"In the fall of 1837, among other agents and helpers at the City Mills was on William Lyman who was employed in many ways, and especially bought wheat and other grains for the Mills, and was entrusted at times with large sums of money. He was one of the most faithful and conscientious men that could be found... This man ... one Monday night in October, 1837—not very late in the evening—having closed his business for the day, at the City Mills, started going to his home, on North Clinton Street, near the corner of what is now Clinton Place. At that time the west side of Clinton street, and nearly through to St. Paul, was an open green, and when Lyman was on that green, and not far from his house, a murderer stealthily crept along behind and near him, and shot him through the back of his head, killing him outright! This was the first murder committed in our corporation—the beginning of a long and bloody record..."
—![[WWW]](https://rocwiki.org/wiki/eggheadbeta/img/sycamore-www.png){kind=small}
Excerpt from a letter published by Rochester History Vol. IV January, 1942
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Local resident Michael Keene's recreation of this historic event played at the International Film Festival May 7th.
