Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-02-17
The Babes In the Wood. J"

Remember me. -lH
-COrnltW Magazine.
The "Babes In the Wood"
The bodies of the three lost children of
Wynockie, N. j., have recently been dis7
covered former report of their having
been found proved incorrect. The New
York Herald Of the 4th gives the follow
ing account of the discovery Of the bodies ::
1.-THE bodies were found by Messrs. VIM.
81. 81. Ramsey and Michael Sturr, who
were walking through the wilderness,
when their attention was directed to an
enormous flock of crows circling around a
certain place at the foot of the mountain.
They say it is about two miles distant from
the Wyble hut, although others claim the
distance to be little more. But there is
not enough discrepancy in the accounts to
materially change the facts of the case
The place the bodies were discovered is
also about half mile from the Ponds Re-
formed Church, situated in Franklin
Township, Bergen County.
1.-THE youngest boy, who was about 8
years of age, laid upon his face, his body
partly within the shelter of the shelving
rock, under which he had crawled. He
was covered over with the coat ofthe old
est boy, and was also partly covered with
a pile of leaves which they had gathered
to protect themselves from the cold.
'The next largest boy, who was about
z years of age, laid parallel with the one
Just described. He was lying between a
stone and large log, and was also partly
covered with leaves. He was also face
downward.
"But there is an evidence of sublime
and heroic devotion to his younger
brothers in the position in which was
found the oldest, who was about 10 years
of age. He was lying on his back on
rock near his brothers, and where he
seemed to have fallen from perpendicu-
lar rock a little higher. He had robbed
himself of his coat in order to give it to
the youn gest, and was besides almost
wholly undressed, rs If in his delirium he
had imagined himself at home preparing
to retire, or else was trying to further
disrobe himself for the protection of his
Younger brother when his efforts were
stopped by the approach of death or in
sensibility. His shirt was also rolled
about his neck, as if it had worked there
in his wrestie with death, SO that when
found q large portion of his body was en-
tirely uncovered, except by slight man
tie of snow, which kind nature had, as If
sorry for being so harsh, brought to cover
his nakedness. Close by the boys, and
partly filed with water, was the little tin
pail they had taken along to gather nuts.
1.-THE bodies Of all the children were
considerably mut:lated. Their hands We're
pinched and shriveled, as if by cold. The
skin of the Oldest, uncovered as he was,
was yellow and withered looking. 1t is
believed they must have persisted the first
AZ n.sf Thnu dico od
on New Years Day, and the weather at
that time was exceedingly cold, and q
heavy rain prevailed day or 80 after.
The hands and portion Of the face Of
the Oldest one were eaten away, IS if by
some animal. The middle one was not so
disturbed. but the body OF the youngest
presented sickenlng appearance. The
whole under part of his body was devour.
cd, together with the entrails, only the
heart and liver remaining, and his neck
was partly gnawed away. Minks, wea-
sells. foxes, and even wild cats are plentiful
in this wilderness, and it was probable
some Of these animals or the crows that
lowered in the vicinity hadthus mutilated
the bodies.
cit seems somewhat strange that the
children should have been lost so near
home; but this is accounted for by the
fact that they had lived there 'bnt two
months, and were comparative strangers
in the locality. Even q native might be
lost there in dark night, 50 wild Is the
place From the reports that the children
when last seen were going in the direc-
ton of Ridgewood, most of the search has
been made In that direction and the local
ity where they were found comparatively
deserted.
aAil sorts OF rumors of hiding the
bodies until the present time, have been
afoat, but these are all, doubtless, without
foundation, as the position in which the
bodies were found is too natural to have
been effected by design Of any other per-
sons than the:unhappy little victims them
selves.
"Thus, this great mystery which has
caused much excitement in all parts OF
the country, is solved, and slI memory OF
the sad affair will be buried with their
bodies, except that cherished In the hearts
of the Borrowing parents. =
The sufferingA horrors, terror, ana
agony of these real babes in the wood"
and their lone, cruel death struggles, can
be imagined, but never described
4 The Downieville (Csl.) Aesssnger says
that - dozen Cinnamon organized them
selves into pack train, q few days since,
q and brought TO town from Shady Flat .
safe weighing over 1900 pounds. The safe
q a ~