The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1861-01-05
wArsws.

I II
"A NAIL Gamma ATTACHED By VI oLvrs--NAR-
row EscArE-weg gain, the following informa.
ton from gentleman Who passed through here
about 10 o'clock yesterday evening from Deca-
tur:
The mail carrier between this place and De-
catur, when about forty-6 miles from here, on
his return trip, was startled at hearing the howl
ings of wolves, and turning to ascertain the
proximity of his danger, discovered at no great
distance, pack of hundred or more wolves,
apparently frehzied with hunger, ard with loll-
ing tongues, rapidly lessening the distance be-
tween them and the horror. stricken mail carrier
Viewing thus his danger, with desperation lent
by despair, the mail carrier Immediately put
whip to his horse, hoping to gain a place Of re-,
fuge ere the hungering wolves could overtake
him; but the wolves gradually gained upon him,
he beginning to think that his sands of life had
nearly run out, when suddenly tree presented
itself to his gaddened vision, for which he rode
for dear life, and finally gained the asylum of his
hopes, with the savage beasts close upon him,
and jumped from the horse on to limb Of the
tree. The wolves came up in a moment, and af-
ter bowling with disappointment for short time
at the loss Of a warm supper, gradually settled
down in quietude to watch their prey. The car.
rier remained in this awful condition until nearly
morning, with scarcely any clothes on, having
thrown off nearly all of his wearing apparel, ho-
ping to increase the speed of his poor animal.
At about the dawn of day the wolves disappear
ed, when the mail carrier nearly frozen to death
fell from the tree to the ground, insensibe In
that condition, our informant, who came along a
short time afterwards, found him, and carried
him to house FIVE miles distant, where he re-
covered sufficiently, previous to our infOrmants
departure, to relate the story.
The horse was chased by a portion of the
wolves, and is supposed to be lost, together with
the mail.-[Boyer Valley Qowa) Record
MURDER AND SUIcIDE.-We have just learned
| FRIDAY morning) of a most melancholy affair
that occurred Christmas night, inScotland county
Missouri, about five miles from Upton.
Mr.. Thomas Ridgeley, man about forty-dve
years of age, of sober and industrious habits, a
member Of the United Brethren Church, after n
| social interview with some of his neighbors.
which ended with singing and prayer, seems to
have been suddenly changed into fend of hell,
and commenced the slaughter Of his wife and
| family, which consisted of wife and five child
rem, and never ceased the work of death until he
had cut the down and stabbed five of the house
hold, one, small child, only escaping uninjured.
His wife, boy about IL or Is years of age,
and little girl were killed; and one little boy
and girl were wounded. After this diabolcal
work, Ridgeley went about half mile from his
house, where he was found next morning, dead,
with his throat cut from ear to ear.
This is about the substance of this melancholy
affair gathered it from Mr. Holder, liv-
ing near Upton keosauqua Republican.
OK TO EDDYvILLE.-We undersland that work
men commenced laying the iron rails in extern
sion of the K. Fl. D. NJ. & NJ. R. R. from Ottum-
wa to Eddyville, on Monday last. If the weather
permits, the Engineer, Mr.. Eaton, says the rails
can all be laid to Eddyvie in forty days. If the
work is done and the cars are running through to
Eddyville in time for the Spring business, we
shall expect to feel the good effects of it on the
trade of Keokuk. The work will be done if en-
ergy and enterprise can do it.-[Keokuk Gate
City.