Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1901-08-09
FAMILY SAVED
BY WOMAN'S WIT.
Persuaded Her Crazy Husband 10 Buy
the C0ffins.
COMMITTED TO INSANE ASYLUM.
Joseph Ryder, a Retired Shipmaster Of
Bangor, Me-. Made All Preparations TO
Kill His Wife and ChiIdreH, and So In
formed the Wife..She Induced Him to Go
With Her 10 Pick Out the Collins.

Bangor. Me- (SpeciaD Joseph Ryder,
OF Orrington, a retired shipmaster, in
formed his wife on Wednesday that he
had nicely arranged burial plot for her
and their son and daughter, and that ne
thought it best to forthwith kill all three
of them and bury them all on the same
day, side by side.
Only the quick wit and bravery OF
Mrs. Ryder averted terrible tragedy, as
the mailman had sharp ak and rifle
all in readiness to carry out his awful
purpose.
The Ryders live. OH the shore OF
Sweets Pond, in Ortington, and have al
was been Well-to-do and respected. Cap
tain Ryder was a fine, bright mai until
the Civil War, when he suffered ter
rible Aogging, being tied in the rigging
and brutally dashed with the cato nine
tails to force from him some information
concerning the movements Of vessels.
He came home a wreck. physically and
mentally. but seemed to have recovered,
when a few years ago he suddenly be-
came violently insane and attempted TO
kill his son. The boy, then about 10
years old, was obliged to leave home and
90 to live with neighbors, as the very
sight of him goaded the father to mad
ness.
Two months ago the town authorities
took action for the removal OF Captain
RYDER to the insane hospital, but the old
man pleaded so hard to be allowed to
STAY at home. where he expected soon to
die, that it was thought best to give him
another chance: , -.
He claimed down greatly and asked his
SON to return home, promising never
again to lift hand against him. For a
time everything went smoothly in, the
family, and Captain Ryder Seemed to
have regained his mental balance, treat
ing his wife and children with marked
kindness, but two weeks ago it was OBJ
served that he was again acting strange
ly.
Captain Ryder began to pay frequent
visits to the little family burial plot near
the house, going out early in the morn
ing with spade and pick and working
diligently all day He made plot a
foot higher than the rest OF the inclos-
ure and sodded it neatly.
When he had finished on Wednesday
he went to his wife and made the start
ling announcement:
well, Mary, have got a. nice lot all
ready for you. | have stood it as long
as I can Day after tomorrow / shall
kill the boy and as soon as he is dead |
shall kill the girl. Then, after you and
/ have made them fit for burial, | will
kill YOU, and I'll have three funerals all
in one day."
Had Mrs. Ryder made the slightest
objection to this calmly laid plan for
wholesale murder she would doubtless
have been killed then and there, but
she is woman of quick wit and strong
nerve, so she Immediately agreed with
her lunatic husband that his plan was
a good one. and promised to help him
to carry it out. All that day Ryder
raved around the house, sharpened the
axe and handled the rife with which he
intended to kill his family. Thursday
he repeated his awful announcement OF
death. and Mrs. Ryder said:
Very we'll let us go to Bangor. and
pick out the collins. You go and hitch
up the horse, and | will go along with
you."
That's right" said the mailman,
pleased with her ready acquiescencc.
1--WE ought to do this thing we'll" And
to Bangor they came.
At Bangor Mrs. Ryder managed to
get her husband into doctors office,
and there number OF physicians exam
ined him as to his mental condition,
with the result that he was quickly
placed in a cell at the new Eastern
Maine Hospital for the Insane.