Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1867-03-06
TRAGEDY IN IOWA.
4 Nsnn Destroys Ills PROPERTY,
Kills IEfs Cattle. Harms Iais
Izou.c. ard u Ills Himself.

FRI N the Dubuque Herald, Feb. IS.
A shocking domestic tragedy transpired
las, Tuesday evening. between s and ? o.
clecs. ut Farley. About mile and hall
north Of that place there res ded an honest.
industrious, hard>working German by the
nsme Of Jacob Wisemsn, who bad been IN
this country SIX years, and VINO formerly
lived AT Epworah. A short time ago he re-
moved 70 Farley and purchased . small
farm, consisting Of PSI acres, which he cul
tiva,ed with much asslduity, and to 81! ap-
pearnnce seemed TO be doing we'll. He mar.
ried four years sgo, but il seems that his
domestic 70 atoms were not very pleasant,
and frequent a. asrsls snsued between him
and his wife. Last fall both parties applied
TO Justice Wilsonss Of shas placs. % take the
necessary steps fos procuring divssee. urg-
ing that an existence together vas intolsr.
able, and that the future welfare Of both
required sn immediate separation. com.
promise, il seems. Vas effected. and Oil
passed Of pleasantly until week ago iess
Saturday, when WisemsD became enraged
at his vile for some trivial offence. and ad-
ministesed 10 her . tremendous shresh'ng.
lie bruised her considerably. and inflicted
flesh wound on her knee. Alter the con.
SUNNI alton Of this outrage the wife left,
taking with her their only child, boy
three years OF age, and sought for protection
at the house Of neighbor, which was read.
ily granted.
Here she remained, and no entrsatiss
could prevail upon her 70 60 back home, and
this refusal led Wissm.n to set hrs to his
own house, and then end the tragedy by
cutting his own throat.
On the evening and at the time before
mentioned, IL appeass that wisemsn prepar'
sd Tor the horrible work. Going to the
corn crib hs tore il to the ground, lsvelsd
the fences surrounding b,s yard, Slaughtered
. couple Of hs cattle, and did oil the de-
stsuctisn possible. lie then vent into the
house. took of his coat and vest, laid then
in tho middle Of the room, piled some beds
clothing and combuatbls material on top
and tnen deliberately set The pile on fire.
The sight Of the flames soon attracted thu
attention Of the neighboss, who at that early
hour had no. retired. and they started fol
the spot. Before reaching il icy could die
tnctly zee wissman in what appeared to b
the midst Of the flames. his form being re
nected in hold relief Before they reached
hun Wissmsn was seen 20 draw razor Of
sosne sharp instrument across his breast
Death did not come soon enough by thu!
method, and he next made . slash at hi
throat, which proved fatal. though the vic
tim lived halt an hour, aud VAS perfect!
conscious TO the last. lie got up. welke'
out Of the house, aud staggered to the fsnc
near by, where hs Was found BY the men
: Who say he presented ghastly spectacle
, before he could bs taken up o. . msdica
attendant called he Was corpse.
No articles Of furniture belonging to IN
house were saved, ane every thing Was burr
q cd 10 ashes The general opinion seems
\ be that he was laboring under species I
insanity saussd by domestic troubles. Pre-
v,ous to the occurrence. however, he ha
shown no sigma Of mental alteration, b,
4 waa uniformly considered . man Of muc
. worth and high moral character.