Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1858-02-13
tx QUITO &
HEN Fl. IRY FIFE
CHARLOTTE JONES,
FOR THR
NJ IT r. DER
EO.WlLSON& ELlZlBITH N'NASTEBS
pfrrsaune. Friday Afternoon

PfrTsBURG, Friday Afternoon
Allthrough the d:y the streets of Pittslu g
were thronged with thousands of eager, push
ing, hurrying columns of human life Eally
in the morning business was partially suspend
ed, and knots of gossipers lined the streets and
INSTRUCTED the .thoroughfares as far as the eye
could reach. No inhabitant of the Smoky CT
ty need to have been told that the change was
attributable to the awful fact that Charlotte
Jones and Henry Fife were awaiting execution
for the fnurder of George Wilson and Elizabeth
Ministers. We give brief rehearsal Of the
circumstances of the case.
"0n Friday morning, the LIST of May, 1857,
George Wilson and Elizabeth M'Masters-an
aged brother and sistcr-were found dead in
their humble cabin on the.bank of the Monon-
gahela, near CANDLES Landing-the one appa-
rently killed without n moments warning, the
other hacked and mutilated till recognition of
the countenauce was impossible. All the vio-
lence that brutality can wreak upon defenceless
age was visible upon their persons. What won
der that the lips ofevcry person who witnessed
that sight quivered with indignation, and de.
manded the lives of the midnight aSsaSsinsl
EARLY on the morning of that day Charlotte
the tavern of Miss Alexander Shortly after
the news of the tragedy was received, aud the
quiet village was alive with excitement. Tho
circumstance of a woman in a red dress sum
bonnet and black cape, nysteriously appearing
in the village, was soon known, Ii was ascer-
tanned that she was the putative wife of jour-
neyman shoemaker named Henry Fife. Fife
was found at VOLTS tavern, and arrested: stains
of blood were found on his clothes.
SIN the pocket of his pants was letter adj
dressed to Monroe Stewart from relative of
Charlotte Jones. He also was taken in custody;
blood was found upon his clothes. Both were
brought to the city that night and placed in the
lookup. Charlotte Jones was traced by the
fatal red dress, on board the steamboat going TO
Brownsville, and had scarcely landed at Monon-
gahela City before she was arrested. She made
various statements thcn--at one time implicat-
ing her own brother in the deed, but SUISSE
quentyl Fife and Stewart. She was taken to
Pittsburgh on the ensuing day, and after pre-
Iiminary examination before the Mayor, the
three were committed for further hearing. On
Sunday Charlotte Jones requested to see the
Mayor, which being granted, she made what she
matter, duplicating Fife and Stewart as the
principals, and herselfas reluctant participant
in the tradgedy. AIicaring of the case was had
on Tuesday of the following week, which was
concluded Thursday, and resulted in the final
commitment of the parties for trial j ~
''Tuesday, June Both, the case came up for
trial in the Court of Oyer aud Terminer, Hon..
VIM. D. Mcclure presiding A severance was
asked, but refused by the court in the case of
Stewart, and they were tried jointly. The trial
the particulars of which have been so fire.
qucntly before the public that no detail is nc
cessary-was closed. on thetllth of'July, the
jury Mt five o'clock in the afternoon returning
verdict of guilty of murder in the first degree
Since that day Charlotte Jones and Henry
Fife, conformity, have made confession, which
has been published in pamphlet form and wide
ly distributed III this confession they have
completely exonerated Monroe Stewart from all
completely in, or even knowledge of the crime
of which he and they were convicted, and TAX
ing all blame and guilt to themselves. The sol
emn assertions made in this confession, coupled
with the most vehement denials and consistent
statements of Monroe Stewart, induced Govern
or Pollock to appoint the day of execution for
him two weeks later than for the other two
The day selected for the punishment of the
two confessed murderers was the 18th of Feb
ruary.
The execution was conducted in private
manner in conformity with the law, admitting
none to witness the awful spectacle except SO
far as was necessary, absolutely. It was de-
creed that no permits should be granted to the
reporters of the press, although few gained
entrance to The yard as soldiers, Jurors, &c. and
had to depend entirely upon memory 10 furnish
ing their accounts. Under these circumstances,
lit.is impossible for us to furnish an elaborate
description as to how the unfortunate convicts
expiated their crime, but are compelled to draw
upon the reporters who have had access to-the
Eplace of execution.
Since the day the death warrants were sign
cd, ministers of the gospel, and laymen OF all de
nominations have la6ored with the condemned,
i endeayoring to fix their attention upon things
beternal and lead them to that Fountain OF Mercy
which. is free to ali. These visits have, it Is
TRUSTED, not been nnayailing. They had gex-