The Beaufort tribune and Port Royal commercial. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1877-1879, 1877-02-15
THE SKELETON II THE CLOSET.
Ten Years Of MiScry.-tn EAiortcd Branr,
and a Cruel C0dicu.

Ten Years Of Nli>cry..hn EAiorted BranrsI
and a Cruel Codicu.
4 few Weeks ago, SAYS the New York
Hcruid, man, nearly eighty years Of
age, died IN this city. He left no chill
dren, and, it is alleged, scarcely a friend
to pay the last rites to his ashes. He
died at midnight, and alone. No one
had thought him dangerously sick, for
he retired TO bed at night as usual, and
his death was only ascertained at noon
OF the following day, when his door was
broken open and he was found lifeless
upon his bed. Breakfast had been pre-
pared for him as usual, and his passion
ate temper was 80 much feared that no
one had ventured to disturb him till it
grew so late in the day that the house
hold became seriously alarmed ut his
non-appearance, An autopsy was held
upon the body, and the whole system of
the deceased was found to be thoroughly
diseased, though the proximate cause OF
his sudden death was considered to be
disease of the heart.
Such painful scenes as those from
which the veil has been partially lifted
in this old mans case are almost sacred.
One hesitates to draw the curtain aside
to reveal the misery. A girl of fifteen
marries man Of middle life, widower,
with children older than herself. She
lived with him till no longer youthful,
has borne him children, and has seen
him change from a doting lover to a
querulous husband, and finely to mo-
rose and pitiless old man. Both her
own children and those of his former
wife are dead. He has no near relatives
and no familiar circle of acquaintance.
He keeps a solitary home, from which
all strangers are jealously excluded, and
that home becomes her prison. This was
ten years ago, and her life since, all ac-
counts agree, must have been weary
torture. In fact, the stories recounted
by those in position to know the truth
seem to 90 beyond belief. The man
had received the education of gentle
man, but the veriest savage would have
revolted at the cruelties he is accused of
practicing toward his wife. Without the
slightest provocation, it is said, he had
been known to strike that helpless
woman to the floor, drag her about by
the hair, and kick her brutally. His
whims and caprices were legion, and the
whole household crouched in terror be-
fore him. It was never known what
new vagary would take possession of
him. Both his trembling wife and SER
wants would study his humors with a
painful zeal, and yet fail to satisfy the
capricious tyrant. Servants, however,
could and did leave the house, but not
even this resource was open to the snf-
fering wife.
Knowing that even woInan's endnr-
ance has its limits, he threatened openly,
it is averred, to shoot the man who
should dare to give her refuge, and
either kill his wife as well in her hiding
place or drag her back to her old life of
torment. Nor was this any empty brava
do, intended to frighten weak woman,
for it is firmly believed by those who
knew the man best that he meant it to
the letter. So his wife suffered on. with
out relief, waiting for the end. What
ten years Of such life must have been
no one but the uncomplaining sufferer
can tell, and the climax to her wrongs
was only to be reached at the end. He
had given her many years ago deed OF
the house and lot where they were living,
and this was her main resource for sup
port in case of his death.
A week or two before he died, perhaps
being conscious of the precarious state
of his health, he determined, it is said, to
extort this deed from her. As she knelt
before him he placed pistol to her
head and threatened to kill her instantly
unless she would give him back her
property. 1t is asserted that witnesses
stand ready to attest this fact in court, if
necessary, and toaver that being in dead
ly fear for her life she made the required
surrender. No sooner had she made
this last concession than he hastened to
draw up codicil to his will, by which
his wife was shut out from all claim up
on his estate except what she derived
from tine bare dover which the law
makes the portion of widow.
Had he any near relative to whom he
might naturally have desiredto bequeath
his estate or some portion Of it, the solu
ton of the mystery might not be far to
seek. But it is reported that the prop
erty has been wiIled away to distant
relatives and business acquaintance for
whom lie could have had no special at
tachmeit. This statement must be re-
ceived with caution, for, apart from the
exclusion of the widow, nothing is detin-
itely known of the provisions except to
certain gentlemen acting as counsel or
executors. 1t is stated, however. on the
authority of one OF these gentlemen,
that the body of the will is very loosely
and badly drawn, but that it is not pro-
posed to contest any portion except the
codicil referred to. The amount of the
estate cannot be accurately determined
at present, but the real estate bequeathed
Is valued roughly at $50, 900,
A Sad Inheritance.