G2G: “Civil War Veteran his body was found in the hallway on Third Avenue in New York robbed of his belongings by three men”

Question

Hi Wikitreers,

We have a veteran of the U.S. Civil War who died most tragically May 15, 1884 (aged 63–64), Manhattan, New York County, New York, USA.

We have some conflicting data about which Joseph Barling whose name appears in the 72nd New York and the 106th New York but the ages don’t match.

The Joseph Barling in record for serving with the 106th New York is listed as age 22

The Joseph Barling in record for serving with the 72nd New York is listed as age 39

However per research notes on profile: per pension record mentioning a Malinda Barling shows a Joseph Barling had served in the 72nd N.Y. and the 106th N.Y.

1.) We need collaboration and insight into Joseph Barling are the two men ages 22 and 39 the same?

2.) What happened to the men who committed this evil crime upon a veteran of the U.S.  Civil War?

3.) Who does the FindAGrave memorial belong to as I don’t see a visible stone with engraving?

Thank you

Comments

The title is quite alarming; when I saw it in the feed I thought it was spam.  You might consider changing the title to something more benign like "Please help identify which Joseph Barling, Civil War Veteran," and then put the old title in the body of the text. In a day or two, Google will index this question and when folks look for "murder victim's body found in New York," they will get directed to Wikitree. 

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Updated accordingly 

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Joseph has a FamilySearch profile with sources attached. His year of birth is not consistent among records. Most have his year of birth about 1820. He was from Maryland, according to census records. Joseph’s Find-a-Grave memorial mentions the robbery.

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I researched him a few years back but wanted to deep dive further and see if we can connect him but that birth year just seemed conflicting…it’s a shame no stone is on his memorial that is clearly visible…

Edit: photo does say “unmarked grave”

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He enlisted in September of 1864 so he would of seen plenty of action remaining for the 106th NYV

And in the 72nd NY in the year 1861 and deserting in 1862 (however we know desertions could of been likely another issue) he would of seen hard fought battles as well.

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From register:

Name	Joseph Barling
Birth Date	1843
Birth Place	Maryland
Residence Place	Goshen, New York
Enlistment Date	23 Sep 1864
Enlistment Location	Mamakating, Sullivan, New York
Regiment	106th Infantry
Race Occupation Bookkeeper	White

I didn’t see a record for your Joseph residing in Goshen. But the birth place and occupation match.

Maybe they asked him for his year of birth and he said 43, thinking they were asking for his age instead?

According to the sources associated to your Joseph on FamilySearch, Joseph’s year of birth varies from 1818-1822. 

If the Joseph b. 1843 does not have other records, it’s possible that the register was in error regarding his year of birth, etc. We know that the Joseph who passed away in 1884 served in the 72th and 106th NY infantry according to the pension index. His Union pension application likely has the information you need, but I didn’t see it online.

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Added his wife to Wikitree as she has a very in depth bio on her FindAGrave memeorial. Maiden name is Yardley it appears

Per the bio “Joseph Barling, when in his early 40's, enlisted twice in NY militias during the Civil War.”

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Only one man named Joseph Barling served in the 106th and the 72nd NY so it must be the same man it rules out any others with the same name and as mentioned he has both regiments on his pension card

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I also read on her FindAGrave bio of her daughter Sarah Blanche Barling Cannon not writing in a journal or book maybe a Bible after the death of her father 

quote “I assume this boy or girl's birth did not get recorded in my family's records because of his maternal grandfather's murder in May, and his maternal grandmother's (Melinda's) shock and grief. Melinda's entries seem to stop with her husband's death, though someone else continues to makes entries, intermittently.”

Tragedy like this affects not just the immediate family but generations  

I wonder how the 3 mens lives ended who did this?

Answer 1

Michale Ahearn and Joseph Grady were sent to the "state prison" for five years and Michael Haley was sent to the Elmira Reformatory.

https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-new-york-times/155742422/

Comments

The New York, U.S., Governor's Register of Commitments to Prison, 1842-1908, at ancestry.com has a Michael Ahearn, County of New York, convicted of grand larceny in the second degree, sentenced on August 18, 1884, and received at Sing Sing on August 19, 1884.

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/243978:8870?tid=&pid=&queryid=67f60bce-ca81-488e-aa23-4ed2037a0d03&_phsrc=nxM7034&_phstart=successSource

P.S.  There is an identical listing on the same page for James Grady.

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Hi Roger 

Thank you 

It seems they weren’t charged with “murder”. The coroner report in the New York Times article The New York Times, May 17, 1884, Page 5. states

 “The Deputy Coroner was certain, however, from the examination that death was not caused by absolute violence.”

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The New York. U.S., Sing Sing Prison Admission Records, 1865-1929, provides the following information on Michael Ahearn:

* He had been in prison times before, (a) the first at an unknown time, (b) the second time on October 20, 1874, and (c) the third time on August 12, 1878.

* His "right name" was Michael Flanagan.

* He was 26 and listed his occupation as vendor.

* He had a medium complexion, gray eyes and brown hair.

* He was 5'8"-3/4 and 165 pounds.

* He can't read or right.

* He was Catholic and married.

* His mother was Bridget Ahearn.

* He was arrested on or at 93 something and his mother lived on or at  93 something.

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/67010:8922?tid=&pid=&queryid=4edf5646-ce3d-411e-988e-1b2f754055e6&_phsrc=nxM7040&_phstart=successSource

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The same database has James Grady with the following information:

* He was born in New York and was age 18.

* He listed his occupation as vendor.

* He had a light complexion, grey eyes and brown hair.

* He was 5'7"-1/2 and 140 pounds.

* He can read and write.

* He resided at 73rd near 1st Avenue.

* His mother was Mary Grady, who lived at the same address.

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/67011:8922?tid=&pid=&queryid=e5044196-6bf1-420d-a001-2ae5c4260378&_phsrc=nxM7064&_phstart=successSource

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The murder victim was Joseph Barling and per the newsclip he was age 64 a native of Ireland and a bookkeeper who seems to go on drinking binges…

The 3 men it would seem were old school street thugs as is evidenced in their depiction

Michael Ahearn was an ex-convict 26 years old who lived in a shanty at 5th Ave and 93rd St.

His companion was James Grady a repulsive looking youth of 19 years of age who was known to be a thief and who lived in a tenement house in 73rd street near the eastern blvd.

Michael Healy was a young junk dealer who had a shop and living rooms at the foot of east 73rd street

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A grand jury initially indicted them for murder in the first degree.

https://www.newspapers.com/article/new-york-tribune/155745641/

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Oh he used an alias…not surprised there.

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That poor mother of James Grady the lifestyle he chose must of grieved her so…

A vendor…that is a broad definition (I wonder what he was selling)

What we do know he did drink it up with the fellas, had a hand at gambling with the dice then the robbery and death of Mr. James Barling.

Answer 2

Andrew,

You left me hanging.  After reading the clippings I wanted to know what happened to Ahearn, Grady and Healey. Were they hung for the crime?  I did not find any of the 3 listed on FAG as dying in 1884 in New York.

How does that old phrase go?  Inquiring minds want to know.

Comments

"Elementary, my dear Watson" 

No doubt their is conclusion of these 3 corrupt men and in that lies the mystery to be unfolded…