Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1857-12-05
Horrible Murder on Fish Creek
An old Man beaten 10 Den.h with am Axe.

An Old Man beaten 10 DenIh with an 4 xe |!
Scarcely has the excitement attendant upon
the Sunftsh murder passed away until we are
startled by the announcement of another and
still more horrible tragedy in the same vicinity.
On Tuesday evening last the body of an old
man named George Moore was found in field
near his residence, on Fish Creek, with his head
split open, his brains and blood surrounding
him in CHASTITY pool. The murderous instru-
ments, an axe and hatchet, were lying, blood
stained, by the side of the corpse ~ man
named Isaac Powell is charged with the COM
mission of the shocking deed.
The circumstances as we were able to gather
them yesterday from n reliable source, are about
as follows: On Sunday evening last, the old
man Moore was engaged in chopping wood in
a field near his residence. Powell, who lives in
the same vicinity, happened TO he passing by
the house of man named Baker, and hearing
the sound of the axe, enquired of a boy who
was there, what it mcant-how Moore came to
be chopping wood on SundaY2 The boy was
playing with a Ratchet at the time, which he
soon laid down upon the ground, and CONVEX
sation ensued between the two Moore keeps a
poultry yard and raises chickens. During the
general conversation, Powell remarked: 81
wonder if old Moore would be id fool
enough to kill fellow if he was to go and steal
n couple of chickens" To this the boy made
no reply but started away, leaving the hatchet
upon the ground.
Nothing was seen of Moore until the next
Tuesday morning, when he was found weltering
in his own blood as described with this same
hatchet which the boy had left with Powell, ly-
ing by his side. A coroner's jury was SUM
moned, AN inquest held, and the verdict of the
jury was that the deceased came to his death by
blows inflicted with an axe Ratchet in the
hands of some person unknown. When the
circumstance noted above became known, Pow
ell Immediately arrested and conveyed be-
fore magistrate. When the officer went to ar
rest Powell at his lodgings the latter was OBJ
served to throw something from his pocket,
which is now Supposed to have been the old
mans pocket book, as time worn wallet known
TO have belonged to him, was not to be found
upon his mangled corpse. The officer was SO
eager to secure the offender that he thoughtn not
of the circumstance at the time. a search was
to have been instituted for the mysterious ar
ticle yesterday. Powell was taken before
Esquire Bridell, Justice of the Peace for Mar
shall county, and was committed TO Jail to an.
swer the charge of murder at the next term o.
the Marshall county Circuit Court He was Sc
curely bound and brought up to Moundsville
the night before last, where he was lodged in
Jail. Powell admits having taken the hatchet
from Bakers yard on the Sunday evening in
question, butdenies all knowledge of the muir.
der. His statements, however, in regard to his
whereabouts OH that evening, were made in a
hesitating and contradictory manner. Thefeeling
in the community, as well as the circumstantia
evidence, is strongly against the accused. He
is represented dissipated, worthless, idle
unmarried man. lie was known and feared il
the community as daring aud desperate fel
low, fully capable of perpetrating such decd
as the one with which he is charged.
The old man Moore had relations living in
this city He was reputed to be rather eccen.
trio in his habits, living all alone aud taking cx.
traordnary pride in raising poultry; but beyond
this, he was an humble and strictly honest man,
always having kindly feeling for his neighbors
The deceased was bachelor, and about sixty
years of age. Under the direction of the rela
lalives i'll this city, the body was decently inter
led not far from the scene Of the murder, the
evening before last
1t thought by those thoroughly acquainted
with the circumstances, that POWELL in carrying
out his expressed design of Stealing couple o
chickens, was surprised by the old man, and tt
prevent exposure, murdered him
Bridgeport-We have report from Bridge.
port over the river, to this effect Mud seven
inches and rising at the ferries-erossing dan.