Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1869-12-10
TERRIBLE. TRAGEDY.
Letters the Cause
pondence of the New York World.

RoNDoUT, N. Y, Oct. "a.
I send you full particulars of
horrible tragedy that was commit
ted near this village last night. The
actor III this terrible deed of blood
was Joseph Wood, shipcarpenter
by trade, and a man we'll known to
be the slave Of his passions. For
some months past Wood gave signs
of laboring under an alteration of
the mind, and many of his neigh
bors feared that he would soon or
late become positively insane.
Wood was twice married and one
of his wives survives him. For some
time past he has been constantly
receiving letters from an anonymous
source. These letters which, it is
supposed, were sent by his first wife,
were intended to create feeling of
hatred in him toward the wife with
whom he lived in Ponckhockle, on
the outskirts Of this village. In one
Of these letters a statement was
made that the child which was liv-
ing with him was not his own.
Operating on mind like his, this
statement produced the desired
effect. He brooded over it until he
came to believe it true.
A few days since he borrowed
some money from Mr.. Abram
Sleight, of this village, and with it
paid some of his debts.
Last evening the horrible culmi-
nation was reached. Wood return
ed home from his weeks labor
about s o'clock, and, on entering
the house, accused his wife of inf
deity and of holding in her heart
no love for him. A quarrel ensued,
and a lady living in another part of
the house had her attention attract
ed by the angry voices. Woods
wife expostulated and attempted to
make an explanation, but her mad
husband would listen to no entrea-
ties. During this alteration Wood
seized an ak and swore that he
would take his wife's life. The wo-
man who heard the threat made be-
came terrified, but was unable for
some seconds to move, out of fear.
She then heard Mrs. Wood say
''Josey, don't kill me- and then
came some subdued sounds and the
fall of some body on the floor.
The woman then rushed to the
door, and into the street, and cried
for help. Her cries were heard by
Mr.. Levi Metcalf, a resident of the
neighborhood, who was passing at
the time. "Go into the house at
once," cried the woman. "My God,
my God, I think that Mr.. Wood has
killed his wife, Mr.. Metcalf ran
into the house and was met at the
door by Wood, who warned him
not to enter the room.
Mr.. Metcalf looked into the room
and witnessed picture such as has
seldom been seen in any communi-
ty. The lifeless body Of Woods
wife lay on the floor in pool of
blood. Her head, face, and throat
revealed eleven terrible gashes, in
flicted with the ak in the hands Of
her husband. Horrors stricken, Mr..
Metcalf was for moment paralyzed
by the sickening scene. Finally he
said to Wood, "Josey, this is bad
job for YOU" Wood looked at him
for a moment, and then, rushing to
a bureau, he seized a razor and at
tempted to cut his own throat. Mr..
Metcalf took hold of his arm, and a
scuffie ensned, which resulted in the
former being driven from the room
and threatened with injury if he
dared to return.
Wood then, with perfect delibera-
ton, killed himself He drew the
razor across his throat, making a
deep cash that extended from ear to
ear. o-day an inquest was held on
the bodies, and a verdict rendered
in accordance with the foregoing |
facts. Wood left a letter, written
shortly before the commission Of the !
but it is so illegible that
only the concluding sentence can be
read. This science is: "Good-bye !
to mother and sister," Wood and
his wife had lived together for many
years. His wife was greatly respect
ed for many virtues, and the terri
BILE manner in which she met her
death has cast gloom over the
whole community. Wood was for
merly hard drinker, but of late had
indulged but little in the use of ar
dent spirits. ID. e. NJ.