The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1837-05-19
TRAGICAL SCENE.

at fancy Superior Court, that has ever
been acted in any court m North Carolina
The facts were as follows About two wear:
since a man by the name Of John Wilson
married Elizabeth Rey Of that county
They lived together about seven weeks
when some disturbance took place which
caused their separation. Six months agc
the husband filed petition for divorce, set
ting forth various causes-declariug that he
was young and inexperienced when he mar
ried her, and was not acquainted with her
true character, that her conduct during The
time they lived together, was insupporiabIe
and by him could not be endured. She an
swered, that they were raised in the came
neIghborhood, and had known each Other
from their infancy up; that he knew her char.
acter and circumstances in life perfectly
well when be married her, and had taken
her with his eyes open TO all her frailies
she positively denied ever having been gull.
/ ~ OF any misconduct, during the time they
lived together, but that she acted towards
him the part Of an afscilouate wife. She
farther asserted that when he was about 10
leave her, be made no charges against her,
bu, gave as his reason for separation, that
! be dad not nor had he ever loved her that
his friends bad induced HIM to marry her
merely for her property, and that he had
ascertaIned he could not ENJOY lie with a
woman he did not love.
Al the last court an issue was made up
aud submitted 10 a Jury. The petition and
answer having been read, evidence was then
introduced which proved decidedly in favor
Of the petitioner. On the part Of the plain.
iiii the case was submitted without aus ar.
eumeni, but the counsel for the defendant
resisted the divorce By long aud feeling
speech, IN which he alluded to the solemn.
" OF the marriage vow, the mutual duties
Il imposed on the parties, and the want OF
sufficient Cause in that case TO dissolve the
bonds Of matrimony.
During ihIs investigation the parties were
both IN court. The husband was apparent.
ly young and simple, aud IN fact mere
boy, and there was nothing in the leas, pre-.
possessing N his APPEARANCE. The wife
seemed something older aud altogether the
superior. Size is a fine looking woman,
With dark hair, black eyes and very ex.
press've face She manifested great interest
IN the trial.
The Jury after retiring a Few moments
returned verdict for the plaintiff, The
pariies we're still 10 their seats behind the
bar, some SIX or eight fee, disian, from each
other, the wife asked gentleman BY whom
she was setting for his knife as il TO trim
her finger uaIls; she felt Of the edge, rose
to her feet, paused a moment, turned pale,
her eyes flashed fire, and she suddenly
sprang forward with the dawn knife ard
aimed al her husband deadly blow. But
fortunately, lady who was standing by
saw her &c; the knife, and perceived from
her connlenauce that she was meduatinc
something Of a desperate character, watch,
ed her until She saw the blow aimed al the
throat OF The unSuspectiug husband, she in.
siantly sciXcd the arm of TIE lnlurialed wife
and diverted The weapon from the object at
which II was aimed but determined 4, her
tcllish purpose, she threw the knife with
great violence at her husband and turning,
made a most furious attack on her whose
hand had arrested the blow and thwar,ed
the wicked design. The court ordered her
into custody /; she was arrested and borne
out Of the court, making the most wlld
and frantic misunderstanding 10 her hus.
band IN the mosl tender aud passionate Ian.
guagc, and seemed 10 be entirely derangcd.
Her conduct was strange and unsccoun.
table, but all " no witnessed the scene agree
that she must have loved her husband
She had listened attcnlively to the ln,eSt.
CATION 1.-THE whole matter, heard the pathetic
speech Of her counsel, and then the verdict
OF The Jury pronounclng their dnal separa.
ton; she telt that she loved him above all
others, aud the idea that he was then al LID.
cr,y To marry again ltor that was said TO
be his Object was more than she could en-.
dure. Her hear, was devoted to him, and
sooner than see him pledged to another she
would see HIM die, and that Too hy her own
hand, IN the presence of the court and the
multitude that surrounded her. Otthe con.
sequences 10 herself she never thought, nor
for them cared; they could ne, have been
greater than death, and no doub, she felt at
thai moment that she would gladly take re.
tuge IN the arms Of death. She remained
IN jail until the next morning, when she was
brought before the court, and after being
severely reprimanded, was sentenced 10 five
days Imprisonment, for contempt to the
court, and required to give bond and secu.
rl'y for her good behavior for the next