River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-04-02
THE VlNElAnD TRAGEDY.
How and why IL Happened.

y .
rather alteration, for there were no
principles at stake, which has been going
on for some years. The parties to the
quarrel were Charles X. Lands and Uri
larruth, the editors, respectively, Of the
Weekly and Independent newspapers in
that village. Mr.. Lands was widely
known, as even the brief telegraphic dis.
patches told us, as ''the father Of Wins
land, Sixteen years ago he and Richard
Byrne went into the barren region Of
southern New Jersey, noted only for
sand, pitch.pine and scrub.oak, and
bought a tract of land, so square miles,
out OF which they determined
TO create u garden and a
city. their success is one Of the most
remarkable examples of the power of al.
yertising. The village of Hammonton,
or, as 1t was long called, the New Eng.
land settlement, sprang up rapidly, amid
the low forests, but not so rapidly or so
prOsperously as that Of Vmeland, few
miles farther south, which Mr.. Lands,
having separated from his less progres.
siye partner, founded, two years later.
Both the villages were mainly settled at
the outset by Spiritualists, whose pur-
pose it was to make this region special
Eden for themselves, and Vineland, even
now that it has grown to have 10000
inhabitants, and churches, Episcopal,
Methodist, Presbyterian, etc, still
retains an exceptional reputation for isms
and reforms, in many Of which Lands has
been prominent. He has been interested
IN everything done for the place, from its
first plating to its latest business enter
prise. He carried matters with high
hand for long time, as the sole proprie-
tor, with every man his tenant, and all
under such strict conditions that their
houses had to conform to his require
ments, and their street fronts must be
bordered with shade trees. His mark
upon the community is inefaceable; and
in nothing more than the clause in the
charter which keeps intoxicating drinks
ONt Of its precincts. Some years ago, Mr..
Lands eloped with and married the
daughter of Commodore Richard Meade,
man whose eccentricities bordered close.
y on insanity. The affair created quite
sensation, and the domestic difficulties
Of Mr.. Lands seem to have been equally
sensational in local limits, ever since.
Some disagreement with Carruth, about
three years since, caused a reciprocal ami
mostly, which, however, has been chiefly
defensive on the part of Lands, while
Carruth has Piled his darts relentlessly
into the sore secrets of his victims UNI
happy household.
Last weeks Independent contained the
following article, which Lands consid-
cred as referring to him:
A prominent Vineland-r sat down by the
side Of his loving wife on the sofa, and looked
up in her eyes, aud called her duck, and
birdie, and rabbit, and all the other endearing
names. Then he told her he wanted she
should learn the use OF a revolver, SO that in
his absence she could protect their home ard
silv erware, and defend the honor of Vineland.
Then he went of and bought an elegant seven
shooter and nice target Then he set up the
target in one end OF the parlor and gave her
irsl lesson in shooting, Then he told her lie
wanted she should practice every day. Then
he went away for week. When he returned
he found the revolver on the other side of the
leokng-glass. The parlor door sembled a
bad case of smallpox, and the furniture
looked as though il had been indulging in 4
wrestle with Burlington county hail storm.
Did he walk up to his wife and sieken her
with the ehdearing names OF all the birds and
tonr-iooted beasts Not much; he marched
out into the street IN his shirt sleeves, with
but one boot on, and that patched over the big
toe. Then he went galloping up and Down,
telling every man he met "cOnfdentially' that
his wife was crazy. Then he went OFF and tried
to get her into private insane asylum Yes I
he didi the wretch
Shortly after ten O'Clock, the next day
after the paper appeared, Lands came in.
to the editorial room, opened the door of
the printing office and asked where Mr..
Carruth was. Herry Wilbur the foreman;
B. Frank Laid and Mile Case, compost.
ors; James Wiley, apprentice, and Eddie
Wright Office boy. were in the printing
office. Mr.. Wilbur informed Lands that
the editor was not in, but he would send
for him, and accordingly dispatched the
boy to look for him. Mr.. Wilbur says
that he was led to observe Lands closely,
from the fact that he had not visited the
Independent Office for three years, be.
cause of the unfriendly relations between
himself and the editor. lie says thai
Lands showed no excitement whatever
in his manner, but perfect GOODNESS and
deliberation.
Upon hearing Carrulh was not in he
took seat in the editorial room in
corner where he could see both doors.
After delay, the duration Of which is
yariously given at froia five TO ten min.
uteS, the boy returned and reported that
he could not find his employer. The
foreman sent him out again aud the mes.
senger having met Carruth returned up
the stairs almost Immediately with him.
THE SHOOTING.
The editor was heard by the compost.
tors entering the sanctum. A moment
after he suddenly opened the door 20 the
printing office, came in and closed it,
looked hurriedly back into the sanctum
through the panes Of glass in the door,
moving his head from side to side as If
he was either lodging something or try.
ing 70 get a better view Of lands. lie
paused only a momen. and then ran
toward the other door through the mar.
row way betweeu the type racks along
the wall and the imposing stone.
The distance between these doors, as be.
fore stated, is eleven feet. lie had run
about eight feet when Lands