Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1869-11-02
A DOUBLE
A Husband Chops his Wife TO peath-
His Treat from Ear TO Cara Horrible

4 Husband Chops his Wife to peath-
Anonymous Letters the CauseIHo GSfs
His Troat from Ear TO cara HorriDie
Scene. II
RoUspour, N. Y, October al send
you full particulars Of q horrible trag-
edy that was committed near this village
last night. The actor in this terrible
deed Of blood was Joseph Wood, a ship
carpenter by trade, and a man well
known to be the slave Of his passions.
Notwithstanding the fact, however, that
be possessed a very bad temper, it was
never supposed that he could be capable
of committing the crime OF murder.
For some months past Wood gave signs
of laboriug under an alteration OF the
mind, and many Of his neighbors feared
that be would soon or late become pos
itively insane. The cause Of this change
in the mans mental condition il is now
we'll known was domestic trouble. E&sts
Wood was twice married, and one of
his wives survives him. For some time
past he has been constantly receiving
letters from IN anonymous source.
These letters which, it 10 supposed,
were sent by his first wife, were intended
to create o feeling Of hatred in him to-
ward the wife with whom he lived In
Ponchockie, on the outskirts Of this vii.
lape, In one Of these letters a state
ment vas made that the child which was
living with him was not'his own. up
Grating on a mind like his, this state
meut produced the de9ired effect. do
brooded it over until he came to believe
il true. For a long time, however, he
kept the matter q secret.
A few days since he borrowed some
money from Mr.. Abram Sleight, OF this
village, and with it paid some OF his
debts. This circumstance-as WOOD
was not a borrowing man, as a rule
was much talked about in the n~eigh6or.
hood, and not a few Of his neighbors
expressed their belief that he was going
mad.
Last evening the horrible elimination
was reached. Wood returned home
from his weeks labor about 8 o'clock,
and, on entering the house, accused his
wife Of in6delity and of holding in her
heart no love for him. A quarrel en-
sued, and a lady in another part Of tho
house had her attention attracted by
the angry voices. Woods wife expos
tulated and attempted to make an OK
PLANTATION, but her mad husband would
listen to no entreaties. During this
alteration Wood seized an az and
swore that he would take his wife's life.
The who heard this threat be-
came terrified, but vas unable for some
seconds to move, out Of simple fear.
She then heard Mrs Wood say, "Josey,
don't you kill me-" and then came some
subeued 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 erie. were heard by Mr.. Levi Met
calf, a resident of the neighborhood,
who was passing at the time. "Go into
the house at once" cried the woman.
"My God, my God, | 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 a picture such as has seldom
been seen in any community. The life
less body Of Woods wife lay on the
floor in q pool of blood. Her head, face
and throat revealed eleven terrible
pashes, inflicted with the Ak in the
hands of her husband. Horror stricken,
Mr.. Mctcalf was for u moment paralyzsd
BY the sickening scene. Finally he said
| TO Wood "Josey this is q bad job for
you." Wood looked at him for a mo-
ment, and then, rushing to q bureau, he
seized a razor and attempted to cut his
own throat. Mr.. Metcalf took hold OF
his arm, and a scufle ensued, which re-
suited in the former being driven from
tho room, and threatened with injury if
he dared to return.
Wood, then, with perfect deliberation,
killed himself. He drew the razor
across his throat, making = deep cash
that extended from ear to ear. To-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 tragedy, but it is so illeSiblc thai
only the concluding sentence can be
read. This sentence is: "Good bye to
mother and sister" Wood and his
wife had lived together for many years.
His wife was greatly respected for many
virtues, and the terrible manner in
which she met her death has cast a
| gloom over the whole community.
Wood was formerly a hard drinker, but
Of late bad INDUCED but little in the use
of ardent spirits.-N. Y. World.