The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-07-04

having wife and FIVE children, aud poneiiing
Herewith a competence, and every means of
rendering himtelt aud family happy, took occa-
lion few nights ago, Whit they ell llept, to
murder them IN the moi cruel and barbarous
manner.
con the day preceding this horrid cataftrs-
phe, Reute was, with iome friends s. the whole
OF his family on pleatue at Wanibeck. a plea
FAINT village few miles from Hamburger. Ahout
nine in the evening they all returned TO town .
and between the hours OF one ard four next
morning, 1t is believed, he had been employed
IN the horrid work of maiiacrcinc all his "a
mily
"The eldeft, girl about Is years of ace.
from the condition fhe was in when found in
the morning, appeared to have truggled levere-
ly with this monitor in human form. as fbe had
received many cuts and tabs in different parts
OF her body. During the awful conflict. long
had The, doubtlefs, petitioned for mercy-but
In vain determined on his ianguinary p,,rpoie,
and equally caAous tothe feelings, and inaccef-
iinie TO the iait cries of humanity, he had, by
amt OF perseverance,, tuCceeded in alynoh fever
ing her head nom her body. His wife and the
other four children, whichwere boys, had their
necks cut nearly afunder, it is fuppofed while a
ileep, leavngnota ipark otlifein them, exccptthe
youngeft, who flirvived intheasonies Of death a.
bout vehours. What isihocking toremark con-
Corning the child lat mentioned, las it proves
HIM capable OF deliberate determination is,
that to effect his cruel purpoie, and complete
the maiiacre, he had taken this, his vounpel(
child, out of bed from between two children he
had for tuition belonging to merchant.
Early IN the morning he left the houle, de-
hring the 1ervant not to awake her mitreiS, or
any ofthe family, till he returned. The gates
or the city opening at IN carly hour, he fkulked
he a,ntl rat,-
where he made a flight attempt TO cut his own
throat; and had laid down on his face, by fome
water. endeavouring to bleed gently to death.
L" The horrid traniaction was, however foon
diicovered, and reported through the city,
And IN the afternoon of the fame day, two gem
tlemen who were out fporting, came to the
place where Reufe was laid and finding him
IN the iituation already defcribed, enouired if
he was the wretch who had murdered his fami
ly in the morning He anfwered in the affir-
NATIVE at the lame time begging for fome wa
ter TO drink, which was refufed him. He was
then taken and at the dead hour of the NIGHT.
Ito tecure him from the vengeance of the peo-
ple) he was conveyed to his own houfe, TO be-
holdthe awful fcene, in orderto obtain, fpoflible
confefiion OF the motives which induced him
to commit an act of fuch fingular barbarity: but
ne aihgned no other reafon for his conduct
than the loiing of trihing -fiit, and the pre-
pofterous idea of love to his family, which, he
laid, prompted him tofaye them from the direfuI
consequences.
&C 1t is, however, remarkable, that previousto.
the commiffon of this fanguinary act, he had
never evnced any fyfhptoms ofinfanity.
Having property, hewas confnedin a COM
Portable Prifon, where hefpent his time in play-
ing at cards and other amuiements.
"P. S. On Mondaythe 9th of March R eufe
was racked by wheel, which came down I8
times on his neck, arms, and limbs, &c.-it was
knocking fight -