A Horrible Case of Child-Murder
June 24, 1864
The Alleged Perpertrator A Woman - Verdict Of The Coroner's Jury.
Coroner Wildey was yesterday called upon to hold an inquest on the body of a little girl named Mary Gerrity, aged three years and three months, who, according to the verdict of the jury, rendered after a careful and thorough investigation of all the facts in the case, "came to her death by exhaustiion from injuries received at the hands of Dora Clinton. We furthermore consider that Wm. Clinton was an accessory."
From the testimony given by the witnesses on the inquest, we are able to give the following history of this truly revolting child-murder: About six months ago, Mr. Gerrity, the father of deceased, was accidentally killed in the City. At his death, he left a widow and four children, of whom deceased was the youngest. The widow had no means of support for herself and children, except by her own labor, and at the urgent solication of Mrs. Dora Clinton, seconded by her husband, William Clinton, the widow reluctantly consented to resign all rights to Mary, and give her to the Clintons, who were ro adopte her as their own child, and to educate and bring up as such. Mr. and Mrs. Clinton resised at No. 34 East Broadway, and are reputed to be in comfortable circumstances. The treatment which the child received at the hands of hr adopted mother is detailed in the following testimony:
Mary Wogan, testified: I live on the second floor of No. 34 East Broadway, in the same house where the prisoners, Mr. and Mrs. Clinton, reside; I have known them since the 5th or 6th of May last; the deceased child was in their posession and was a fine looking child; I have known Mrs. C. to ill-treat it; I have seen her go out and leave the child all day alone in the room locked up and with nothing to eat. and I have heard the child at such times crying with hunger; this happened three times that I know of; I have seen her beat it severely with her open hand all over the body and face; I have also heard the child being beaten several times. [This witness here testifies to having witnessed, from time to time, a series of cruelties inflicted on the child by Mrs. C. which ar almost too inhuman for belief and the details of which are unfit for publication].
Mary A. Gregory testified: I live in the same building that the prisoners do: I have seen Mrs. Clinton several times beat the child on the head, face and body with her hand; have seen her knock the child down, and when it got up, she would knock it down again; the child was taken away from Mrs. Clinton a week ago last Monday; I then saw marks of black and blue spots all over its body and face; I have known her to go out of a morning and leave the child stripped and tied to the bedstead, and I have heard the child moan and cry that she wa hungry and cold, and begged me to come down and let her out; the day the child was taken away, I saw marks on it which must have been made with a strap; O tried to gove the child some bread and butter when it was tied up alone, but I could not.
Ann Dowdell, of No. 258 East Eighteenth-street testified that she was an aunt of deceased; on Tuesday last she learned for the first time that the child had beeen badly beaten, and was with its mother at the Essex Market prison; witness went there and got the child and took her home; she had been very badly beaten; she told witness that Mrs. Clinton beat her on both sides, and that Mr. Clinton tied her up to the bed-post and whipped her; on Wednesday she began to lose her speech - she could take no nourishment; Dr. Fields came and prescribed for her; she bcame insensible , and continued so until she died on Wednessday morning; the deceased said to witness: "Mamma Clinton threw the slop-pair at me, and cut me on the chin."
Maria Slatterly, residing in the same house, testfied that she had seen one or two large cuts on the child's head, which had been made by Mrs. Clinton when the latter was in the act of punishing the deceased. Several other witnesses resideing in the premises corroborated the previous evidence.
Dr. George B. Bouton testified that, assisted by Dr. Blaisdell, he made a post mortem examination of the body of the deceased; that he found sixteen different marks and bruises on the head alone, besides many on the body and limbs; those on the forehead and other parts of the head were the most extensive and severe; the victim was very much emaciated, and the doctor had no doubt that death was produced by the blows it received, in connection with lack of nourishment.
Upon the rendition of the verdict above recited the Coroner commited Mr. and Mrs. Clinton to the Tombs, to await the further actions of the authorities. Mrs. Clinton is 20 years of age and her husband is 25 years, both natives of Ireland. He is by occupation a varnisher and polisher. He states that his wife kept the child against his wish; that he had often seen her slap it, but never saw her abuse it.