Quasqueton guardian. (Quasqueton, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1856-1858, 1858-07-22

Horrible Tragedy-.-Murder and Suicide.


The citizens of our usually peaceful
town were startled and shocked about
six o'clock last evening, by the occur
renee of the most inhuman and horrible
tragedy that we we have ever been called
upon to record. A wife was murdered
in cold blood, without a moments warn
ing, by her husband, who Immediately
after cut his own throat, and sent his
guilty soul into eternity.
The particulars of this sad event, as
near as we have been able to ascertain,
aIe as follows s@
About eighteen months ago, Mr.. Am
brose S. Skeeles and his family left Cedar
Rapids, having lived here few years,
for the east, where we believe his rela
tons reside, and while absent difficulties
occurred which led to separation from
his wife-he leaving her and coming to
Michigan, and she with the children,
three in number returning to Cedar Rap
ids. About three weeks ago, Skeeles,
having ascertained the whereabouts of
his wife, came to this city for the purpose
ofefecting reconciliation. Being una
BILE to bring about an understanding, even
by assistance OF friends relations, Skeeles
become desperate, and, we understand,
threatened her life if she took steps to
procure divorce,--a course she had de-
termined to take on the grounds OF i'll
treatment. On Tuesday, Mrs. Skeeles
went to Marion for the purpose of taking
tire necessary initiatory steps for d.
vorce suit, and that probably led to the
contamination ofthe tragedy oflast night,
which has resulted in the death of both
parties by the hand of the husband.
The knife which Skeeles used is a very
large, new pocket knife, which he found
in the road, about mile from town, a
week or two ago. 1t is thought that he
sharpened the knife during the day, and
went to the house where his wife and
children were living, on Daniels street,
between Adams and Jefferson, with the
determination of killing his wife and TAX
ing his own life.
When he reached the house Mrs.
Skeeles was at the next door ncighbors.
One of the children went over and told
her that her father was in the house,
when Mrs. Skeeles requested young
lady present to go with her to the house
after the other children. They passed
over stilc between the gardens, where
the young lady remained while Mrs.
Skeeles passed on to an outside cellar
door, about ten feet, and discovered
Skeeles in the cellar. Passing down a
few steps, she asked him what he was do
ing, and said to him that she told him
times enough not to come there. He
made some reply, but it is not known
what, and came out the cellar. Mrs.
Skeeles then shut the cellar door and was
in the act of fastening it with paddock,
when Skeeles seized her, threw. her upon
the ground and held her down with his
kness across her body, while he deliber-
ately took the knife from his pocket, and
opening it, cut the poor woman's throat
in horrible manner, nearly severing the
head from the body, and causing death
instantly. Then rising to an erect posi-
ton. he cody gashed his own troat.
In the meantime, Miss Cochenouer, the
young lady who went with Mrs Skeeles,
raised an alarm aud ran back to the neigh
boris for help. Mr. James C. Adams.
who was working in lot few rods distent
hearing screams fastened to the scene,
but, unfortunately, arrived to late to pre-
vent the completion Of the bloody deed.
Skeeles lived several minutes, and spoke
few words ID relation to the children
desiring them to be sent to his fathers,
in Lockport, N, Y.
Then we reached the scene of the trag
edy, the bodies had been carried in, and
were lying side by side upon the floor of
the back room. Suoh horrid scene of
blood as this room and the yard near the
door presented, we never before witness
ed, and we hope never to see again. The
poor woman in her struggles had wrench
ed the paddock eff the cellar door from its
fastenings, and she still chung to it in
death From the appearance of her
countenance, we should Judge that death
was instantaneous but Skeeles evidently
died hard, as the distorted features and
glazing eyes seemed to Indicate strik
lng contrast to the calm. almost unrufiled
features of his murdered wife
jHlSkeeles, We understand, came from
hockport, N. Y, and although notan in
VIII f~iotO man, uliu tGlu-
per. While under its influence he had
undoubtedly ill-treated his wife and her
determination to procure divorce, pro-
badly aggravated his unfortunate dispos-
Ition to such an extent as to lead him to
the preparation of the awful deed which
we now record. Mrs SkeeIes, we believe
has relatives in this vicinity of her pre-
vlous history we have not been informed
Her maiden name was Bulah c. Vinton.
She was much esteemed by her neigh
bors, as kind, amiable. intelligent, aud
good -natured woman, and her violent
death by the hands of her husband, has
justly caused much sympathy for the
four orphans thus left destitute. The
eldest child, girl. is about fourteen
years, the Youngest, two years of age
They were kindly taken in charge by the
neighbors.
Mr.. Skeeles was 35 wears of aoe and