The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-12-28
CINCINNATI.
A Family Quarrel.
THE MOTHER WOUNDED
The Father Commits Suicide
A slCKENING SIGHT

CINCINNATI, December PA terrible
family quarrel took place in Westwood,
a village about five miles from this city,
in Green township, last evening, WHICH
re suited in the fatal wounding of the
wife and the self destruction of the
father. The particulars are as follows:
Cordelia Wilder, wife of John r.
Wilder, is known ia this city, Chicago
and st. Louis as . woman whose busi-
ness has been for years to furnish houses
of prostitution, she taking mortgages
on property for money advanced and
the enormous rates of interest charged.
During her frequent absences from
home tho husband looked after the fam
lily, consisting of some ten or twelve
children.
Her legal adviser, Nicholas Byrd, a
young lawyer Of this city, about year
ago began to pay attentions to the old
est daughter of Wilder, being encour-
aged therein by the mother. The father
objected, and at one time cowhided
Byrd on Fourth street, the affair at
tue time creating good deal Of talk.
About three months since Byrd and the
daughter were married and the quarrel
yesterday grew out of this matter.
DuIing its progress something was said
which enraged Wilder, who attack
bis wife with hatchet, striking heron
the head and cutting her nose nearly off
He stabbed her with sharp instrument,
inflicting a wound in her neck and
shoulder which was pronounced fatal by
surgeon. The children ran to alarm
H. irh I'm v,b halr arriu aA ~
was found that Wilder had taken refuge
in an adjoining room and barred the
door. He gave notice that he was armed
and would kill any one who attempted
90 enter the room.
While the Deighbors were debating
how to effect an entrance, they heard
the report of gun, and bursting open
the door they beheld most appalling
and sickening sight. Wilder had taken
advantage of the hesitation of the peo-
pie outside to load both barrels of his
shotgun with heavy buckshot, remove
the barrels from the stock, and placi5g
the butt-end in the CRATE, be so adjusted
a string on the triggers that both loads
would be fred at once. So terrific was
the force that the top of his head, from
below the right eye diagonally across
the forehead, was blown completely of
aud thrown some feet into an open
trunk, back to which the man staggered
and f, II with his neck just across the
edge. The ceiling and walls we're be-
spattered with brains and blood, pre-
s-ntiDg most sickening sight.
Ga the dsor of the room Wilder had
written an explanation of the tragedy
attIibuting all ,he difficulties between
him and his wife to his son-in. law,
Byrd. On his person were found news
paper giving an account Of the COW
b ding scrape, correspondence between
himself and Byrd on the proposed mar
rage and letter from the mother to
the daughter advising her to marry
Byrd. He also addressed line to his
children, stating that he had core 10
the conclusion that they had better be
orphans than live with such parents as
they had, ard said he did not intend
previously to kill his wife.
On a bed in the room were found a
bowie knife, razor and strong cord, ard
in apo:her place shot gun, musket and
pistols, showing that he had contem-
plated suicide.
The children evidently sympatbizsd
with their mother, for when the neigh
bors attempted to prevent the escape of
Willard by the back way they ex.
pres sed a good deal of feeling against
their father. A Iamrod becoming fas
tened in musket in the hands of some
person in the crowd, one of them said:
"D-n the Iamrod; shoot it through
him if he attempts 10 escape"
The latest account from the scene OF
tragedy reports Mrs. Wilder still alive,
but her death is momentarily expected.