Morning herald., 1839-10-03

The recent sacrifice OF Miss Wood BY her father
in Philadelphia, is one Of the most extraordinary
that occurred upon the face Of creation, since
Jsphtah the Judge Of Israel, sacrificed his beautiful
daughter in days Of DID, after allowing her sufficient
time to bewail her virginity upon the mountains,
which Mr.. Wood did not allow his daughter The
sacrifice, in each instance, was great and singu-
lar sne with this difference, that Jephtah's daugh-
ter was a virgin and Mr.. Woods was not. There
have been few sacrifices ofchdren by their parents
Abraham was about TO sacrifice Isaac, but stop
ped by the Angel and il he had put him to death he
was not one fourth the value Of lovely young wo-
man like Jephtahs daughter. Brutus sacrificed his
boy Titus, but that was for cause. At Auls, it is
true one poured out daughters life; and il is said,
gained by that act more glory than by all his
The sacrifice Of Jephtah's daughter is another case;
sister was killed by the survivor Of the Horatii and
Curatii fight; virgnius killed his daughter to save
her from violation; and lastly, in modern times, we
have the sacrifice Of the beautiful Miss Wood.
This asst, however, is the most distressing case
we ever heard of. Jephtah killed his beautiful
daughter for the glory of God; the Roman killed his
for the glory OF his country. The man of modern
days kills his for the glory of the shop II is sngu-
lar affair Every who went to Philadelphia,
and remained a day, stopped as he passed Woods
pastry shop, and either went in looked in to get
glimpse of the beautiful, modest and ladylike girl
whose manged remains have just been consigned to
the cold and silent tomb. She was very handsome
and very graceful; and many languishing swain, as
he her taper fingers wrapping up pastry, longed
to press the hand fairy size and snow like texture.
The beauty Of her eve lashes was remarkable, and
when her hair allowed to fall in clustering ring
lets over her snowy shoulders and heaving bosom,
it would have been difficult to find young lady in
the city to excel her in personal attractions.
What this young and ovely girl was, however,
avas nothing. So late the observed of all observers,
she is now food for the worms. For her surviving
relations have ample sympathy, save for her
murderous parent; for her husband we have none;
he stole old mans darling child from the paternal
roof, and embttered the remainder Of the life Of
every member of the family. The highwayman and
robber on the public road think humane in COM
parson with the perpetrator Of such act. But let
us not be thought desirous Of extenuatng the crime
Of the father He is said 10 have been crazy Faugh!
So was the miserable devil Dixon, when he was
preying upon the life blood Of the beautiful Miss
Missouri So was Sparks when, a the Recorder de-
clares, he told lie upon lie, and colleagaed with
thieves to cheat and rob honest This is all
stuff. Every scoundrel thief, ibeller, robber and
murderer now -a.days is declared TO be crazy. This
plea Of insanity in Short is becoming too stale to be
tolerated any longer; and it is high time that
and juries should aid in blowing it to the devil,
whence il emanates. In the mean time, this murder
has thrown whole city into state ofthe widest
excitement There are so many fathers who have
beautiful daughters, whom they fear will run off
with idle, worthless and shitless scoundrels; there
are so many Of those vianous loaers who have their
plans nearly consummated for the ruin Of beautiful
girls, and the misery of many happy families; and
there are many beautiful and innocent girls full Of
devilish and delicious sensations, with every COM
fort arouad them at home, and yet with an aching
void or gnawing sensation in their boson,s wanting
something else, they know not what, just ready to
run into the pit that poor Miss Wood fell into
that this sad subject deeply interests every and
daughter Of Adam in this city, who have entered
their teens at least.
We subjon what few additional particular have
reached us:
Further Particulars.
On Monday night after his arrival at prison. Mr. Wood
wept for hours like child. Tuesday morning he
what composed and expressed hi. poignant grief
ing day only dream and could not the part of
house in which the fta tragedy enacted friend who
has been In the habit Of visiting the house for three
the purpose Of obtaining and coffee and
who qute intimate with all the members Of the family
thai during ss, ,h: time since ?. observed that sarah
health lie expressed himself her. aad suggested pro-
pretv ,nal walk fthat impossible
the week. visit church the Sabbath To all this
shook head sespondngy and stmad that she could
very well <va herself Of the ssggstos Feeling interested
the friend venturcd 10 make similar
ther. He said that the girl evidently much confined
and that the cond Of her health absolutely required
change The father said he he mistaken and oh
served that children bound attend their parents
sines and that his did The gentleman then decste.
ly urged the popreiy and advantage Other going church.
least the Sabbath The father replied that he did not think
much Of those things.
Mrs Wood continued 10 ercaim, immediately aer the rash
act-be did not do ithe did not do :" She
posed Tuesday and Of the aeghbours had charge Of
house, and experimenting matters connected with
funeral which 10 take place yesterday Mr. Peak, the
husband Of the unfortunate victim In the with the
corpse for long me Monday evening He seemed deeply
Affected wished TO sit all night with the body and the
unhappy family all the assistance and consolation In MS power.
SAID Of him. that his conduct has been manly
and decorous.
N Wood visited prison BY Dr. Clapp the attending
physician Of the prison. The Dr. found him asleep
On being roused he expressed great conron for the deed
which he had committed spoke with great feeling upon the ,r
of his daughter and sd that the affair up the time
emily. lie thea burst into tears and uttered ncoherent
pressons masstly uder excitement but without any
indications Of insanity The Dr conclusion was that he
perfectly sane, al least during hs visit
Take IL altogether this is Of the most extraor
binary affairs that has occurred for the last 1900
years; ard as IL deeply concerns the whole human
family. we have sent on to Philadelphia, reporter,
miniature painter and drasghtsman, to get full and
accurate particulars of the whole affair, the past
history Of the parties, with sketches Of the scene
Of the tragedy, and a portrait of the beautiful but