The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1866-03-21
Murder Of Alexander White,
OF R0AEE CO.. W. w., NEAR
CHARLESTON, 0ETH NIGHT
OF MARCH 18TH, 1866.
Arrest Of Newton C. Sims and
James Bluudon, alias Fletcher,
Charged Herewith.

the announcement OF horrible and mystic
rious murder, committed within tHo miles OF
this place, sometime during the previous night.
At On early hour in the morning patch Of
blood was discovered, by persons passing, in
the road leading along Elk river OH the oppo-
site side, near the mouth Of Magazine creek |;
aud u search in the vicinity resulted in the
discovery Of = man lying sead-foully muir
dered-a, distance Of some thirty yards up
the steep bank. Report Of this discovery was
brought TO town, and Squire Williams went
GU, aul took official possession Of the body,
| which vas brough, TO town, and II coroner 5
inquest was held. There were Two guushot
! wounds; one ball had passed from TIC centre
Of the back Of the neck and came OUT =, right
| side Of the CHA; the other had entered 4: the
front OF right ear, and came out at left eye.
Several witnesses were examined, aud the
evidence (purely circunstantial thus far
seems " pout to the guilt Of Newton G. Sims,
late private in the 9Th Va. Inf. and Cor
poral in Is, ". Va. Vet. Inf, and James
EiuuIon, alias Fletcher. Tic maine Of the
head Of Big Sandy, in Eounc county. lie had
arrived in Charleston on Tuesday evening
ana about dusk delivered a box Of vcnisou
anu dccr-skins at the store Of Mr.. J. G. BoGin,
At which time the above two men were with
him, one Of whom was noticed to have a re.
vo.vcr strapped about him. Tic team and
wagon WAS lief, in the vicinity Of rotier's
BLACKSMITH shop, and the three men took sup
per together at the house OF Mr.. Meredith
Price, in North Charleston. Two men crossed
tic Suspension h,i';su over Elk shortly after
ward, che Of whom gave his name As Sims to
the %rrprr y! tie ,ol.-satr, and Il is though,
The u;!rr was MIR. White. who it is thought
i.al b...;acs. with Mr.. Thos. Jarvis, whose
!:o!:-r il about l.! miles IN Elk Oh the orro-
site s:,lc. and but short distance from the
scene vE tie murder Notkius more is known
.: tie Proceedings Of Sins until about half
pas; O'Clock, when he wen, to the store Of
Mr.. VIA. Ii. Schnoaovcc, on this side Of Elk,
nearly opposite Ike place OF the tragedy, ana
hon"!; u shirt, asked If Fletcher bad come to
:hc house, said Ee wanted 10 wnsh himself,
and after being instructed where he could TO
So. failed TO 10 H. saying he WAS in hurry;
ard although lie ASKED to stay all night, he
remained ;hcrc bu; II s!ioit tiEc.
Fletcher was ii; tic house near by, anil re.
manned there till morning, when he said he
was going 20 Gal!iro;iS. lie ,ol! Schc9noYer
TIA, he haL lea, SINS hi. revolver. He came
Town and got aboard Of The boat; and went
as far rs cuals,aout.l, where lie got oil. lie
WAS pursued ty TWO .! our Sheriff deputies,
a,rc.,rd GaI b:owsh, 20 Charleston. and con-
auci in jail. Sonc person l>Grw"Sc'! to be
Sim> during the might, drove ia: team which
lal been !rt, in Charleston rs above stated,
ur tho Kanawha river road, until he came TO
ta,ayh.lls Greek Gap, where he unhitchrd
tie horses. III, tie wagon, and rode up Camp
bells creek 20 Ike noGse Of Mr.. Odc'i, where
he arrived some time after midnight, and
s,olgcl Till mor"ins'
Mr.. Odcil had ,u.i'icions froal his actions,
that the man had S:oieu the hOrscs. and
thought =: tie time tha, nc SHOULD ac arrested.
Here Sins LEI, one 0: The horse. and the gears,
anil proceeded on up the creek, crossed over to
E.ue creek. purSucl Is two cf our citizens
AMI Young Odcil, who were only seven L"nrs
hciiul him; FROM Blue creek 20 Failing Eock,
from ,i..uce TO rurtcrs creek, to i house &C.
cu;.;,l Ly the mistress Q: .:;wndon, whose son,
; i, sccm<, then took the horse and rode SOME
! .i:tcsa miles further, where he hltched him IN
the woods: the pursuing party, just before
reaclinc the spot, nc; li,tIc girl, OF whom
! they Inquired ii shc hal seen anybody riding
or walking down the rnvinc. Size dcnied
/ having seen ANY one. About hTo yards
! i,,r,hr- on they found the horse eating
! ,!.rc>i.cd oats: they Their turned their alien
ZION to the girl, followed iw the direction She
: Lad taken, and came upon fence around 1"
house; in crossing which, the girl c"ush!
! >;..,, &c them, and screamed yociferous!y, in
order. i, is supposed TO give the alarm 10 The
n..;u. man. Not finding him in the house,
and learning that they had been foilcd in the
pursui, OF Sims, they returned TO where they
had seen the horse, which hud disappeared.
They tracked him little further on, and
came up to him, standing with the reins
thrown over brush. No. being able to track
the man any further, they returned to Charles
ton, bringing the horse with ,hem' as well "'
tho one which Sims had left 4, olelEs.
Ahou, oac o'clock on Thursday afternoon
another party lei, here in rursui, Of Sims, and
: wer. q, las, successful in capturing him, .!
using u little strategy, on the head waters o.
! Rio Laurel in Clay county, somc oo or 6o
miles distant, on Friday evening, and brought
their prisoner into Charleston on Su"d"y
morning, where no i. now confined in Jail. In
,As meantime q reward OF S&Oo was promui-
Gated for tho arcs, Of Sims, which amount
Was paid to Messrs. Vim. Mahan aud Up
Price, who brought the prisoner in.
Thi, murder, considering tho circumstances
under which it was committed, the probable
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