Tragedy at Sing Sing - 1867

Tragedy at Sing Sing

Chenango Telegraph & Chronicle, June 19, 1867

A shocking tragedy occurred in the village of Sing Sing [Westchester Co., NY] on Thursday afternoon.  A man about 38 years of age, named Cabel Frisbie, a respectable mechanic who has formerly borne an irreproachable character, became enamored of a young girl of good standing in Sing Sing, and although himself a married man, improper intimacies are believed to have existed between them.  John Bircham, also a citizen of that place, became cognizant of the state of affairs, initiated two or three chums in the secret, and formed a plan to intrude upon their intimacy.  A note was accordingly addressed to the girl, threatening to expose her conduct unless she should meet them at a rendezvous stipulated in the note. The girl, fearing exposure, met them at the appointed time when Bircham's plan was fully accomplished, and she was allowed to depart.  She subsequently informed Frisbie of the matter, and he, being greatly exasperated, resolved upon having revenge.  Not obtaining a correct idea from the girl in regard to the projector of the affair, on Wednesday afternoon he sought out a Mr. N., whom he believed to be the party, and challenged him to fight a duel, handing him a pistol, and appealing to his manhood for courage to meet him.  N. refused and other parties, interfering, an explanation was made, which proved satisfactory to Frisbie--About 6 o'clock Thursday evening Frisbie met John Bircham near his (Bircham's) residence, in the lower part of the village, when he drew two pistols, and handing one to Bircham, challenged him to "measure off ten paces, and fight him like a man." Bircham refused, and another party interfered and succeeded in getting possession of the weapons.  The two were finally separated and Bircham thinking Frisbie only meant to frighten him paid no further attention to the affair. About 10 o'clock in the evening Bircham went to the restaurant and billiard saloon of Jennings & Lee on Main St., where our informant met and had a conversation with him.

 

Directly Frisbie came to the door and calling Bircham said, "Come out, I want to have a talk with you."  Bircham went to the door and followed him down to the sidewalk, when Frisbie without a word turned round, drew a revolver and presenting it to Bircham's head, fired, the ball striking him in the left side of the face, shattering his jaw and lodging in the cheek on the right, breaking the under jaw bone on both sides.  Bircham turned to run, when Frisbie again fired, the ball going in at the back of the head and passing out through the mouth. The wounded man staggered upon the stoop exclaiming, "I'm shot."  Frisbie, after firing the second shot, ran across the road into a building upon which some repairs were being made. The men witnessing the tragedy hesitated to follow him, until a constable appeared with a lantern, when the building and adjacent property was thoroughly searched, but the assassin could not be found.  Bircham was taken to his residence, and medical assistance called in. At 12 o'clock on Friday night he was still alive, though no hopes of his recovery were entertained.  Up to that hour no trace of the murderer had been obtained.