The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1869-12-30
TERRIBLE TRAGEDY NEAR GIN
CINNATI
A Husband Attempts to Murder his Wife
and then Blows His Brains Out.
CrNcrNNAr1. Dec. u.


CINCINNATI, Dec. q.
A terrible family quarrel took place
at Westwood village, about five miles
from this city, in Green township,
last evening, which resulted in the
fatal wounding of the wife and the
self destruction of the father. The
particulars are as follows: Cordelia
Wilder. wife of John Wilder, is
known in this city, Chicago and st.
Louis, as woman whose business has
been for years to furnish houses OF
prostitution, she taking a mortgage on
property for money advanced, and
enormous rates of interest charged.
During her frequent absences from
home, the husband looked after the
family, consisting of ten or twelve
children.
Her legal adviser, Nicholas Byrd, q
young lawyer of this city, about a
year ago began to pay attentions to
the Oldest daughter of Wilder, being
encouraged therein by her mother.
The father objected, and at one time
cowhided Byrd on Fourth street the
affair, at the time, creating a good
deal of talk. About three months
since, Byrd and the daughter were
married, and the quarrel yesterday
grew out of this matter. During its
progress something was said which
enraged Wilder, who attacked his
wife with hatchet, striking her in the
head and cutting her nose nearly off.
He then stabbed her with some sharp
instrument, inflicting wounds in the
neck and shoulders, which are, pro-
nounced fatal by surgeons.
The children ran to alarm the neigh
bors, but when help arrived it 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 to enter the room. While
the neighbors were debating how to
effect an entrance they heard the re-
port of a gun, and bursting open the
door beheld most appalling and
sickening sight.
Wilder had taken advantage of the
hesitation of the people outside to load
both barrels of the shot gun with hea-
Wy buck shot, remove the barrels from
the stock, and placing the butt end in
the CRATE he so adjusted string on
the trigger that both barrels would be
fired 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
and thrown some feet distant into an
open. trunk, back to which the man
staggered and fell with his neck across
the edge. The ceiling and walls were
despatched with brains and blood,
presenting most sickening sight.
Wilder had written an explanation
of, the tragedy, attributing all the
difficulties between himand hi s
wife to his son-in-law, Byrd. On his
person was found newspaper giving
an account of the cowhiding scrape,
"a correspondence between himself and
Byrd On the proposed marriage, and a
letter from mother to daughter, advis-
ing her to marry Byrd. He also ad-
dressed line to his children, stating
that he had come to the conclusion
that they had better be orphans than
to live with such parents as they had,
and said he did not intend previous
to kill his wife. On the bed in the
room were found a bowie knife, razor
and strong cord, and in another place
q shotgun and pistols, showing that he
had contemplated suicide. The chill
dren evidently sympathized with their
mother, as when the neighbors at
tempted to prevent the escape of Will
der by the back way they expressed a
good deal OF feeling against their
father. A ramrod becoming fastened
in amusket in the hands of some per-
son in the crowd, one of the children
said, "Damn the ramrod; shoot il
through him if he attempts to escape.'
. The latest account from the scene OF
the tragedy report Mrs. Wilder still
alive, but her death is momentiy ex.
pected.