The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-04-01
Love. jealousy and Lust End
in Murder.
A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN'S SPELL.
Terrible Crimes Committed by
Two Of Her ParamourS.
HER FRIGHTFUL FATE.

had been fresh fall Of snow and they struck . fox
track which led INTO rocky hollow. They followed
the track some distance into the hollow where they
came to peculiar looking mound of snow One OF the
boys, supposing IL rock jumped upon it, 1t
yielded beneath his feet like pilo OF leaves, and no
began kicking the snow Off to see what II was. Hc
came pile OF short brush in removing quantity
OF which he Mortified to the upper part OF tho
body and the face OF dead woman. The boys re-
mained to make furthor investigation, but in
Terror from the spot and returned to this place and
made their discovery known.
RECOGNITION BODY.
Justice OF the Peace Keen, with others, at
started for the spot guided by the boys On reaching
IL and discovering the body it recognized that
of woman we'll known in this section named Sclinda
Wilcox, who was left widow last August by a bloody
tragedy. The body was taken up and carried to the
house of Jacob James. who lives two miles south of
the Acres the public road leading this village
In whose family she was raised. The ravine In which
The remains were found is half mile east of this
road Justice Keen then summoned jury, and pro-
ceedcd to elicit information that might unravel tho
mystery attending the death OF Mrs. Wilcox Tho
facts obtained substantially follows and include
history of the tragedy alluded to above:-
Tho settlement south OF Wiscman's Acres is the
abode of few families who gain precarious liveli-
hood by wood chopping and getting out hoop poles
ing, &c, in the summer. Their standard OF morals is
low and some of the present generation have made
themselves prominent by acts of outawry and crime
Among these families are those OF the Jamesos and
wcoxes. OF the latter there were three sons Peter
known as -sBig Pete" John and Jerome The two
hrst named were obliged to fee tho community about
Two years ago for ouiragng a young lady school
cacher and have been heard OF since. The only
member of the James family besides tho old man and
the young woman Selinda She was not
child Of theirs, but left with them by pair Of
tramps when she year and half old, one Of
them claiming that it his but that its mother
dead. This child grew up to be
A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN,
but the banefu influence of the Acres settlement made
her a social outcast II her life had been other.
wise without reproach, MS 1t not This girl how
ever being excellent domestic she tolerated in
the best families.
To his calling OF hooppolc cutter Jerome Wilcox
added that OF farm laborer, but he never worked
longer than necessary for him to procure money
FOR OF his periodical sprees year ago last July
he working for farmer the village named
William Wilson. Senda James was IN the employ of
The family. ON the Fourth Of July both Wilcox
and the girl to this village to the celebration
While here he dared Scnda go the 'Squire's and
get married She accepted tho banter and they were
married by Squire Powell then Justice OF the Peace
With other residents of the Acres they hero
Dor two days when the newly made man and wife
,urncd TO Farmer Wilson'S Although scandalized at
The conduct OF his hired help, Wilson hoped the
marriage might work at least partial reformation in
them and instead OF discharging them he fitted up
and furnished house for them the farm giving il
10 them free STIMULATING that they should perform
iheir respective duties the farm before they
married
JEALOUSY.
Wilcox and his wife got along nicely for time, but
finally difficulties between them, originating in
jealousy the part of the husband. His sprccs IN
tTaln haa C.ffs
beating his wife. when she LETT him. ana returned
her former quarters at the farmers house. Wilcox
discharged not long aiterward, and he away
from the place. About three months previous to the
separation of Wilcox and his wife young man named
seamster in Tho oil region. no said lie and Wilcox
became boon companions, but IL does not appear that
during that time he made the acquaintance OF Mrs.
work When Wilcox was discharged Gallon applied
Tor and given job on the farm by Mr.. Wilson.
An intimacy soon sprung up between him and Mrs.
Wb;ox and finally their conduct became notorious
scandaons that they were both ordered to leave
Tho farm The woman returned to her fathers at tho
Acres and Caen found work elsewhere In the vicinity,
keeping up his intimacy with ana visiting Mrs. Wilcox
regularly at James.
This was the state OF affairs in August last when
Wilcox again appeared on the scene. On the twenty
second OF that month he startled Farmer Wilson's wife
BY calling there and demanding TO see his wife. on
being informed that she was ut the Acres he came 10
the village and visited several drinking places. Hc
told trends OF his that he knew all about his wife ard
Dave Caen, and bad back to settle up with them
Beng intoxicated, ana notorious for his braggadocio
until about dusk. when he started Tor the Acres
settlement Reaching there he must have gone directly
o'clock when he Knocked at their door. James and
bis wife were in bed Mr.. James got up and opened
ihe door Wilcox inquired for his wife, and was told
she not in, and that II sho was he couldn't
her. Tho door then locked Wilcox walked about
The house short time and then started up the road
MOONLIGHT RENcoSrRE
That night Callen had come 10 James, and he and
Mrs Wilcox had gone out together He was ignorant
OF wicox's return They walked to the house
man named Hiram Crum, about mile from James
At ten O'Clock they started TO return. Half mile
}hs side OF Crum's IL being moonlight night they
law man approaching in the road, but there being
nothing strange that they kept on their way. The
stopped the Two drew near to him, and as they
passed HIM he inquired
sis that you, Scindy"
The woman was startled she recognized his voice.
but retaining hold OF Calcn, stopped IN the road and
said, in n spilctu manner
'sies, MS me: and whai're you going to do about
n.y.
wilcox then stepped close TO the couple and cx-
claimed :-"lil show you what III do about II if you
don't leave Dave Callen and come with me-
BLOODY SCENE
The couple then started on. when Wilcox sprung
alter them, and scizing Caien by the arm, made
Iunge al him with large knife. Calcn evaded the
blow, and jerking away back up the road
Tho woman started on run toward home, cry
ing .sMurderl', Calen heard pistol shot, and tue
cries ceased BY roundabout way ho returned
10 James house and the alarm No about the
house had courage enough TO GO to the scene OF tho
tragedy and II before the others tho
settlement were aroused. Two men finally consented
10 go with Cailen- They reached the spot aud found
further on Wilcox lay IN tho ditch. The moonlight
revealed his throat cut from ear 10 car aud he
found TO DO dead He had evidently believed that no
had killed his wife, and his drunken frenzy finished
the bloody work by taking his own life.
Mrs Wilcox was picked up IN a scmi-conscious state
and taken home. The pistol ball had entered her left
shoulder and the blood flowing copiously DIR.
Lcvng or this place. answered the summons 10 attend
her She lay IN critical condition for several days,
hui the bali was extracted and she nnally pro-
nounccd out OF danger. wilcox's body was taken 10
his fathers aud the case being one surrounded with
M nv etf
fIAIsoS.
nv October Mrs Wilcox had entirely recovered from
her wound and il was believed that she would lead
different life The intimacy between her and Callen,
however, was renewed. and they lived together as
man WIFE In the latter part OF the above month
= Young man. giving his name as James Moore from
Pitsburg, this place for the purpose OF en-
)oying the deer hunting which Is famous hcrcabous
In one OF his excursions he met the Widow wilcox.
He was stricken with her beauty. a short tine