Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1867-03-08
A HORRIBLE AFFAIR.
Jealousy. HncendiarisIn. Suicidc-A
Man BurE. his House, and Cuts
His Throat.


From the Dubuque iowa Times, LIST.
Jealousy is demon. Jealousy is the
foundation of frightful double crime
leading one Jacob Wiseman to burn his
house and cut his Throat, near Farley,
last Tuesday night. The facts are
these:
On Tuesday night, Jacob Kaufman,
James McGuiggan, and Frank McGuig-
gan were at a wake mt Mr.. Lehey's
house, little over mile north of Far
ley. At midnight they saw the house
of Jacob Wiseman, about half mile
northward, i'm flames, and Immediately
started for the place. When nearing
the house, they saw Wiseman. who
was in the yard before the fire, lift raj
zor in the air, as if to show them what
he was about to do, bare his breast and
draw the weapon over his heart They
called to him, when he drew the raiZor
across his throat, cutting it almost from
ear to ear. kaufman took the RAZOR
from him, when he walked II distance
OF three or four rods and laid down
against fence. All three followed him
and asked questions, but he was unable
to speak. He rose up once, walked a
few steps, laid down again, and in fif-
teen minutes thereafter was dead.
Wiseman had a wife, who had left him
few days previous, taking her child
with her.
Kaufman and his companions then
inspected the premises, and found every
evidence that Wiseman had deliberate.
~ fired his house. After having placed
his wagon near it, and also carried
quite quantity Of grain from n shed
into it, lie had piled the furniture in the
~ mt ~ <,f In Hr.,f f1,,Dr Nd tn
gether with portions of the house. All
was cODsumcd-everything being near
" destroyed before the party reached
the scene. Jealousy was the cause of
this horrible affair. Wiscman, who
was German, went into Dodge town
ship about six years ago. Three years
since he married, and moved into the
log house which he burned, having
purchased twenty-eight and a half acres
of the land surrounding it. His home
was hell on earth. He was SO jealous
of his wife that when she had talked
with men in his presence he would
accuse her of unfaithfulncss, and often
beat her. The birth of child did not
soothe him. Two weeks ago some per.
son told him thathis wife was the moth
er OF an Legitimate child u few months
before he married her. This reused all
the bad passions of his nature, and his
wife was tleik victim. He would not
allow her to go out Of his sight, and
seemed to hate his own babe. On the
least pretence he would 60 into pas
sion, aud fly at her with all the fury Of
tiger. Last Saturday night, she took
II carving knife to cut some meat, when
he said she meant to kill him, and,
knocking her down, kicked her until
she was almost senseless. Recovering
somewhat, she took her child. made an
excuse for going out doors, and fed in
the darkness to Farley, a mile and three
and was kindly received and sheltered
at the house TO which she went. She
showed her person to some woman, and
her body and limbs were covered with
black and blue swel!ings. On Monday
she went to Mr.. Timothy Ragan's, on
the farm adjoining her husbands.
,tow her husband occupied himself
during her absence is not known.
Yesterday morning, Mr.. Raglan, who
had learned of The death OF Mr.. Wise
man, asked Mrs. Wiseman whether
she would prefer her husbands death
or not. She answered that she never
wished for his death, that all she want
ed was separation, and that she might
be allowed to earn her own living and
her child's. Mr. Raglan then told her of
her husbands death, and the poor wo-
man sank to the floor almost senseless.
OF course there is intense excitement
for miles in the vicinity of the scene Of
the tragedy, the people being affected
rs only people in the rural districts are
when first brought face to face with SO
terrible an affair.
A coroner's inquest will be held over
the body to-day, when further particu-
lars will probably be developed.