National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-03-25
TIE v1EKLAHD AFFAIR.
Mr.. lands IntsFviSWSe-HII Relation Of shl
pfoVoaatioa ana tha nhaaklassaank

49, NeNeSeNS ~ aAASs
NJ. lands IntsFviSwse-HII RslGsIsn Of ths
Proveoation ana the ohaItiSsmsnt
The ubiquitous New Y ofk Herald eorrosposdonl
has achieved On sntFAeo 10 the jail Gt BrldEotou
N. j., where Lands Is now confined 10 answer the
shooting Of % editor named CaFruth, A. this Il
the hfst opportunity which has been afforded thu
accused for making known 10 the public his mar
TDtiVs Of the Affair We give the account In full
II 10 a. iolioWII .
have Just bad . long Interview with Mr.. Lsn,
ell, through the courtsly o. sheriff Wilson, IN
charge q the county jail, which Is an Institution
ariStocfGtic young ladies' IsmInSry. The priS.
onef has small cell IN the Women's department
The Jsll, bot during the Interview he was altar
else, Or rsclininE on the door on some IhGWlS sod
pGhiy, and perfectly wiling 70 sSiFte the Herald
representative, although be has refused 70 SEQ
every other journalist. In q Conversation OF an
hour and 0 hall no gave detailed history Of the
shooting.
THE INTERVIEW WITH LANpTs.
Amer stating that ever since Oarruth has been
lLandif) have been merciless, Mr.. Lands said
that "Hs long as Carruth confined his attacks to
me felt like general in . battle, who knows
that II he can stand pounding he will tire out the
enemy; and knew that II could not outliYe his
scurrility did not desere to succeed; but when
he began 70 attack my wife and children Il was .
far different matter. Not only Was It my duty to
protect them at all hazards, but nv wife Is Of .
very e1citable nature; insanity Is In her blood,
snd these illusions 70 her actually drove her mad
Copies Of these articles were thrust under the
door or thrown into the window, spite Of all pre-
cautions, and she finally became so violent that
servants to help me hold her. On the day before
CefIuth's last article appeared urged DIR. Lane
to give her an anodyne. She talked continually
eHeeints, and there was q certainty this the doc
tor assured her, that her reason would be per-
manently oyerthroWn unless the excitement was
removed.
"He said that If he gave her an opiate It would
endanRer life, and the. only remedy was to re-
move the exciting cause. She had often been
article in the Independent. On the morning Of
the shooting / went to my office early, leaving
her q little quieter than she had been. At 9:5o
O'Clock returned home, AID found her in q state
OF violent and dangerous excitement, with the
slip from the Independent in her hands. Some
one had sent Il 10 her. do not know who /
never could keep them out Of the house. She
showed 1t TO me. saw her condition. l remem-
bered the doctors words. l knew the danger to
her reason and her life. saw the folly OF the
efforts had made for years to keep these articles
from her knowledge. l became desperate 1
ran up stairs to my library and locked the door
ATTEMPTS SUICIDE
Iran to desk and seized pistol which 1 kent
there. placed the muzEle to my head and pulled
the trigger. The cartridge did not explode
Then it flashed scross me that was doing what
would seem cowardly suicide, / saw that was
killing the injured man instead Of the aggressor,
and remembered that the doctor had said that
the exciting cause must be removed, or my wife
would become incurably insane. knew that man
would never cease bis persecution as long as he
lived: dropped the pistol, and picked up an
English revolver had purchased In Europe.
THE SHOOTING.
/ went straight to Carruth's Office and asked for
him. There was no one IN the editorial room and
in the SdIOiHlnE one they told me he was out and
little room until Carruth came In which was after
about two minutes waiting. did not wait ten
minutes, as they say, When be came, showed
him the slip and said, Mr. CaTruth, did you write
that" He replied, al did, aud have done Il be.
fore" or n Will do II again." do not remember
exactly which. vas perfectly cool and collected,
lore the shooting. We both spoke quietly, but
CHrruth's manner was Insulting. He stood near
me with his hand IN his breast. thought he held
! pistol have often hoard that he always wont
lfmed believed he was then, and believe IL
l9r' SAG, VIII y9u promise not TO attack my
~. ,MSS IN ,, intgie T. ne an,Eered immediately,
presented the pistol. Remember following MIN
through door and seeing him fall, but have no
'ssmtmibfnnse q being 10 th9 printing, office.
thought shot him In the hall.
APTER THE SHOOTING,
Then oil was an excited WhiFI, I remember
iethlng more until ! woke up IN MF. Houses
'fhoe, with Mr.. Dloklon stFOkihE my head, I 70.
sIgas M FI s0, TS,S. were hSs
habit came back 10 me, and | said,
yS S.Sss 70 60 v ISS' Sr P Nc
IhsT told ne " o,elPeh. ! cannot recall those
was put ~ . eaTIl9Es and driven over here, 81.
ain sRS sISsS S' stunned t hi. ns srs S.sG
r0uble, Or the feels that . nightmare q lifted
rom hsF ~ re osII5ton o. IhSls STae! attacks
nth, but be sent Dr.. uFoHI, q most Smlnsnt sur.
Ison. Through the PT9yldSnqs Of Gods more
ms HP GSIa b6 not hlyS been Sh,S
Ial the nIlt one 10 take AHy active measures 70
ave tbe wounded man. The other surgeon had
zen bathipg and RgT.inE him, but DO performed
lfe, and II be docs / shall have been the means,
. sending this surgeon % hlmI for without his
attention 10 would have died"
TIE PEACE POLICY.
In reply 10 question % 20 why be did not cow
lide the editor Instead OF FeGoTtlnE 20 these TIo-
ent measures, Mr., lands TeplledI "BIr, / had
ften thought Of that, but ! could not. / have
SaS of the mH.os SsSr R rom O SaI
iage ten years ago. could not INT hVe pounds
IlLh 4, have Thought Of hiring man 10 COW.
nd would have made him still more YindIotlye,
had no remedy at law. The libel law in this
state 10 very lax. Under Il you can only recover
BILE offence, mentioning you BY name; and al
iyil law you can only get redress when you can
rove explicitly an1 specially the extent 70 which
i
)arTuth was too clever 0 man 70 get within the
aw. have consulted the most eminent lawyers
the state without success, and had q standing
HdspsHdsnt every week to see Il none Of his al.
acks came within the law. l was discouraged,
was In dispatr. MY Wife's reason and her LIE
self depended upon the cessation Of this cruelty.
PREPARING TO DIE.
"WheA ] went to CaTruth's office was certain
here would be night, and was prepared to die
1yset am no tighter. did not wear arms as
believe he did, and was willing to die in an
fort to saye my wife in q struggle with him. /
i'd not go TO she OF him down without giving him
chance to defend himself. If ! had Intended
hat should have killed him before he reached
be second room. l should have fired before
poke. said to him ana he said to me just what
have told you. There was not a shadow Of truth
; the article Of that morning, and when he said
new Of but one course 10 take, and fired.
TAs cool up to that time but all Is confused after
hat. do not remember standing over the body
Ike TO speak harshly Of Carruth now, but he was
Ike the creatures told Of in the German legend,
nd children. He represented no more the pro-
ession Of journalism than he belongs TO the order
T gentlemen or honest men,"
lands AND HIS FUTURE.
Mr.. Lands said much more, going into details
8 to Carruth's persistent vindlctiVeness and its
feet upon Mrs. Lands and the children. He
arnestly and repeatedly asserted, on his own OBJ
eryatlon and the assurances Of his physician that
be cruelty OF the articles in the Independent The
risoner's narrative was perfectly clear and con-
ected. 1t was delivered in Q quiet but impress
I've manner, vivid and ct times eloquent. He |
poke with the utmost tenderness Of his wife's |
lists to him constantly, and expressed grave ap-
as to the effect Of this sad affair upon
er mind In her present condition. Knowing that |
be Herald correspondent had Just come from |
RTruth's bedside, he asked Anxiously after his |
OnditIOp, inquirinK as to the state Of his pulse
nd all the symptoms with the minuteness Of Q |
MUSICIAN. When told that the patient is now
81 hly better, and that there are hopes for his
Re, he seemed ssnguine that he would recover, |
nd wondered whether he would continue his old |
purse. He did not seem to realize his own dan |
or, and spoke 1.-THE pleasure II would afford him |
visit the writer IN New York or TO offer him the
capabilities OF his own home In VlnelAnd OF some
lture time. He has books and flowers about him, |
nd laughingly remarked that he was permitted /
be freedom Of the window a. long as he behaved /
imselE In person he Is rather tall and slender,
Ith grey hair and whiskers, and Of o nervous /
His air and language indicate o |
entleman Of culture Snd refinement.