Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1837-1839, 1837-07-01
TRUTH STRANGER THAN FICTION.

VIC witnessed the most tragical scene at Yancy
Superior Court, that has ever been acted ia any
Court III North CaroliH3. The facts were as fol-
lows. About tyvo years since, man by tho
namo of john Wilson, married Elizabeth Rey Of
That coun,y.-Thcy lived together about seven
" ccks; some disturbance took place which
Cd their separation. Six months ago the husband
filed petition for Divorce setting forth various
causcs--dcclaring that he was young and incxpc-
ricnccd when he married her, and not
q,iainted with her true character, that her con-
duct during tho time they lived together, in
supportab!c, and by him could not be endured.
She answered that they were raised in the same
ncighborhood, and had known each other from
their infancy up that he knew her character and
circumstances in life perfectly well when he ma:
ricd her, ana had taken her with his eyes open to
all her frailties; she positively denied ever hav-
ing been guilty CT any misconduct, during the
time they lived together, but that she acted TO-
wards him the part of an aficctionatc wife. She
further asserted that when he about to leave
her, he made no charges against her, but gave as
his reason for separation, that he did not nor had
he ever loved her; that his friends had induced
him TO ,n,rry her merely for her property, and that
he had asccrtaincd that he could not enjoy life
with person he did not love.
At the last Court an issue was made up and
submitted to jury. The petition and answer
having been read, evidence was then introduced
which proved decidedly in favor Of the petition
or. On the part Of the plaintiff, the cause was
submitted without any argument, but the counsel
tor the dcfcndcnf resisted the divorce by a long
and feeling speech, in which he alluded to the
solcn'nity Of the marriage vow, the mutual duties
imposed on the parties, and the want Of sufficient
cause in that case to dissolve the bonds Of matr-
mony
During the inv cstigation the parties were both
IN Court. The husband apparently young
and simple, and in fact mere boy, and there was
nothing IN the least prcposscssing in his appear
ancc. The wife seemed something older and OIL
together the superior. She is fine looking wO-
man, with dark hair, black eyes, and a very cx-
prcssivc facc--shc manifested great interest in
the trial.
The jury after retiring few moments return
cd a verdict for the plaintiff. The parties were
still in their seats behind the bar, some six or
eight fcot distant from each other; the wife asked
n gentleman by whom she was sitting, for his
knife, tito trim her finger nails; she felt Of the
edge, rose to her feet paused moment, turned
Paio, hcr Dyes mashed IRE, and then suddenly
sprang forward with the drawn knife and aimed
ut her husband deadly blow. But fortunately
Il lady who standing by saw her get the
knife, and pcfcciving from her countenancc that
she was meditating something of a desperate
character, watched her until she the blow
aimed at the unsuspecting husband, and instant
ly seized the arm Of the Infatuated wife and d.
vertcd the weapon from the object at which it
was aimed; but determined on her hcllish pur-
pose, she threw the knife with great violence at
her husband and turning, made most furious at
tack on her whose hand had arrested the blow
and thwartcd the wicked dcsign.-Tho court or
dcrcd her into custody; she was arrested and
borne out Of the Court, making the most wild e.
frantic cxcama tions-calling to her husband in
the most tender and passionate language, and
seemed to be entirely dcrangcd.
! Her conduct was strange and unaccountable
but all who witnessed the scene agreed that she
must have loved her husband. She had listened
attcntivcy to the investigation of the whole mat.
ter, heard the pathetic speech of her counsel
and then the verdict of the jury pronouncing the
final separation, she felt that she loved him above
all others, and the idea that he then at liberty
was than she could endure. Her heart wa.
devoted to him. and sooner than see him pledged
to another, she would see him die, that too b.
her own hand, in the presence of the Court ant
the multitude that surrounded her. Of the con
sequences Ito herself she never thought. nor 70
them cared; they could not have been create
than death, and no doubt she felt at that moment
that she would gladly take refuge in the arms O
death. She remained in Jail until the next morn
ing, when she was brought before the Court, and
after being severely reprimandcd, was sentence
to five days imprisonment, for contempt of tn
Court, and required to give bond and security 70
her good behaviour for the next twenty MONTHS
Rutherford Gazette.
, From the New York S.ar.
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