Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1850-09-09
MISCELLANEOUS.
A FEARFUL STORY.

s:Nota Bena," the New Orleans correspondent
Of the Concordia Inteigencer, in his last letter,
copies the report which appeared in the True
Delta, of the case ola man who was attempted
to be murdered in the neighborhood of Annun.
citation square, by pouring molten led into his
ear, and says
This reminds me of a singular incident that
occurred within my own knowledge, some years
ago, in Virginia. Col. T., gentleman OF great
responsibility, and frequently high sheriff and
representative of the county, died, leaving a
wife and several children, among them very
beautiful daughter, about fifteen years of age.
The widow, finding herself embarrassed, open
ed boarding house at the county site, and a.
rnong her boarders was a Mr.. W., wealthy
merchant, over forty years, but very fine look
ing man. This gentleman was the prop and
stay of the family; gave employment TO the
sons, educated the daughter at fashionable a.
cademy," and, very naturally, on her return,
fell desperately in love with her, when he
should have preferred the mother. He pressed
his suit with perseverance, but the beautiful
Mildred resisted his appeals, and the importuni-
ties of all her friends Finally, however, after
two years of assiduity and delicate gallantry on
the part of Mr.. W. and the combined tears, en-
treaties, threats and persecution of her family,
and became his wife. The next evening large
party was given them, but in the midst of it Mr..
W., being attacked with vertigo and sick head
ache. was compelled to withdraw. His young
wife hung over him in the silent watches of the
night, apparently in deep distress, and insisted
on giving him potion. She poured out wine
glass full of laudanum, and he swallowed it I'M
conscious of its nature 1t acted as an emetic,
but left him stupid and wandering. His senses
reeled. One moment he lay motionless, as if on
the brink of the spirit-world, and the next he
would leap up convulsively,. strong man in
his agony Mrs. w. denied all admission into
sleep. She then stopped for moment over the
smouldering enbers-approachedt the bed-eaz-
ed at her sleeping husband-and holding heat
ed ladle in her hand attempted to pour stream
of melted lead in his ear ! She trembled, and
the Kissing liquid, intended TO scald the brain,
and thus kill without trace, fell upon his
cheek. He shrieked in excruciating torture,
and the jewellers in the ad joining saloon rushed
into the chamber.
There wrtfed the still stupid husband, the
lead 1ivetted deep into his cheek, and there
stood the fiendish wife, her bridal llets yet up
on her brow, the instrument of death in her
hand, and an empty vial, labelled laudanum,
living on the floor The fearful realities Of the
sion of the moment, she was hurried away and
taken to distant STATE. On searching the a.
partment, an old magazine was found contain
ing the confession OF woman who had MUIR
dered five husbands by pouring lead into their
ears. The ]audanun and the lead, it was as
certained she procured from the store of Mir
W., 8 few days before the marriage, and the la
die was part Of his wedding gift. The grand
jury next morning found a bill against tho fugi-
tive, and the legislature, being in session, forth
with decreed an absolute divorce What renders
this case more extraordinary is, that Miss T..
was proverbial for the blandness of her manners
and uniform sweetness of disposition. She was
a blonde. The rose leaf tinted her lily cheek,
as a sunbeam giows on snow. Her blue eyes
were ndescribably sweet and her golden hair
hoated around a form more perfect and voluptu-
GUS than ever Apeles dreamed of or Petrarch
sung. The sequel of this romance is yet more
singular. Years rolled away, and Mr.. w. con-
:nued wretched and solitary man. But the
spell of the enchantress was still upon his soul.
He closed his store, sold his estates, collected
his ample means, and traced her to her distant
retreat to make new offer of his hand She
had just married a gentleman of high standing,
acquainted with all the details of her career,
shudderinga at the tragedy, but incapable of re-
sisting her charms. Poor W. then, indeed,
ulet Tic lIon eHteT Ills sOul-'NlHe ueduiy arrow
culver in his side" His early love; his huctu-
ating courship his marriage and the catastro-
phe; the flight; the divorce; his years of mise
ry; the new birth of his passion and now his
disappointment, final and forever; came crush
ing over him like an iceberg in the tide of bitter
memories, and he prayed for death Whether
his prayer was granted, know not. He may
yet wander, broken-hearted, over the earth. If
he died, a more wretched, yet a purer and no.
bier spirit never winged its flight TO heaven.