The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1865-08-24
0ln4rttelIIfIIgIlIll
THURSDAY m0RNING, AUGUST q.
MURDER FLAMES BRuRs-Hv1DRNcRi

BEFORE THE EXAMINING CoURTAJo-
sEPH STEvER, MEMBER OF THE 192D
NEW YORK, COMMITTED FOR TRIAL.-
On Wednesday morning we briefly
noticed the murder of James Brues,
which occurred on Tuesday night about
eleven o'clock, on the pavement. in
front OF. the Sprigg House, hotel kept
by the father of the deceased. The evil
dence goes to show that the crime was
perpetratsd by party of soldiers be-
longing to the 1R2d New York regiment,
who were doing duty as Provost Guard
at this place, but who had received
orders to report at Cumberland and
were therefore only awaiting the arri-
val of their successors, it being expected
that the 1921 would leave on the ensuing
day wednesday,. The testimony
shows that Brues was called out of
the house by a member of the regi-
ment that while ont he was sur
rounded by squad of soldiers, and
robbed and murdered. The supposed
motive was former difficulty between
the police and the regiment and some
citizens who aided the police in making
an arrest, a quarrel having occurred
at that time between Brues and one OF
the comrades of the arrested soldiers.
Yesterday morning coroner's inquest
was held over the body of the deceased,
Squire Johnston presiding. The same
witnesses testified ut the inquest and
before the examining court, mt which
Judge Good presided. After hearing
the evidence, the coroner's jury gave
the following verdict:
''Tllat james Brues came to his death
from a pistol or gun-shOt wound, fired
by some party or parties unknown to
the jury, between the hours of IL and u
O'clock, on the night of the I'D day of
August, 1863"
EXAMINING COURT.
The court converted Mt 9 O'Clock in tho
basement of the court house. The same
witnesses were called that had testified
in the morning before the Coroner's
jury. Their testimonyat both hearings
was substantially the same. The first
witness called was
A. j. Moore, late of the 10Th West
Virginia infantry; he testified that on
Tuesday night about half past IL o'clock
he was in the office of the Sprigg House,
when a sergeant and four men came in
and called for drinks. The deceased
told the bar-keeper to give them one
more drink; (wftness here identified
three soldiers who We're present in the
court room as members of the party
who came in and asked for drinks;)
sergeant Becker left as soon as he
had taken u drink, the others re-
manning; shortly after the prisoner
started out alone, and as he passed
Brues, who was sitting in the Office, he
tapped him on the shoulder and asked
him to step out as he wished to speak
to him. Mr.. Bfues went out with him;
witness went to the door and saw de-
ceased and prisoner talking together;
Brues was leaning or standing near an
awning post above the office door; while
thus engaged a squad of soldiers came
up the street; witness was standing out
side the door when this squad came up;
when they had came close up to Brl6s,
one of their number remarked, "here
is the id rascal who struck one of
our mem" noticed that one of them car
ried "A pistol in his hand; others. had
bnyonets Mt their sides; when this re-
mark was made the prisoner caught
Brues by the throat or round the neck,
and pulled him back off the pavement:
the squad Immediately surrounded
BrueS, the prisoner continuing to hold
him while others commenced rifling his
DOSkeLSS l. went IIlIO4 the mousse TO give
the alarm and secure assistance for
Brues; the prisoner had been talking
to deceased about half u minute when
squad came up; think one or two of
those in the squad had on citiZens' dress;
did not notice any officers among them;
they We're walking too fast for me 10
observe closely; heard shots fired; do
not know who fired them; Sergt. Kee-
gan and Martin Leonard did not go out;
they remained in the house. -
Major Dan. -Curran. testifies-I was
sitting in the Sprigg House office about
eleven O'clock Tuesday night; was con-
versing with James Brues; four or five
soldiers came in; one of them asked for
drinks; Mr.. Brues told the barkeeper
to give them a drink; they proceeded
to the bar-room; directly they came out
into the office; one of them touched
Brues on the shoulder and asked him
to step out; Brues accompanied him,
and followed to tho door; the deceased
was standing near the lamp post talk
ing to some men; returned into the
house; presently Brues came in reelfng
aud said. 81 tIn murdered - caught
him near the foot of the stairs and laid
him down; then stepped outside the
door, when some of the party standing
about the lamp-pOst, fired four or five
shots; think they were firing mt me; the
man who fired was standing within the
light from the lamp-post; could see
toward me; think there were four or
five men in the party; think they were
all soldiers; walked towards them when
they all ran of; / think when Brues
first stepped outside the door, there
were two other men joined him and the
prisoner, and walked with them to the,
place where the conversation was car
ried on.
Sergeant Keegan, of the l92d, testified
-On Tuesday night / went to the
Sprigg House and took three men with
me; we went for the purpose of getting
drink; do not know the hour: nfter
getting the drinks two of my men went
out; do not know where they went; /
and one of my men remained in the
bar where I was engaged in com
Hersanon while there, Mr.. Moore,
Sergeant, your men are getting muir,
dered out there" Istarted out and met
Mr.. Brues coming in: he said, "Ser-