisphere of the cerebrum, and the surface of the brain was much congested. In the opinion of the physicians, death resulted from extravasation ot blood consequent upon the injuries found upon the head.

James Kiernan, patrolman of the Fourth Precinct, testified that Friday night, between 10 and 11 o'clock, he was on duty in James-street, when the prisoner, John Sherman, came up and said he wanted him; the officer asking him what was the matter; Sherman replied that there was an accident up stairs, and his wife was either dying or dead; the officer went to the room with Sherman, aud saw at once that the woman was dead, and so told him; one of the tenants, Mrs O' Brien, told the officer that she had heard quarreling during the evening between the deceased and her husband: the story told by Sherman was that he was at the door twice during the evening and could not get in, and the third time he found the door unlocked, and going in found his wife lying on the floor with a shawl over her head; Sherman was then taken into custody, and locked up in the Fourth Precinct Station House.

The case was then given to the jury with this testimony, together with that taken on Saturday, and already published, when a verdict was rendered that the deceased had come "to her death by injuries received at the hands of her husband, John Sherman, on the 8th day of May, 1868." The accused being then formally examined, said his name was John Sherman, is a laborer, a native of Ireland, 38 years of age, and in answer to the charge, said "Not Guilty." He was committed to the Tombs, by Coroner Flynn, to await the action of the Grand Jury.

"A Wife Assaulted," New York Times, June 15, 1868

"Wife-Murder in Water-street -- Arrest of the Assassin, " New York Times, June 20, 1868

At about 1 o'clock this morning THERESE NICHOLSON, a German woman, 30 years of age, was instantly killed by her husband, PATRICK NICHOLSON, an Irishman, 25 years old.

The ill-assorted pair were married about four years, but the union, never a happy one, was violently ruptured three months since by a separation, the wife going to work at the concert saloon, No. 153 Chatham- street, and consorting with one FREDERICK CATON, a printer. It would seem that efforts have been made upon the part of the husband to effect a reconciliation, as the wife informed one of her companions early last evening that she was to meet PATRICK at 9 o'clock and make a final choice between him and CATON. Whether this meeting took place or not was not ascertained, as the husband was not noticed in the saloon. At about 12:30 o'clock the wife left the saloon in company with CATON to go to the house where she lodged, No. 329 Water street. As they entered the door of the house the husband was encountered in the hallway. Without saying a word he leveled a pistol at his wife and fired. The bullet took effect in her head, entering a little above the left ear, and she fell to the floor dead. NICHOLSON attempted to spring through the door to the street, but was seized by CATON and held for a moment until the arrival of Officer ROONEY, of the Fourth Precinct, who hearing the shot had hurried up. NICHOLSON was then secured and taken to the Oak-street Station House, when he was locked up. The body of the murdered woman was removed to the same place, and put in one of the rooms, to await the action of the Coroner.

The prisoner made no excuses for the crime he had commited, and indeed did not attempt any explanation of the affair.

At 9 o'clock last evening an affrau occurred on the sidewalk opposite the dance house No .95 Cherry-street , between FRANCIS WELTON, an Italian sailor, and PETER KIAS, a native of Manilla, in which the former was severely stabbed in the abdomen. The wounded man was removed to the hospital and KIAS was arrested and locked up in the Fourth Precinct Station House.

"General City News: Another Probable Homicide," New York Times, Sept. 17, 1868, p. 5

At 10 o'clock last evening an affray occurred on the sidewalk in front of No. 80 James-street, in which JAMES GIBBONS, of No. 319 Water-street. was stabbed in the lowe part of the abdomen, receiving a probably fatal wound. The assailants were JOHN MUSKA and JOHN WILDERBOCH, German sallors. but the stabbing was done by MUSKA.. They were both arrested by Officer MUSGROVE, of the Fourth Precinct, and taken to the Oak-street Station-house, where they represented that they were going peaceably along the street, when they were assailed by GIBBONS without any provocation, and that MUSKA finally used a small pen-knife in self-defence and without any design of causing any serious injury. GIBBONS was removed to Bellevue Hospital by the Police after his wound had been hastily dressed. He is represented by the authorities to be a notorious character and to have recently completed a term at Sing Sing.

"General City News: Casualties," New York Times, Sept. 17, 1868, p. 5

Yesterday afternoon, MORRIS EARLS, of No. 10 Roosevelt-street, fell through a hatchway from the third story of the building corner of Madison and Roosevelt streets, fracturing two ribs and injuring a leg. He was removed to Bellevue Hospital.