Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1858-11-24
A Sad Case PROBABLE Suicide.

We ha,eTeceived several papers with
in the last few DAYS from acquaintainces
in Wisconsin, containing articles giving
+, account of the supposed suicide of a
young lady who was formely a resident
of this county, and some of them making
charges which, if true, are very damag-
ing to the reputation of VIM. j. Bright
Esq, who was for many years, a resident
of Hartford. in this County. The article
copied from The Wisconsin Mirror, pub
lished at Kiibourn City, Wis, makes
such severe charges against Mr.. Bright,
and has so much TO do with family mat
ters, The details of which, whether true
or false, might give pain to friends who
still remain here, if publicity were given
TO them-that we have hesitated about
publishing it, but inasmuch as 1t has
found its wav into the Milwaukee daily
papers. and others which have not pub
Iished Mr.. Bright's card, we have conc!u-
ded to give both sides of the case. An
other reason for doing this. is that nu
merous stories respecting the affair are
in circulation in this vicinity, and the
whole story is better than garbled eX-
tracts and gross exaggerations. Mr..
Bright boldly asserts his innocence, and
we sincerely hope may prove himself
guillless.
From the Wisconsin Qkilborn City, Mirror.
Last week Monday. about two CLOCK
Miss Amelia butcher, sister Of Mrs.
Bright, of New Lisbon, came in the stage
from Quincy and stopped at the Tanner
House in this place. She took a room,
and said she wished 10 stay over night,
and 90 to Baraboo next morning. She
was in the sitting room most of the after
noon took tea about dark; and nothing
unnatural was noticed in her conduct
In the fore part OF the evening she went
out of a back door but as no particular
notice was taken Of it, it was afterwards
supposed she had returned TO her room.
Next morning, at breakfast time, and as
the stage was nearly ready to start for
Baraboo, Mr.. Tanner went TO the door
of her room and called her but, upon
rspping and calling, nc answer was
heard /; and on opening the door he found
that she was not lherei Her purse, with
about two dollars, her bonnet, head
dress, and hoops were left in the room,
but her shawl was gone; and there had
been no one in bed. Enquiries were
made all about town as soon as her alb
. sence was discovered, and searches were
made along the river, but nothing could
be heard or seen to throw any light on
the subject. In the afternoon. while at
Tanners she asked some one where the
depot was, and il has been supposed that
she might have done so for the purpose
of going to the Railroad in the evening.
and following it TO the river. But to
this time, Monday forenoon, no new dis
coveries have been made. The prevail
inr opinion is that she threw hersef in
to the river, and was carried perhaps
far down stream by the current.
As this is probably the sad termina-
ton. on her part, of a series of crimes in
which another was the chief actor, we
feel it our duty, towards him and an out.
ragged family, and duty to the public, to
state the facts as we have learned them
from mood aufborItv.
J.. w. Bright, Esq. with his family,
moved from Ohio to New Lisbon, juneau
county, over a year ago, and entered in
to the practice Of law. Last winter and
spring, he edited the New Lisbon RePub
lioan, and became pretty generally
known in this region. His family on
sisted of himself, wife, two children. and
his wife's sister, Miss Amelia Dutcher.-
Last spring and early summer, his neigh
bors discovered that there was trouble in
the family and finally this trouble be
came so bad hat Mrs. B. (who had al
ways borne a good reputation in the com
munity, and still maintains ii feltobliged
to oDen the whole matter to some OF her
friends near by, and ask for advice
From her and from Mr. B the following
facts are gathered:
The difficulties commenced five or six
years ago, in Ohio, when the sister went
into the family to live. Mr.. BIS conduct
was such towards the sister. that Mrs.
B. felt that she could not live so. and g.
nally il was SO bad as 10 arouse the COM
munity there TO such a degree that Mr..
B. thought it more safe TO leave than
stay. He accordingly sold his place,
with the intention of removing to the
West; but his wife refused 10 sign the
deed until he pledged himself that lie
would not take the sister with them
After she signed the deed, and while
preparing to move, the sister also pre-
pared to move with them, contrary to
The advice of her parents and brothers
AMI sisters. Mrs. B. then refused 10
come, but she finally yielded on Mr.. BIS
premise that the sister should not live in
the family; that he should obtain a school
for her, DC.
They then removed 10 New Lisbon I;
but instead of fulfilling his promise, he
kept the sister 10 the family till about two
ago, when she went 10 Quincy,
at the house Of a cousin of Mr.. b. Last
spring, his tyranny over his wife. and
his intimacy with her sister, had attrac-
ted the attention OF the community, and
became so bad that Mrs B., as'we have
stated, revealed the whole to her neigh
bors. At this he became boislerous,
swore and threatened revenge upon his
vile and all who had anything TO do
it. But other circumstances arous
ed the community still more. IL was
found that he was a frequent visitor at a
place or places of bad repu!e /; and we
thai at tie late term of court in New
Lisbon he was indicted for adultery. In
fact he became 50 odious 10 the best part
Of the communitg that solHe of the ladies'
his entering their houses, and
refused to speak 10 him, tuning
heir faces away when they net him.