Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1857-12-23
Correspondence of the IntcIllgcnoer.l

AhA SpA%1EAL DSSs @4g 4OOIs
Me&sEs. EditOrs:-NO appalling murder nor
direfnl contagration calls my pen into Tequisi-
ton this morning, as | trust we have had a guam
tum sufficit of them; but the object of my COM
municatiOn is to correct an impression that
has been cngendered by an article which MP
Pcared in the WGllSburgh Herald, of December
Is, also, one in n Steubenville paper,-T do not
remember the name of 1T now,-some time since.
The former, in n lengthy editorial upon the
investigation, which has just terminated before
the examining court at Wcllsburgh, in regard to
the late atfray that occurred ReIT Bethany, and
which resulted in the acqui,tal of Rains, says,
"Fhis result was received with applause by the
crowded court room, but in our humble opinion,
neither 1t (the resulD or the applause was credit
able to the court room OF the audience"
Now, what brought about this result Moth
ing more nor less than the evidence ciicited
from the Commonwealth witnesses, fro,t whose
testimony nothing but self defense I as. most
Unsuitable, and that by any means, coul he es-
tabliShGd, vita but one exception, and IT,, was
the eFiten testimony of Owen McNal.y, the
man by whom the warrant was sworn out, a
character too low and despicable to be allowed
the privilege of living in u christian ommun
ty, and who is now n fugitive from Justice,
charged, first, with selling whisky without IL
cenSe, secondly, with perjury in this same case,
and lastly, though not least by any means, as
being the duStardly villain who reduced to ashes
our SOiicBc OuitulNSs
The only point upon which the justices in
the preliminary examination here could not
agree was, whether the law wouldjuStify n man
acting in self defense, when he could have run
after being knocked down and beaten the first
time, but having no intimation whatever, that
he would be attacked the second time. When
this point was clearly established, of course the
court could not hold the accused accountable.
though twenty men had been killed dceiientIv.
As to what preccdes and follows in the arti-
Gle above mentioned, the 'iynch law, and the
court, who constituted themselves ajury," &c,
l leave to their honOrS to treat with that respect
or indignation which their feelings may suggest
on reading it cannot conceive, for the life of
me-, how the editor of the Herald, rom the tes-
timouy produced III court, could have deduced'
the conclusions he has given US to understand
by inuendO, that lie has arrived at. In "our
humble opinion nothing but tine blindest, most
bigoted prejudice could have induced such an
impression. The substance of the remarks in
the Steubenville paper was, that u man had been
stabbed at a ball IL Bethany | give the editor
credit for being miSinforned.
Now, when these reports are circulated
through the country. it will at once be said, tits
dangerous for a person to visit Bethany, for he
may at any moment be asSassinated, and the
magistrates after a great parade will allow the
offender to 60 scot free. To those who are ac-
quainted in Bethany it would be unnecessary to
make any statement whatever, us the pcaceable
disposition of our citizens is too well known to
them, but to strangers who arc ignorant of the
particulars of the case above referred to. it Is
but just to let them know that we do not tame.
.ly submit to any such unjust insinuations.
Yours, &c, CHAIYRs.