Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1839-10-10
Prom The Philadelphia Inquirer.
TIE RECENT MURDER.

rum me fhtddftpftd inquirer.
THE RECENT MURDER
knowing the Anxiety thai exists Ia the public mud
IN relation 10 The recent tragedy in Chesnu, street
We have endsavouted 10 obtain any additional par
enlns thai might seem calculated To affect or expalf
the case. On Monday nighl, after his arrival Al
prison, Mr.. Wood wepi for hours like a child. -
Yesterday morning he was somewhat more com.
posed aud expressed his poignant grief At the dread
ful occurrence. lie remembered the affair OF The
preceding dty only as dream, aud could name
the part Of the house ~ which the fatal ragged, was
enacted.
II Is said that he has heretofore been subject TO
fits OF Temporary Insanity he Is, and has
been exceedingly nervous, and very readily excited
and thai DUNG The existence Of lhuse nervous par
osysms. lar has frequently been out Of his m,nd.-
A friend sho has been IN The habit Of visiting the
house for tso three years for the purpose OF Oh
faining ice cream and coffee. and who il quite In
innate with all the members Of Tho family, informs
Us that during Vs,f short time since, he obseTy
ed thai Sarah Ann Wood The daughter, was appa.
rcniiy detected ADD in III health. lie so expressed
himself TO her, ADD suggested the proproty OF
casionai walk. Il that were impossible during the
wert, stsit TO church OIL the Sabbath.
/ To al fhls. she sook her head despondnsly, and
iuiimatsd that she could noi very we'll avail herself
of the suggestion. Feeling interested IN The matter
our friend 'entured TO make similar hluls TO the e.
ther.-ile SAID that the gnl vas eyident, too much
confined. and that The condition of her health alb
soluteiy required some change. The father .a,d he
thought our iurud was mis- * en- aud observed that
children WIRE bound to attend To their parents, bu
sness, and hat his dij Tle same gentleman then
dche1tets urged the propnciy ant advantage II het
going 10 church, Al least, the Sabbath. The IA
,hef replied HAT be DID not think much Of those
things After some further persuasion on the parl
OF our friend, the conversation dropped.
+ The pisinls. II seems, were bought on Saturday
1 last At an establishment IN North Second street.
Not having any balls TO SUIT, the sellers had some
mr. AT he
The four pistols FOR hun. lie was cool and delibe
rae, and III reply 10 question. gave his name as
James Wood, but declined having the pistols sen,
to his house. ceiling somewhat suspicious man
was sent TO watch HIM. and he folio ed as fai
down as Moyamensng, where he entered u brick
house, aud suspicion was thus ayer,ed from his !,
IDENTIFY as Wood the Confectionei. Mrs. Wood
continued TO eNcldn, immediately after the rash &C
he did not do the did not do IL !" She wa,
more composed ycsicIday. and some Of tho neph
bors had charge OF The house, and were supet,n
tending matters Connected with The funeral which i,
TO take place this morning Mr. Peak the HUSBAND
OF the unfortunate victim, was 10 tho room with tn,
corpse Tor long time ON Monday evening. II,
seemed deeply affected, wished 10 SIT up ali nigh
with the body, and gave tie unhappy family all III,
assistance and consolation in his power fl il sal,
OF him, that his conduct throughout, has been man
y and deeorous.
From The Philadelphia Herald
MR.. PEAK
Some of our readers have apned from the ar
hele IN our paper Of yesterday tha, we intended 1,
convey the Impression that Mr.. Peak was com
mon gambler We know nothing of the gentleman
and certainly did not intend to impute to him an,
offence OF The Kind. We spoke only Of the bpht /,
which tho father Mr., Wood, viewed him.
From he Philadelphia Pennsylvanian.
! THE LATE MURDER lit may not be ami,
al moment like this, when the public mind is deep
aud naturally ag'Ialed ut the almost inc onceiya
hlR mn nj IIaa A
Ter ny father whose affections seemed to be wrap
ped up IN her To glance al the causes which main
y contributed TO The appalling event; Tor. II we az
correct 10 our suppositlon, as have good reaso
tn believe we are, the narrative bears with IL an i'm
pfess"e moral,-one likely to sink deep nj such
Time. Deeds OF airociiy among those whose live
are habnnaliy vicious and who wanting in intel
hgenee anu education TO restrain their passions ar
not 50 much To be wondered at. but IN the e,s
"h'en no" a2"a'es the community, those compare
= tive palliatons are not TO be found. The unbann
wood, though man OF gloomy and suspic,ou
nature and violent IN temper, is a man of business
acquainted WITH tho world, heretofore correct i
his morals, and had acquired station which no ON
can reach without much OF that schooling by con
tact with hls fellow creatures which cons,,,,,.
$ pfaetcal education. That he should commit mn,
der is we'll calculated to create amazement and III
pubic look almost in vain for motive suiiicentl
G stimulating 10 drive hum to an act of such fea,li
consequences. lie has committed a crime blos,in
VI us iesuH III " moment oil ms greatest person;
prosperity. lie has not only sacrificed his daueh
ter aud himself never it seems even dreaming of es
cape, but has entailed misery upon the suryiy,n
members Of his family. Why has he done tins With
out alludlDg 10 the usual question when crimes oil $
!, irehtiul nature aie COMMUNICATING nice popt n
SANITY or insanity, which must be left to Cont ia
decision, OF touching upon the matter of how ia
Mr.. Peahe was worthy Of the hand of the murdere
gr'-il may be stated that the crime was the rcsul
OF the sudden and complete disappointment of mo,
bid ambition. James Wood literally doated on hi
daugh'er-all his labors and his stivlnss after weal
were Tor her. lie hoped that when he had en-
nched her through himself that he weuId be enable
to MARI, her IN England, where he purposed even
Iuaiiy TO return, into class above his station Thi
common feeling, Il we are correctly informed. wa
MS thought by day and his dream by night and TN
ehgfossng hope led him into a course of conJuc
most iiAeiy 10 defeat il. He endeavoureJ as far a
possible to seeude his daughter from society
. quo was particularly jealous Of any assoc,atio,
~h,ch would enable her to become aeoua,n,c,
:, WIN young men, pushing this caution far beyon,
.ne prudential linus which every waketul paren, ex
= e's'ses. lie was guarding agans, what he deeme,
= ue'osMory marriage as well ag anst other dan
s'sy w"'cn beset young and beautiful girl
nus excess OF selfish affection. for we can thin
10 o.her phrase which describes H. va tyrannc.
10 us effects, and the daughter, who was too youn
| anu unsopnistcated to share IN her