Lydia Sherman: The Poisoner of the 19th Century
Introduction
Lydia Sherman was a notorious 19th-century serial killer who used poison to murder her victims, including three husbands and several children. Her crimes, committed between the 1860s and early 1870s, shocked the public and earned her the infamous title of the "Poison Fiend." She primarily used arsenic, a common and difficult-to-detect poison at the time, to carry out her murders.
Victims
Lydia Sherman methodically poisoned members of her own family, including her husbands and stepchildren. Below is a list of her known victims:
- Edward Struck (First Husband) - Died in 1864 in New York after being poisoned with arsenic.
- Three Stepchildren (Children of Edward Struck) - Poisoned between 1864 and 1865, names unknown.
- Second Husband (Unknown Name) - Died from arsenic poisoning in the late 1860s.
- Horatio N. Sherman (Third Husband) - Poisoned in 1871 in Derby, Connecticut.
- Three Children of Horatio Sherman - Poisoned one by one after their father’s death.
Method of Murder
Sherman used arsenic, often mixed into food or medicine, to slowly poison her victims. Arsenic poisoning mimics the symptoms of natural illnesses, making it difficult to detect at the time. She was able to get away with multiple murders before suspicion finally fell on her.
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