Year: 1877

Ten Years of NIisery--An EXtOrted Bequest and n Cruel Codicii.

 A few weeks ago, says the New York

 age, died in this city. He left no chil-

 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 re fred to bed at night as usual, and

 his death was only ascertained at noon

 of the following day, when his door was 1 broken open and he was found lifeless

 upon his bed Breakfast had been pre- i pared for him as usual, and his passion

 ate temper was so much feared that no

 one had ventured to disturb him till it

 grew so late in the day that the house. i hold became seriously alarmed at 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.

 i. 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 doting lover to a querulous husband, and finally 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 acquaintances. He keeps solitary nome, 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 go beyond belief. The man had received the education of a 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 sui fering wife.

 Knowing that even woman's endur- ance has it's limits, he threatened openly, 1t 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 accomplishing sufferer can tell, and the climax to her wrongs was only to be reached at the end. He had given her many years ago 8 deed of the house and lot where they were living, and this was her main resource for SUD- 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 It is asserted that witnesses stand ready to attest this fact in court, if necessary, and to aver 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 the 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- tion of the mystery might not be far to seek. But it is reported that the prop erty has been willed away to distant relatives and business acquaintances for whom he could have had no special at tachment. This statement must be re- ceived with caution, for, apart from the exclusion of the widow, nothing is defn- itely known of the provisions except to certain gentlemen acting as counsel or executors. It 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, 0,OO0,