Southern shield., 1850-01-05
4 Strange Case of Monomanis. Desperate Female Revenge.

A correspondent of the Michigan Exposi- tor, writing from the village of YPsilanti, in that State, after detailing the burning ot the barn of MT. Fitzpatrick, by an incendary, who was arrested, says:
 Some years since, the person now arrest ed came to the village from the city ot Buffalo, and was employed inhe establish ment of Miss F. Nichols, miLiner. Alter continuing in her employ for some con- siderable time, she rented a sbop' and began the business on her own account, maintain ing, as she had from her first afrlVal, a good standing in the Methodist EFscopal Church here. Something more than year since, MT. Fitzpatrick, then widoNer' married al widow lady of the place, vhereupon Miss Duncan, the person alludd 10, at once publicly alleged fragrant beach of promise to her, on his part, and for weeks busled herself in seeking counsel lwith view to obtain legal redress. UnPrepossesslng in manner, and unable to command means, she encountered little but tidicule and con- tempt. Abandoning the hope ot legal re- dress, she nourished schsmes ot personal revenge, and publicly declared her intention of revenging herself, andS0ught the means of doing so. As her threats concerned only { the personal injury of KilPatrck, they were dsregarded, and finally brgotten: When the large fire occurred n the village last winter, it originated in ahOuSe 6elonging to Kilpatrick, and though tbroug ht the threats of Miss D. to mind, no oher circumstances appeared to corroborate snsplclon. Shortly after, the hotel of A. Hawkins was fired, but discovered and ehinguished. The night chosen for this act was very cold, with high west wind, which, had the fire not been soon discovered, would have ren- dered the preservation of the entire west side of Main street impossible. In this case the incendiary was also undiscovered. Of late, Miss Duncan has resided in Detroit, but the second burning of property belong ing to Xii patrick, induced more rigid inquiry in regard to her movements. It was ascer- tained that she had been seen in this vicini- tv; and that she had stopped at the house of Mrs. Bowen, woman who, though divorced from her husband, on the ground of his ntemperance and abuse, was regard ed by many with muck sympathy. Upon conversng with her, she let fall some ex- pressons which served still more to point suspicion to Miss D., and accordingly an officer was despatchei to Detroit to arrest her. By artful representations of the ex- pressons of Mrs B., Miss D. was betrayed into confessions, which, together with her constant recklessness since the injury of which she complains, soon brought out a full, entire, and consiten confession of her whole course in the matter. She was the main witness in the examination, against herself and accompiics. According to her own statement, she had meditated only the death of her injurer. She now regrets that she did not follow herfrst intention. Mrs. Bowen, who also alleges similar injury, first Inclined her to postpone this until she had consumed his property. To effect her pur- pose she had watched nights, and walked miles through storms and darkness. She has been near the object of her vengeance when he little suspected it. She intended to have fired another huilding in lhe village the same night she bumed the barn, but by the time she arrived, tho light of the fire was discovered, and tie alarm indcued her 10 abandon the attemt. She travelled the same night on foot to Wayne, where she took the cars for Detpit. In all her plans, Mrs. Bowen had beenher coadjutor; assist ing by her counsel, and furnishing shelter, food, and material for carrying our her purposes. Though tEe examination was only touching the fing of the barn, she has voluntarily confessed firing the building by which so much damage was done last winter, and also Hawkins hotel. The building occupied by her first employer was also destined to the flames. It would seem that her determination for revenge has run into kind ot monommia; and to person acquainted with the facts as they have oc- cured, there is indeed little cause for won der. The accused were held to bail in the sum ot ss2ooO each, indefault of which they were fully committed 10 answer at the next term of Court.