The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1857-08-01
ROBERT COVER.


shOtssOsS AONas
Correspondence Of the Iowa City Republican.
Liberty, johnson Coslnty y, July 10, 1857.
Mr. EDITOR You have undoubtedly
heard rumors of terrible outrage, COM
mittea in our settlement, on Friday eve-
ming last. Living, as ] do, near the
scene of slaughter, and being acquainted
with the circumstances and the parties,
| have thought it best to give you
short sketch of the same. About mile
north of me there is Cor was) living
family by the name of H.'rt, consisting
of Hurt, his wife, his wife. mother, and
four children. Friday morning, Hurt
went to the city for the purpose II ascer-
tanning the truth of the report i'm circu-
lation, which was, that his wife had sue
ceeded in obtaining a bill of divorce
He came home little before sunset,
went to the well, got a drink of water
then picked up an axe and drove his
wife from the house. Overtaking her
in the yard, he struck her with the axe
in the back of the head She fell to the
ground, and he then hacked her up in
the most sham. full manner; cut her right
arm nearly off, and sunk the bit of .ine
axe several times in her back Cad sides.
lie then left her for dead, and took after
his mother-ln-law, who was running
through the field t. one of the neigh
bors. She had got so far off that he
left her, went into the house, took some
fire, went up stairs and set the beds on
fire. In half an hour the house, and
everything in it, was in ruins. Two of
his sons, young men, were present ut the
time, but dared not to make the least
resistance,
While the house was burning, Hurt
was seen going through the field towards
thEcket. About dark, SOME thirty Of
the neighbors collected around the burn
Ing ruins Mrs, Hur. was found in q
na'atn patch, sepselcss .e1hc was carried
to ueighbor's house, and it was srrans
ed to meet n. daylight the next morning
to kunt for Hurt The search was short.
lie went about twenty rods To the edge
OF thlckct, and stabbed himself twice
with pocket knife. He was heard
moaning aud crying all night by some of
the neighbors lie had lost his knife
in the erasS and had no other weapon
with which to finish the work Of selfdc-
struction. One iaan was despatched to
the city for doctor lie had double
barrel shot gun with him, and in leaving
for the city he left the gun standing un-
der the shed. Hurt left the thcket in |
the night, came to the house o. where it |
stood, pulled off his right boot, fastened
1t 10 pole with his handkerchief, and |
got water from the well to drink. A. |
soon rs IT was light he saw the gun. and /
placing the muzzle to his left ear, he dis.
charged the piece, as il supposed, with
his toes. lie was found lying upon his
back with his left arm around the gun.
Hurt was drinking, shiftless. and
evidently desperate man. His wife
was Woodworking, industrious woman.
The family were lef, without shelter. or
a change of clothes. Mrs. Hurt had
lived IN constant fear Of her life for the
last four years, and suffered thousand
deaths
The family formerly lived in the north
ern part of Ohio. Some fifteen wear.
ago, Hurt killed nsighbor of his in a
drunken fray, and fed % Canada She
in Ohio until about four wears
ago. when she received letter from him
from Michigan, stating that he had land
there, aud wanted her to sell out and
Join him. Her children being anxious
to conc west, she did SO. Hurt was in
debt for grog and board bill when she
found him. She paid it, for she had
about ST. 800 dollars with her. She
bought place here, md not seeing any
reformation IN the man, ssa,.e seeusts "a, !.
ute Ill her own name. They lived to-
sethef as man and wife but short time.
lie came nigh killing her some two wears
ago She swore her life on him and an
Piled for bill. lie has been living in
the family ever since, terror to them
Ill: She employed Clark and Bro. to yet
divorce, At her request, wrote them
,ncc or twice in her behalf. knowing
her as did she having worked for us
several times, when compelled to flee her
'wn home), ] informed them of her trou
'lcs and they secured the divorce, and
'er light to the little property she pos
'essed. But she is not here now to
hank them for il; for I HAYS Just learn
ID that she died last night Hurt was
buried yesterday, aud she will be this
evening. Thus ends this tragic scene.
w. +. FORD.