Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1840-03-28
The Father fried for KilIing his Daughter.

The Father Tried for killing his Daughter.
View il in whateve light we may, the trial OF Mr.
Wood for shooting his only and his darling daugh-
ter, is of the extraordinary events that has
occurred in modern history. The beautiful maiden
killed at Aulis was destroyed by her fond father to
her from the lust of Priam; the Roman virgin
stabbed by her father in order to save her from
the polluted lust of Appius Claudus; and II really
does appear that the unfortunate man, Wood, shot
his child in order to her from what he deemed
pollution, by being welded to person whom he be-
ieved to be backleg, and a vulgar gambler
All the circums that have thus far been eli
cited upon the trial of this unfortunate father,
roborate in the most minute particular, the state
ments which we made at the time of this sad affair
The exact manner in which Wood shot his daugh-
ter, will transpre unless he be cond mned to
die, and then states it veluntarily and he is the
only living witness of the tragic scene, from his lips
alone come description of what passed in the
room before he shot her, whether she spoke, or re-
sisted, or was passive, terror struck victim.
Previous to this trial, it believed by many,
that the pistol went of by accident, whilst he was
standing at a distance from her, and fourishing
them about, threatening to kill Peak, or those
whom he feared would break into the house, and
endeavor to take her away There is not the
four new pistols for the purpose of killing those
whom he considered his enemies, but not his daugh-
ter He never spoke harshy to her, and offered
her no violence during the three dreadful! days pre-
ceding her DEATH although he alone with her for
hours together.
1t appears, however, from the statements of Mr..
Roach, the Mayor that he asked Mr.. Wood in " hat
way he could shoot his daughter for the ball to
in the direction it did, and also how near he was to
her at the time that he shot her I To this Wood
replied put the pistol close up to her nose" That
is very probable from the fact. that if he shot her
Intentionally the pistol must have been close to her
nose or the ball could not have passed out at the
top of her head. But had the pistol been close to
her face the latter would have been marked with
sunpowder and the features shattered and dsf-
cured. Mr.. Sill, who held her in his arms, wiped
away the blood, and first found out the wounds says
that there no marks of powder, and no disfl-
gurement of the features and we therefore still be-
lieve that the pistol at distance from her, and
went of as he in the act of raisingit.
Great stress will be laid by the prosecution on his
own words Immediately after the fatal occurrence,
as the various witnesses have testified to the follow
ing statements by Wood -
81 am the man which done the crme-take me
away-impr ison me, for l am the man.
u am the man. | shot her, shot her."
81 am the that done i'll am the man that done
i'll am the man that done it. Take me when you
please"
''Yes, ! shot my daughter. Is she dead =
IL shall not get over it. | shall not survive Put
me in the same grave"
II put the pistol close up to her nose"
sis she deadl Is she dead! i Justify the deed
"She'd better be in her grave than live with black
leg. ANY father would do the same.
s'She is in heaven, and that's better than liv-
ing on earth with backlog"
81 am now happy. Sarah Ann is an angel In heaven
shall not live long; bury me with her.
s'If she's dead it's a blessing ha! ha! ha!
81 am justified in what have done If she's dead
I'm satisfied"
''Oh the gambler. if she's dead I'm content; take
me out and hang me"
s'If she dies must suffer for it, I'll be hung for
it,"
The above sentences are said to have been uttered
by Mr. Wood TO six seven different persons, i'm
mediatey after he had shot his daughter and il he
found guilty Of murder, il will be from these state
ments of his own, alone. That he partially and
temporarily deranged, there can be no doubt what
ever and the only chance that he has TO be acquit
ted Of ''wilful murder" is either account Of in.
sanity at the time he shot his daughter, the alb
sence Of any direct proof that he had previously
meditat ed her death.
Thisis the exact position Of the case; and the re-
suit will be looked for with the most intense anxiety
although the verdict will probably not be rendered
this week.