Year: 1878

fly was Blasted.


Condensed from the Cincinnati Commercial.


The leading physician at Lebanon,
Ohio, was called on by strangely ex-
cited old man few nights ago to visit
the house Of an old farmer, who has a
fine residence and valuable property
between Waynesburg and Harveysburg.
A young friend Of the physician accom-.
panied the doctor and the strange old
man 10 the house, long drive from
Lebanon-and from this third party
the following story, satisfactorily cor
roborated in every particular, has
leaked out:


The doctor found in cheerless bed
room young man who was uncon-
scious from wounds clearly marked by
blood upon his forehead. At his bed
side, with the patients hand In hers,
was young woman Of twenty-five or
three, richly attired, but bearing in
her face evidence of mental wildness.
While the doctor was dressing the
wounds the young woman slipped out
upon the lawn and paced to and fro in
tha moonlight between the trees. The
patient was relieved Of his stupor and
was lut into healthfnl sleep.


' Then, as the doctor and his friend
sat by the bedside, the youg woman
entered the room, and to the former, as
the only recognized friend OF herself
and father in the neighborhood, ex-
planned the presence Of the wounded
man. Shs said that they liysd in West
Chester, near Philadelphia, until few
years Ago. Her mother died long be-
fore the removal, and her auut had
lived with herself and father until the
latter left West Chester. There had
always been insanity IN the family.
She remembered to haveseen this aunt
on her fathers side acting as would a
mad dog, foaming at the mouth, bark,
ing, etc. Just before the removing sh.
(the young woman) met and loved a
young man from Wilmington, Del.
There was an engagement, th" father
and aunt both heartily ,consenting to
the match. The wedding day was fixed,
wi hen all at once William Udderzook
was arrested on charge of having
murdered Goss, whose life was insured
for large amount. The narrator re-
lpeated what IL generally known OF that
Great crime. How udderzook8 conspred
with Goss to cheat the insurance com
pani.s;, how Udderzook. to have the
secret all to himself, murdered Goss cut
his body into pit ces and buried it near
West Chester, and how Udderzook was
afterwards hung at West Chester.


During Udderzook's trial the old man
and aunt were told by various gossips
that the suitor and soon-to be bride
groom was blood relation of the great
criminal. ( The old Inan called his
daughter to him and wildly told her
that the impure blood Of their own tam
lily, tainted as II was With insanity
however innocent the insanity might
be, must not be crossed with that OF a
breed in which such terrible black
ness was. Then for the first time the
daughter (and narrator) felt her rea,
son falter and the disease Of her ~tathsr
creep through her veins. She met 'ber
lover and told him the truth. He
vowed that he WAS not related to I'd
derzook except by marliage,t but the
father and aunt were persistent. III
nally, about the time that Uddrrzook
was hung, the father sold his West
Chester property, left the aunt behind
and took the daughter to Ohio, the two
settling near Lebanon. They lived In
s-clusion. She never heard from her
lover, who still held her heart. Her
acquaintance was sought far and wide,
but she never left her home.


On Friday afternoon two weeks ago
when she opened the kitchen door to o
knock she saw a tramp before her.
There was instsnt recognition. The
tramp was her Wilmington lover. He
was taken into the house and given
food. He told his story. He owned
that when they left West Chester he at
once began life of dissipation. He
left profitable business in Whining
ton and went TO Philadelphia, thence to
New York, thence 20 South America
and returned to America year ago.
While the tramp was telling of his
wanderings the father entered the room.
There was a dreadful scene. The old
man became crazed. He assailed the
tramp and Inflicted terrible wounds.


While the young woman was telling
her story the doctor noticed that the
old man peeped into the room several
times. He was little better than al
idiot in his manner and the authorities
of the Ohio State Asylum for the In.
sane have been informed Of his case.