The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1874-07-02
A MODERN BLUE-BEARD.
A Man Who Tickled Two Wives into the
Grave and the Third into IdiOcy.
I From the Louisville Courier-Journal.7

uraVe anu Jle Tnlrd INTO ldl0cy.
From the Louisville Courier-J Journal
The following account of the manner in
which a doating husband contrived to amuse
himself with his wives (for he was three
times married) is one Of the most extraor-
dinary pieces of cuelty that have ever
came under our notice. What pleasure
the demon could have taken in the ecstatic
agonies of a lovely woman, no human mind
can fancy but he did revel in them the
narrative renders too certain On the
banks of the beautiful Cumberland, between
Nashville and Smithland, in the year 19-,
there resided man, forty, rich, and great
ly respected. He was possessed of large
lands and numerous slaves and though
courted and fattered by his neighbors he
lived in great seclusion. In short time
he buried two wives-they dying within
one year of each other and both quite sud
denly. So highly was he respected, how.
ever, that not even the slightest breath of
suspicion was whispered against him In
the following summer, after the burial of
his last wife, he visited the White Sulphur
Springs in Virginia, where he met with a
lady who mixed with the fashionable world,
and who was accompanied by lovely
daughter. Young and beautiful, and high
ly educated, the latter was an object of
general attention and universal admiration.
She had received many advantageous pro-
posals for her hand, but, as her heart re-
mained unaffected, she selected none from
the crowd of her admirers until the hero
of our story stepped upon the field of ac-
ton, Him she chose as the one best sui
ted to crafty her amour propre. She
made contdante of her mother, who could
not avoid expressing surprise at her selec-
ton, as there was a great disparity in their
ages, and she felt an invincible repuguance,
for which she could not account, to the
union. The daughter thought so good an
opportunity for securing rich establish
ment might not again present-her
mother yielded, and the marriage was con-
sumated Some time after a cousin of the
bride, who had been suitor for her hand,
urged her to frankly confess to him whether
she had realized the happiness which she
anticipated from the union. Il have, in
deed, said she, my husband anticipates
my every wish and would render me fully
happy, but for singular request which he
has made, and which, as [ cannot under
stand the object, troubles me, and l have
to refuse it. at must be very serious,
said the cousin. ''Oh, no ; it is very silly"
replied the bride '|you would never ina
CINE what Only think of request to
bind myself with linen Damages from top to
toe-in word, to be living copy of an
Egyptian mummy.
His curiosity was too strongly excited to
be spent in imaginings, and he urged his
cousin, the bride, to yield, but with the
condition that he should, unknown to the
husband, be stationed, during the opera
ton, in an adjoining room. Thus placed,
the wife informed the husband that she
Wild with JOY at this information, the hus-
band found no words to express his graft
tude, and promptly commenced his opera
tions. The cousin listened attentively Pro-
found silence reigned for some minutes in
the room. The bride broke it by saying,
in trembling tone, 'and the arms too ~
eyes, my dear, replied the husband, gay
ly ; II beg you-head and feet only free !;
just like mummy; you know" All was
quiet again the silence lasted 50 long as to
again frighten the cousin, and he was upon
the point Of entering the room when the
bride commenced laughing most immodera-
tely.
He felt assured and listened The laugh
ing ceased, and all again was silent. This
tomb-like silence broken by loud and i'm
moderate laughter, was alarming. He knew
not how to unrayel the mystery, and burst
into the room. At his appearance the
bridegroom fled, and the cousin found the
unfortunate bride stretched on the floor
cold and inanimate. Her husband had
bound her that he might freely tickle her
feet Another fit of laughing, and she
would have followed his other two wives
The best medical attention recalled her to
existence, perfect idiot, the nervous sys-
tenn being entirely destroyed. The fend
who committed the deed left the country
and has never been heard Of to this day
This adventure, kept sacredly secret by the
family, has reached us in such way that
it cannot be doubted We suppress the
names solely out of regard for highly re
spected family connection.
Stop Us,